Guidelines

While the goal is to allow learners as much flexibility in their education as possible, ASL is guided by a few rules. It is ultimately a centre's responsibility to ensure that their learners take the appropriate qualifications, but here are some guidelines for quick reference.

Size
In order to achieve the ASL requirement learners must complete the size of qualification that falls within the acceptable range for the level of their Diploma. The acceptable GLH range at each level is as follows:

Level 1: 120 GLH to 180 GLH
Level 2: 180 GLH to 270 GLH
Level 3: 360 GLH to 540 GLH

The maximum is allowed in cases where one qualification exceeds the minimum GLH by up to 50%.

Structure of New BTEC Short Courses


Our work with the QCA, DDPs, consortia and local authorities has resulted in a nested structure of new BTEC short courses, forming a framework of qualifications which satisfy Specialist Learning requirements. The following table shows learner options for achieving the required GLH for each level Diploma:

  60 GLH120 GLH 180 GLH 360 GLH 
Level 1 Award Certificate* Extended Certificate 
Level 2 Award Certificate Extended Certificate* 
Level 3  Award  Extended Certificate Diploma*

*These qualifications fulfill the minimum GLH requirement for Additional and Specialist Learning for the level where they are listed.

This nested structure allows flexibility for the learner, allowing the smallest specialist qualifications to be combined to create larger ones, while all but the largest qualifications for each level can be taken alongside Additional Learning units to complete the ASL requirement of the Diploma. The availability of ASL qualifications will vary for each consortium depending on the needs of their learners, internal resources, staff, and Diploma arrangements.

Pre-existing BTEC qualifications taken to satisfy Specialist Learning, such as those available for Creative and Media, may be structured differently.

Level
Qualifications taken to satisfy ASL requirements must be at the level of the Diploma sought or one level higher.
Example: Level 2 and 3 BTEC qualifications, but not Level 1 BTECs, would count towards a Level 2 Diploma.

Where the qualification level depends on the grade achieved, the learner must earn the minimum appropriate grade for the qualifications to count toward the Diploma. For example: GSCE grades A* to C would count towards a Higher Diploma, but not grades D to G.

Age
A very small number of qualifications are accredited only for learners who are at least 16 or 18 years old. This restriction will be indicated on the specification.