This means that the course doesn’t come with any kind of qualification. You might do it for the experience or just to learn a skill

This means you’ll get a certificate at the end to prove you’ve completed the course. You won’t have to do any exams, you’ll just be given something to show you turned up and learnt something

NVQ stands for National Vocational Qualification and will cover skills needed in a particular area of work. SVQ stands for Scottish Vocational Qualification and is essentially the same thing but based in Scotland

This is a qualification aimed at preparing you for university if you don’t have the traditional A Level/GCSE level of study. Usually focused on a specific subject it will get you ready to take a degree in that area on finishing

These are academic qualifications aimed at giving you higher expertise in certain subjects, preparing you for work or for further education

GCSE stands for General Certificate of Secondary Education and sit at levels 1 and 2 on the QCF. This means they give you a grounding in a subject that will prepare you for further education or work

Apprenticeships are workplace-based qualifications where you learn by doing (and get paid too!) and only spend a short time in college