3 A Levels, 2 year course

5 GCSEs grades 9-5 including English, Mathematics and Computer Science

• Good writing skills and strong Python Programming skills (must know how to write, run and debug a code)
• Problem solving skills

 Levels Digital are a 2-year qualification that you can do after GCSEs as an alternative to A levels, other post-16 courses or an apprenticeship.

They have been designed with leading businesses and employers to give you the knowledge and skills you need.

• Python Programming
• Cloud computing (with hands-on experience on AWS Console, IAM EC2, etc)
• Cyber Security
• Software Development Cycle 
• UX/UI Designs
• Software Methodologies
• Website Development (Front end: HTML & CSS, Backend: PHP & Python)
• Emerging technologies (including the use of VR headsets)
• Computer Networks (hands on experience on physical servers)

Students get an academic course with hands on experience on different hardware and software.

You’ll spend 80% of your time in the classroom and 20% on a 45-day placement with an employer to give you the skills and knowledge companies look for.

Length of placement: 45 days

A minimum of 45 days works experience. Up to 5 days of work readiness including virtual work experience and 2 placements with a minimum of 20 days after the Core 1 and 2 exams in the first year and then a minimum of 20 days taken at a bespoke stage in the second year.

The placement will be assessed through 3 meetings across the placements with the company and teacher, a minimum of 2 on-site visits. Also via a project set in consultation between the company and the school.

T Levels is assessed over two years. In the first year you complete Core Papers (Paper 1 & Paper 2 including an Employer Set Project)

In the second year you work on a project in a set window to create a digital solution.

Paper 1: 

• Computational Thinking 
• Introduction to Programming
• Emerging issues and impact of digital 
• Legislation and regulatory requirements

Paper 2:

• Business Context
• Data
• Digital Environments
• Security 

Employer Set Project: 

• Task 1 – Planning a project
• Task 2 – Identifying and fixing defects in an existing code
• Task 3 – Identifying and fixing defects in an existing code
• Task 4 – Developing a solution

Occupational Specialist Content/ Project: 

1. Be able to analyse a problem to define requirements and acceptance criteria aligned to user needs
2. Apply ethical principles and manage risks in line with legal and regulatory requirements when developing software
3. Discover, evaluate and apply reliable sources of knowledge
4. Design
5. Create solutions in a social and collaborative environment
6. Implement a solution using at least two appropriate languages
7. Testing a software solution
8. Change, maintain and support software

This qualification focuses on the development of knowledge and skills needed to work in the engineering industry, which will prepare learners to enter the industry through employment or as an Apprentice. 

This course is suitable for anyone wanting a career in software production and design. Students can progress into roles such as:

• Web Developer
• Web Designer
• Software Developer
• Computer Games Tester
• Computer Games Developer
• E-Learning Developer
• User Experience (UX) Designer

Students can also use this T Level to do a related higher-level apprenticeship or degree course.

You will learn all the key fundamental skills to be career ready with the knowledge you learn on this course.

3 A Levels, 2 year course

GCSE requirements: Grade 5 English and Grade 5 Maths.  There is no requirement for you to have studied health and social care or child development at level 2.

• Time management
• Organisation
• Writing skills
• Communication
• Team work

If you are passionate about working in a teaching and learning environment where you will see the most growth and development occur. An environment where it is essential to provide nurture and play to enhance the progress of young lives. Then this course will set you on your journey. Providing a qualification that allows you to continue that journey to higher education and a direct route into employment.

• Wider content
• Supporting education
• Safeguarding, health and safety and well being
• Behaviour
• Parents, families and carers
• Working with others
• Child development
• Observation and assessment
• Reflective practice
• Equality and diversity
• Special educational needs and disability
• English as an additional language

When studying a T-level your lessons will be based around a two week timetable. During this time you will have 36 hours which will be lecture based learning. Dependent on the work placements, this could include one day a week which will be solely focused on developing practical skills within your placement. 

This equates to 80% time spent within the classroom and 20% at placements.

Length of placement: 750 Hours

Work experience will take place across the 2 years of study. This could be completed in blocks or could be arranged so students attend a setting at regular times during the week. This will be organised in collaboration with the settings.

The industry placement will be used  for the assessment of skills for the occupational specialism. You will be required to demonstrate specific skills in the placement which will be observed by assessors and moderated. 

In accordance with your placement, NCFE will provide 3 different types of assignments which will have conditions surrounding their completion.

The first assignment will be completed within the school and will be set under controlled invigilated conditions. There is a fixed date for this exam which is set by NCFE.

As an academy we are in a fortunate position that we are an all through school starting from reception. We also have a nursery on site, which will both support work placements. Staff working within the academy will also have an invested interest in the students supporting the academy’s priorities and working with them to ensure your experience is valuable. We also have links with other nurseries within the local area, which will support us in minimising any issues with transport to and from placements.

Work experience placements will provide you with valuable opportunities to put learning, knowledge and skills to use in a real workplace environment. This will also allow you to have a first hand experience of the demands and …….. the industry has to offer. Over a period of time you will experience the day to day tasks which require imagination and initiative for you to support a range of diverse needs children experience. You will be putting your skills to work building a diverse and creative environment for students to flourish.

You will learn to monitor and manage progress of students in all aspects of their development and be given an insight into some of the struggles they will experience along the way.

Key skills developed during your work placement: 

• Support and promote children’s play, development and early education
• Develop relationships with children to facilitate their development
• Plan, provide and review care, palay and educational opportunities to enable children to progress
• Safeguard and promote health, safety and wellbeing of children
• Work in partnership with colleagues, parents, carers and other professionals to support children’s development

Core component:

• paper A written examination
• paper B written examination
• employer set project

In order to achieve a grade for the core component, students must have results for both sub-components (the core (written) examination and the employer set project).

The combined results from these sub-components will be aggregated to form the overall core component grade (A*–E and U).

If students fail to reach the minimum standard across all sub-components, they will receive a U grade. No overall grade will be issued for the core component until both sub-components have been attempted.

Occupational specialism component:

• synoptic assignments

Students are also required to successfully achieve a distinction/merit/pass grade in one of the occupational specialism components. If the student fails to reach the specified level of attainment, they will receive a U grade.

Core examination papers take into account all areas taught within the classroom as laid out within the overview of topics covered 

The employer set project again assesses all of the main topics covered within the wider content area and is designed to allow you to demonstrate this knowledge incorporating workplace scenarios.

Lastly the written assignments can be assessed at various points during your time studying the T-level as part of this will be completed in the form of observations carried out by both teachers and mentors within your work placement. There is however a written element that is completed at a set time as organised by the examination board. This is a scenario based written assignment which will be completed under exam conditions.

• Nursery worker
• Teaching assistant
• Learning mentor
• Special education need teaching assistant
• Playworker
• Portage home visitor

Can also take you into higher education and higher apprenticeships.  For example, students could progress onto the following subjects at the University of Brighton:

• Primary Education (3 – 7 Years) BA (Hons) with QTS – Merit required
• Primary Education (5-11 years) BA(Hons) with QTS – Merit required 
• Physical Education BA(Hons) with QTS – Merit Required