Further education (often abbreviated FE) is a term mainly used in connection with education in the United Kingdom and Ireland. It is post-compulsory education (in addition to that received at secondary school), that is distinct from the education offered in universities (higher education). It may be at any level above compulsory secondary education, from basic skills training to higher vocational education such as; City and Guilds, Higher National Diploma or Foundation Degree.A distinction is usually made between FE and higher education ("HE") which is education at a higher level than secondary school, usually provided in distinct institutions such as universities. FE in the United Kingdom therefore includes education for people over 16, usually excluding universities. Colleges offering FE courses are called FE colleges which may be private or public funded.

 

We can explain the Further & Higher Secondary Education System in this way; when students reach the age of 16 and have completed their GCSE's they have a few options to choose from:

 

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Academic Qualifications

Vocational Qualifications

 

If students opt for carrying on with their education this will take two forms, either by pursuing further academic qualifications or by following a more vocational pathway. 

 

Academic Qualifications:

 

Most schools in the UK have what is called a "6th Form" for students to enter after they have taken their GCSE's. As an alternative, there are many "6th Form Colleges" that will offer the same courses from students at schools that do not have a 6th form. Here students typically study A-levels, further academic qualifications required of students before they enter higher education and a degree program. A-levels, like GCSE's, follow a two-year program and there are two components to them, full A-levels and half AS-levels. Generally A-levels comprise of 6 modules, and an AS-level 3 modules. Students will generally take between two to three A-levels, but depending on your academic ability and drive you may take more. Students at independent schools may take anywhere up to 5 A-levels. The International Baccalaureate is also now offered by more schools in the UK as an alternative to A-levels, however this is still very small.

 

 

Vocational Qualifications:

 

For students who are not so academically minded, they still have the option to further their education by studying a vocational course that will provide them with a more hands on experience and education. 

 

The most popular vocation programs include:

 

• BTEC Awards

• National Vocational Qualification (NVQ)

• City and Guilds Qualification

• Apprenticeships

 

Traditionally professional bodies have played a major part in determining the education and training required for membership of their various fields of work. This is especially true of the more senior roles in the professions of most relevance to business. As the range of specialists has widened so the number of professional bodies has multiplied.

 

At the same time there has been a major movement to improve basic preparation from the bottom up, starting with programmes for the unskilled and the unemployed. Through this has emerged a national policy for the development of vocational standards where the main determinant of what was to be sought reflected the perceived requirements of employers in the occupations concerned. These National Vocational Qualifications (NVQ’s) have been promoted over a wide range of occupations and industries. To reinforce this approach General Vocational Qualifications (GNVQ’s) have been developed to enable young people to demonstrate their knowledge and awareness of what is required even when in their final years at school and the biggest sector for which they have been developed is business and its related services.