>> In Y11 >> Thinking about Options @ 16 >> Full-time courses

Full-time courses are offered by colleges, sixth form colleges and schools - there are three types of course:

• Job specific if you want to get a qualification for the job you have chosen, such as nursery nursing, hairdressing, catering, ICT.  Look at VQs, BTEC First and BTEC or OCR National qualifications.
• Vocational (or work-related) if you want to do a course that relates to a career area such as ICT, health and social care, business.  Good if you like projects and course work.  Look at BTEC First, BTEC or OCR National, Diplomas and GCE AS and A levels in applied subjects.
• A mainly academic course if you want to take a broad range of subjects.  Good if you like to study and do well in exams.  Look at GCE AS and A levels. Some schools also offer the AQA Baccalaureate, an Extended Project or the Cambridge Pre-U Diploma.
• Diplomas will combine academic study with vocational related experience.

Look at Qualifications to find out more about the different types.

For details of local courses, check out the 14 to 19 online prospectuses