Accredited official statistics

Vocational and Other Qualifications Quarterly: Oct to Dec 2016

Statistics for qualifications other than GCSEs, A levels, the Diploma and its components in England, Wales and Northern Ireland.

• From: Ofqual
• Published: 14 March 2017

Applies to England, Northern Ireland and Wales

Documents

Vocational and other qualifications quarterly: October to December 2016

Ref: Ofqual/17/6178

PDF, 1.04 MB, 42 pages

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Tables - Vocational and Other Qualifications Quarterly October to December 2016

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Table of revisions

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Pre-release access list

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Details

Main findings

1. Nearly 1.1 million certificates were awarded in 2016 quarter 4, a decrease of 7% on the same quarter of 2015. This is the lowest number of certificates awarded during quarter 4 in the past five years. The decline is mostly due to a decrease in the number of certificates in functional skills and QCF qualifications.
2. The number of available qualifications in quarter 4 decreased by 5%; from 31,340 in the previous quarter to 29,866.
3. The qualification with the highest number of certificates this quarter was CIEH Level 2 Award in Food Safety in Catering (QCF) with 24,600 certificates awarded.
4. The number of certificates issued for Level 1 qualifications decreased by 12% on the same quarter in 2015 (from 286,800 to 251,200). This was mostly due to a decrease in the number of certifications for functional skills and QCF qualifications.
5. The number of certificates issued for Level 2 qualifications decreased by 5% compared to the same quarter the previous year (from 523,550 to 499,100).
6. The number of Level 3 certifications increased by 5% (from 176,800 to 186,300) compared to the same quarter the previous year.
7. The highest number of certificates awarded by sector subject area of qualification in this quarter was for health, public services and care (234,450). This was closely followed by preparation for life and work (228,800).

Datasets

The datasets used to produce this release are available for England, Wales and Northern Ireland and for each individual country.

Consultation on Ofqual’s statistical releases

We are seeking views on our proposed changes to Vocational Quarterly and Annual Qualifications Market Report. This consultation closes at 5pm on 24 March 2017. Please click here for further information on the consultation and how to respond.

Published 14 March 2017