How does my level 2 vocational qualification(s) support my application to an A- Level or International Baccalaureate (IB) course at a post 16 centre in the Cambridge area Partnership (CAP) Post 16 centres within CAP accept that all vocational courses are of value and count towards the profile for entrance to A-Level or IB courses in the same way as GCSE courses. Each vocational subject, so long as it is over 120 guided learning hours, is regarded as equivalent to one GCSE subject. Some centres are looking for students to achieve a pass (equivalent to a C grade at GCSE), some require higher grades. Some centres will only accept one vocational qualification as part of a student’s profile while others accept two or more. A number of A-Level and IB subjects have specific entry requirements details of these along with how each post 16 centre would treat vocational course can be found by contacting the centre concerned. Note that vocational science is not accepted by any CAP post 16 centre as part of the entry requirements for A-Level or IB Biology, Chemistry or Physics. Vocational science course could form part of the overall profile required for entry onto A-Level or IB programme. Applied A-Level science and IB environmental systems and societies accept BTEC science as part of specific entry requirement. For year 9 Options1

CentreNumber of Vocational subject that could form part of a student’s profile Grade looking for entry profile Comberton2Merit Ely Sixth Form2Pass Hills Road Sixth FormVocational qualifications treated as any other GCSE would be. Will count a maximum of 2 at Merit or above. Impington Sixth Form2Merit Long Road Sixth FormVocational qualifications treated as any other GCSE would be Pass Netherhall Sixth Form1Merit Parkside Sixth FormVocational qualifications treated as any other GCSE would be. The table below is a guide for the maximum number of vocational courses (120glh) that could form part of a students profile for A-Level or IB as well as the minimum grade centres are looking for, based on 2011/12 entry. This may vary from year to year, confirmation of what the situation would need to be made by contacting post 16 centre in the year of application. For year 11 options2 Note: studying more vocational qualification does not exclude you from applying for A-Level or IB courses, the table above indicates the number that would be considered as part of an entry profile.