Definitions
Source: gov.uk (2025-02-06)

Help with terms used in this manual

16 to 19 study programmes

All learners aged 16 to 19 in England are funded for an individual study programme. Study programmes have a core aim, are tailored to each learner, have clear study or employment goals reflecting the learner’s prior attainment, and include:
- substantial qualifications
- mathematics and English for learners who have not achieved grade 9 to 4 at GCSE in these subjects
- high quality work experience or work preparation
- added value non-qualification activity that supports the learners’ goals and is integrated into the study programme
Access to higher education (HE) diploma

Qualification that prepares people without traditional qualifications for study at university.

Additional specialist

A technical qualification that builds on the outcomes within an occupational standard and supports an individual to specialise within an occupation – see more about additional specialist qualifications (https://www.instituteforapprenticeships.org/qualifications/).

Advanced Learner Loans

Source of fees and support to help people aged 19 and over to undertake general and technical qualifications between level 3 and level 6.

Awarding organisation

Organisation that develops, delivers and awards qualifications.

Certification end date

The last date on which an awarding organisation has indicated that certification is available.

Curriculum and assessment review

An independent review (https://www.gov.uk/government/groups/curriculum-and-assessment-review), chaired by Professor Becky Francis CBE. It will review the existing national curriculum and statutory assessment system in England, to ensure they are fit for purpose and meeting the needs of children and young people.

Core maths

Core maths qualifications are suited to learners who are wanting to progress to a higher level of study with a particular mathematical focus, for example science, technology, engineering and mathematics (STEM). They will also prepare learners for further study and careers with a strong quantitative element, such as geography and psychology.

Cross cutting

Technical qualification that selectively covers outcomes from at least two occupational standards and enables learners to demonstrate competencies which allow them to perform a specific function derived across different occupational areas.

Education and Skills Funding Agency (ESFA)

The ESFA is an executive agency, sponsored by the Department for Education. It is accountable for funding education and skills for children, young people and adults in England.

Employer proposed

A technical qualification that provides entry to a recognised occupation, but for which no occupational standard currently exists on the occupational maps.

Find a Learning Aim (FaLA)

Web-based search facility for qualifications and their components, and their associated validity and funding details in England.

Funded qualification offer

Group of regulated qualifications that meet our approval principles for funding, and for delivering to defined groups of learners.

Funding and accountability reforms

The skills white paper set out a vision for a skills system that supports people to access the skills required, and to get the jobs our economy needs, increasing productivity, supporting growth industries and giving people opportunity. DfE has been seeking views on proposals for a reformed adult funding and accountability system to help deliver this vision.

Funding approval

Adding a qualification to one or more of our funded offers if that qualification meets our approval principles for public funding.

Funding approval moratorium

From 1 September 2020, we stopped considering all newly regulated qualifications at level 3 and below for funding approval, for learners aged 16 and over (including 19 plus). This moratorium is separate from the moratorium on new technical or applied qualifications being added to the 16 to 18 performance tables but runs alongside it.

Funding validity

Showing that a qualification will receive public funding from us within a specific qualification offer.

Funding year

The period of time that starts on 1 August in one year and finishes on 31 July in the following year.

Lifetime Skills Guarantee

Announced by the Prime Minister in 2020, part of transforming the skills system to ensure more people can get the skills they need to progress into employment. This includes level 3 qualifications.

Occupational entry

Technical qualification that enables entry to an occupation aligned with an occupational standard - see more about occupational entry (https://www.instituteforapprenticeships.org/qualifications/).

Occupational pathway

Occupational maps group occupations with related knowledge, skills and behaviours into pathways. This makes it easier to see the opportunities for career progression within that particular route. In a qualification context, occupational pathways are the route a learner will take through a qualification. They usually relate to qualifications in which learners have the possibility to pursue more than one route through the compilation of optional modules or units within the qualifications structure.

Occupational progression

Technical qualification that selectively covers outcomes within an occupational standard(s) and enables an individual to demonstrate achievement of outcomes which employers identify as supporting progression into or within the occupation.

Occupational standard

These set out the knowledge, skills and behaviours that are required for an individual to be competent in an occupation. They are designed with input from employers to ensure they meet the needs of industry.

Office of Qualifications and Examinations Regulation (Ofqual)

Ofqual regulates qualifications, examinations and assessment in England. Ofqual is independent of government and reports directly to Parliament.

Office for Students (OfS)

The Office for Students is the independent regulator of higher education in England. It is independent of government and reports directly to Parliament.

Operational end date

The date on which the qualification is no longer available to new learners, because there is insufficient time for new candidates to complete all the learning required before the certification end date.

Operational start date

The date on which the qualification becomes available for teaching to learners.

Performance tables

DfE’s school and college performance tables are published annually (with the exception of 2020 and 2021 due to the pandemic). They report:
- key stage 2 results for primary schools in December
- GCSE and equivalent results for secondary schools (provisional results in October and revised results in late January)
- A Levels and other 16 to 18 results for schools and colleges in late January and March
School and college performance tables provide a reliable, accessible source of comparative information on pupil attainment and progress.

Qualification level

A relative indication of how demanding the qualification is, assigned by an awarding organisation in line with Ofqual’s published level descriptors.

Qualification size

An indication of how long a provider of education and training will typically take to deliver the qualification to a learner, measured in guided learning hours (GLH). We use the GLH values in Ofqual’s Register of Regulated Qualifications (https://www.gov.uk/find-a-regulated-qualification).

Qualification title

The title of the qualification, as it appears in Ofqual’s Register of Regulated Qualifications (https://www.gov.uk/find-a-regulated-qualification).

Quality Assurance Agency for Higher Education (QAA)

QAA is an independent charity working to benefit learners and higher education. QAA manages the scheme for the recognition and quality assurance of Access to Higher Education diplomas.

Register of Regulated Qualifications

Ofqual’s register (https://www.gov.uk/find-a-regulated-qualification) that contains details of recognised awarding organisations and the regulated qualifications that they offer.

Sector subject area (SSA)

A classification of qualifications into business sectors or subject areas, maintained by Ofqual. There are 15 broad ‘tier 1’ subject areas and 50 more detailed ‘tier 2’ sub-SSAs.

Skills fund

A new simplified and consolidated adult funding, which would merge the skills funding that is directly provided by DfE into a single Skills Fund, incorporating the Adult Skills Fund (formerly Adult Education Budget), including Community Learning and elements of the National Skills Fund.

T Levels

Two-year courses at level 3 which are taken after GCSEs and are broadly equivalent to 3 A levels. These courses have been developed with employers and businesses, so that the content meets the needs of industry and prepares learners for work.

All T Levels include 2 compulsory parts:
- a technical qualification
- an industry placement
They will provide the knowledge and experience needed to progress into skilled employment, further study or a higher apprenticeship.

Technical route

Technical routes are structured around clusters of occupations that share common knowledge and skills. They offer progression to and through skilled employment.