QCF Explained

The Qualifications and Credit Framework (QCF) takes all qualifications and allocates them a credit value. This is a widely used framework for adult learning that is intended to make securing and utilising your qualifications simpler and more straightforward than ever before. But what is QCF and how is it important? Are QCF courses the right choice for me? And how do I understand the wide range of QCF levels available? Here we will answer all of these questions, and so much more, with everything you need to know about the QCF:

What Does QCF Stand For?

QCF is an acronym for the Qualifications and Credit Framework and is a credit transfer system that was introduced to replace the National Qualification Framework (NQF). Using the QCF, all qualifications and awards are given a certain number of awarding credits: the more complex the award, the greater the number of credits it will receive. Most further education qualifications in England, Wales and Northern Ireland are based on the QCF, and the descriptors used to assess a qualification under this framework are both its level and its length.

QCF was first introduced in 2011 when it replaced the delivery of National Vocational Qualifications (NVQ). The QCF is highly regarded, nationally and internationally recognised, and well-established.

Timeline of Course Accreditations

QCF was introduced to replace the NVQ framework. In turn, in 2018, all QCF qualifications were fully transitioned to become RQF (Regulated Qualifications Framework) qualifications. Here is a full timeline of the use of standardised training frameworks within the UK, to help you better understand how they work and how these course accreditations are related:

• In the 1980s NVQ qualification was introduced. The aim of NVQs was to ensure that training and development within the UK were standardised and that the standard of adult learning courses within the country was consistently high. For the first time, adult education was assessed by industry specialists to ensure that company employees were being certificated and qualified in the specific skills they needed to be successful in their industry. The NVQ system was designed to ensure that skills were portable: a food hygiene NVQ, for example, could be recognised and have the same value if you chose to move from one restaurant to another. NVQs were regulated by the NQF body during this period
• In 2008 the QCF framework was introduced. This framework effectively took the lessons learnt from the NVQ system and enhanced them. The QCF system introduced a building block approach to learning. This meant that you could build upon each qualification you received and that each credit was transferrable to other qualifications, giving you more freedom and flexibility within your learning. The QCF also introduced rules around the consistency of qualifications: this meant that the value of each credit was equal, but also meant many awarding organisations had to completely redesign their courses and qualifications in order to comply with these new regulations
• By 2011 the NQF was slowly being phased out and therefore NVQs were placed into the QCF instead. This was a significant move because it meant that all qualifications that were obtained in the UK (including in England, Scotland, and Northern Ireland) could be allocated a QCF credit value. This made all qualifications, both academic and vocational, more portable than ever before
• An independent review was conducted in 2014, and this review found that the QCF system placed too much focus on the structure of the framework, and the structure of the qualifications within it. By contrast, not enough focus was placed on the value and validity of those qualifications
• In response to this criticism a new framework, RQF, was introduced. On 1st October 2015, an official transition for the use of QCF to the use of RQF began. The main change between these two frameworks was that, for the first time, students were able to study for qualifications at their own pace: the focus was on the time needed to complete a qualification, rather than on a restricted deadline by which the course must be finished. This was considered a game changer for many distance learners, and for those trying to study for qualifications whilst also juggling full-time employment and/or the demands of family life
• The transition period between QCF and RQF was a relatively lengthy one, but by 1st January 2018, all QCF qualifications were fully transitioned to the RQF. After this period, all QCF qualifications should instead be listed as RQF qualifications

QCF Awards, Certificates and Diplomas

There are 3 different qualification types that you can earn whilst completing a QCF course: these qualifications are:

• An award, for which 1-12 credits are needed to achieve
• A certificate, for which 13-36 credits are needed to achieve
• A diploma, for which over 37 credits are needed to achieve

Each QCF credit that you earn should take approximately 10 hours of study to achieve. That means that in order to achieve a diploma under the framework you would need to study for at least 370 hours. The qualification level of an award is directly related to its level of difficulty and the level of academic challenge that it poses.

In effect, qualifications within the QFC framework can either be short and complicated, long, and simple, or somewhere in the middle. The type of qualification will determine the length of the course whilst the level of the qualification will indicate its complexity. So, for example, a level 8 award will take less than 12 hours to complete but will deal with advanced and difficult topics, whilst a level 1 diploma will take over 370 hours to complete but is likely to cover a relatively simple and straightforward subject matter.

QCFs are flexible, making them much easier to complete via distance learning than the NVQs that preceded them. This makes them a more appealing qualification to learners who are trying to juggle studying with full-time employment, or with the demands of their family life. What’s more, the credits that you earn within the QCF framework are transferable, so some of the credits that you have earned can be applied to more than one unit, making it easier to achieve the qualifications you need to achieve your career goals.

The Benefits of QCF Courses

There are many benefits to studying within the QCF system. QCF qualifications can boost your employability, and help you to step your career up to the next level. Many QCF qualifications are vocational qualifications, and the main benefit of having this kind of qualification on your CV is that it will give you the skills you need to do your job well. This in term will increase your value to your employer, and to other employers when you decide to seek a different role.

Other benefits of QCF courses include:

• QCF courses are nationally recognised. This means that almost all employers will understand the value of these qualifications and the skills you learn will be transferable. QCF courses specialise in ensuring you have the specific skills you need to get onto your chosen career ladder, and to progress further up it too
• Studying for QCF courses will demonstrate your commitment to the development of your career. What’s more, because the courses and qualifications are clearly laid out in a recognised framework, you can see what you need to do to reach your career goals, and which qualifications will best assist you with your career development. QFC courses encourage both learners and employers to see skills development as critical and lifelong learning as essential
• QCF courses offer more flexibility than many of their predecessors did. This is vital for learners who want to fit their studies around both their existing careers and other commitments within their daily lives. You can study at a pace that suits you, and stick to a schedule that suits you too
• QCF courses eliminate repetitive learning. This is one of the main benefits of the unit or credit-based system that QCF introduced to adult learning. Once a unit is completed, you can bank it and never have to study that unit again. Any credits you earn can be transferred to other qualifications, meaning that everything you learn under the QCF is new and fresh

Levels Within the QCF Framework

There are eight different levels within the QCF framework. These range from level 1 qualifications, which are the most basic or fundamental qualifications under the framework, up to level 8 qualifications, which are the most advanced and complex qualifications under the framework.

People are often confused about what QCF levels actually mean and what other qualifications they might equate to. To help break this down, here is an outline of the eight QCF levels and what other qualifications they would be on the same level as:

• QCF Level 1 would indicate that you have basic factual knowledge of a subject, and would be equivalent to a Level 1 NVQ, award or diploma, a first certificate, or a GCSE for which you achieved a grade D-G
• QCF Level 2 would indicate that you have a high enough level of understanding around a subject to complete well-defined tasks and address straightforward problems within the field of study. A QCF Level 2 would be considered at the same level as an intermediate apprenticeship, a GCSE for which you achieved a grade A* to C, or a level 2 diploma, certificate, or award
• QCF Level 3 holders have a higher level of factual, procedural, and theoretical knowledge. They can solve non-routine problems within their field and have a good understanding within the area of study or work. A QCF Level 3 would be the equivalent of an A level or AS Level, International Baccalaureate, or level 3 diploma, award, or NVQ
• QCF Level 4 would show that the holder can work on complex and non-routine issues within their field. This level is the equivalent of a higher national certificate, an NVQ level 4, or a level 4 diploma, award, or certificate
• QCF Level 5 holders are operating at the same level as those with a foundation degree or a diploma of higher education. They have practical, theoretical, or technological knowledge and understanding of a subject or field of work to find ways forward in broadly defined, complex contexts
• QCF Level 6 holders are operating at the same level as individuals with a bachelor’s degree or graduate diploma. Those with a QCF level 6 have advanced practical, conceptual, or technological knowledge and understanding of a subject or field of work
• QCF Level 7 holders are able to reformulate and use practical, conceptual, or technological knowledge and understanding of a subject or field of work to create ways forward in contexts where there are many interacting factors. Individuals working at this level are operating at the same level as those with a Master’s degree or PGCE
• QCF Level 8 is the highest level you can achieve within the QCF system. It is the equivalent of a PHD or DPhil and shows an incredibly high level of critical thinking and evaluation skills

Issues with QCF

Whilst there were many benefits of the QCF framework, there were also many issues associated with it too. One of the main problems with the QCF was that they set out restrictive qualification design rules: with the framework covering such a broad range of subjects and vocations, these rules simply weren’t appropriate for all awarding bodies, and made it much harder to achieve the qualifications you needed in some fields.

The QCF system was also considered too complex by many users, and so a new system was introduced that would make comparing different qualifications easier, and understanding what they mean in real terms (for example, how many credits do you need to reach your next level or attainment). That is why the RQF framework was introduced.

RQF is a model that allows learners to compare the size and level of various qualifications quickly and easily. At its most basic level, you can see RQF categorisation as a bookshelf, with books organised by size (the amount of time it takes for you to achieve the qualification) and by level (the shelf on which the book or qualification is placed, with the higher levels being the most difficult to achieve). Each level is accompanied by a qualification descriptor, so you can quickly see whether you are achieving the level of qualification you need to proceed with your career and academic goals. Of course, the RQF also comes with its own set of unique problems and challenges, with no framework being perfectly suited to the needs of every learner.