Qualifications Credit Framework

NVQ in Retail to be switched off from September 2009

From September 2009 the NVQ in Retail will no longer be available, instead learners will have the option to enrol on the Certificate or Diploma in Retail Skills using units which have the same demand, in terms of assessment, as the current NVQs. Following two years of tests and trials by QCA, a new QCF has been approved for England, Northern Ireland and Wales. This will simplify the current qualifications system, making it easier to understand and more responsive to learner and employer needs.

Fundamentally, the framework is a new way of recognising skills and qualifications. It does this by awarding credits for units (small steps of learning) and qualifications. It enables people to gain qualifications at their own pace along flexible routes.

Every unit and qualification in the framework will have a credit value, with one credit representing 10 hours learning, to show how much time it takes to complete.

Every unit and qualification will also have a level between ‘entry’ and level 8 to show its difficulty. There are three sizes of qualifications in the QCF: Awards with between 1 and 12 credits, Certificates with between 13 and 36 credits, and Diplomas 37 credits or more. Each qualification title contains the following: the level (entry to 8), the size (award, certificate or diploma) and the details indicating the content of the qualification (retail skills/principles, etc).

All existing NQF qualifications are being re-developed for entry into the QCF. Some will disappear altogether to take account of the new flexibilities and need for demand-led qualifications. The final date for expiry of all the NQF qualifications has been fixed as the 31 December 2010.

Retail has been preparing for this transition for the past three years and the replacement qualifications for the NVQs, Food Safety and the retail of alcohol have already been available in the QCF for some time now. The replacement qualifications for the Retail NVQs were some of the first qualifications to be accredited in the new system, during 2007.

On 16 January 2009 the Innovation, Universities, Science and Skills Committee published its First Report of Session 2008-09, Re-skilling for Recovery: After Leitch, implementing skills and training policies.

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