Vocational Qualifications

• Component 1: Exploring the Performing Arts
• Component 2: Developing Skills and Techniques in the Performing Arts
• Component 3: Responding to a Brief

Component 1: Learners will deepen their understanding of the performing arts by analyzing professional works and the processes involved in performance creation. Pearson assigns the assessments, comprising two tasks:

Task 1: Learners investigate a professional performing arts work, examining its stylistic qualities, features, intentions, purpose, required skills, responsibilities, and external influences.

Task 2: Learners actively explore the techniques, processes, and approaches used to create the professional work studied in Task 1.

Component 2: Learners will enhance their performing arts skills by reproducing dance repertoire as performers or designers. Pearson assigns the assessments, consisting of three tasks:

Task 1: Learners prepare for a performance or present designs for existing repertoire.

Task 2: Learners showcase their performance or production designs to an audience.

Task 3: Learners review the development and application of their skills and techniques during and after the process.

Component 3: 

In Component 3, Responding to a Brief, learners collaborate in groups to create a workshop performance as either performers or designers based on a provided brief and stimulus. This task involves:

Creative Process: Developing ideas for a performance tailored to a target audience using the given brief and stimulus.

Performance: Applying skills and techniques to deliver a workshop performance that communicates creative intentions.

Documentation: Recording planning, development, and evaluating the production process in a written log and evaluation report.

The assessment is conducted under supervised conditions over 3 hours during the May/June exam period, with the first assessment scheduled for May/June 2024. This external component integrates skills developed in earlier components.

Past students have used these skills from their dance course to become successful performers, teachers, architects, business managers, marketing and advertising developers, lighting technicians, journalists – a variety of jobs from a variety of different employment areas.

The qualification is divided into three structured units, each offering a unique perspective on the music industry and its professional practices:

Unit 1: Performing:

This unit centers on developing and showcasing performance skills. Students are guided through the process of preparing and delivering a performance on their chosen instrument, whether as a soloist or part of an ensemble. They explore the fundamentals of technique, expression, and stage presence, learning how to interpret musical works and connect with an audience. Students are assessed on a combination of initial research on their selected piece(s),  detailed rehearsal logs and reflective journals over time, performance, and reflective evaluations that highlight their personal growth and creative choices. Unit 1 accounts for 30% of the final grade.

Unit 2: Creating:  

Creativity takes center stage in this unit, where students delve into the composition and arrangement of music. They are encouraged to experiment with styles, techniques, and technology to craft original pieces or reimagine existing works. This unit not only develops new technical skills but also critical thinking and problem-solving abilities as students consider how to meet a given brief or target audience’s expectations. Unit 2 accounts for 30% of the final grade.

Unit 3: Performing Arts in Practice:

This synoptic unit brings together the knowledge and skills gained in Units 1 and 2. Students gain insights into the business side of the music industry, exploring roles, responsibilities, and the processes involved in organizing and promoting performances or musical products. They also learn to respond to professional-style briefs, demonstrating their understanding of industry practices and expectations. Unit 3 is the largest unit, accounting for 40% of the final grade.

Musician / Session Musician / Music Producer / Musical Theatre Performer / Composer / Songwriter / Lyricist / Sound Engineer / Music Producer / Recording Studio Technician / Live Events Technician / Music Promoter / Artist Manager / Event Manager / Music Marketing Specialist / Music Educator / Community Arts Worker / Video Game Music Composer / Music Journalist or Critic / Content Creator.

WJEC Vocational Awards in Hospitality and Catering consist of two units: 

Unit 1. Hospitality and catering industry: focuses on learning about different types of providers, legislation, food safety and the roles and responsibilities within the sector.

Unit 2. Hospitality and catering in action: develops learners’ practical skills for planning, preparing, cooking and presenting nutritional dishes meeting the client needs. Both units have also been designed to provide learners with an understanding of how the learning is relevant to the sector.  

WJEC Level 1/2 Vocational Award in Hospitality and Catering units are assessed through controlled internal assessment or external assessment. 

External assessment Unit 1: 40%

The Hospitality and Catering Industry will be externally assessed. The external assessment is available in June each year. Pupils will either sit an on-screen or paper version of the exam. Details of the external assessment are as follows: Duration: 90 minutes. Number of marks: 90

Internal assessment Unit 2: 60%

Hospitality and Catering in Action is internally assessed: 

This unit is internally assessed and externally moderated. All assessments must be conducted under controlled assessment conditions and controls have been determined for each stage of the assessment process: task setting, task taking and task marking. 

After completing the WJEC Vocational Award in Hospitality and Catering learners might be interested in progressing to other qualifications relevant to working in the sector, such as: 

• WJEC Level 3 Applied Certificate / Diploma in Food Science and Nutrition Level 2/Level 3 Diplomas in Hospitality and Catering 
• Level 2/Level 3 Diplomas in Professional Cooking
• Level 3 Diploma in Hospitality and Tourism Management.

Events planning/management/ Flight attendant/ Chefs/ Hotel manager/Spa manager/ Beverage manager/ group sales person/ Wedding coordinator/ Cruise Ship Attendant/ Front Desk Associate/ Front Desk Supervisor/Front Office Attendant/ Front-of-House Manager/ Guest Relations Manager/ Guest Services Associate/ Guest Services Supervisor/ Hotel Clerk/ Hotel Receptionist/ Reservationist/ Reservations Agent/ Dietitian/ Sous Chef/ Consumer Scientist.

The OCR Sports Science course is the equivalent to 1 x GCSE. The course is made up of mandatory and specialist units which will be both internally and externally assessed. Assessments are divided into three different units. Students will either be assessed by coursework or an exam. The coursework assessment can be resubmitted so are therefore completed first and grades are submitted in year 10 and 11. This course is not graded traditional via numbers, instead students are awarded a pass, merit and distinction depending on their success in each unit.

Unit R180 – Reducing the risk of sports injuries and dealing with common medical conditions. This unit is set and marked by OCR and will be in the form of a written exam. Students have to complete this exam at the end of year 11. By completing this unit, learners will know how to prepare participants to take part in physical activity in a way which minimises the risk of injuries occurring, how to react to common injuries that can occur during sport and how to recognise the symptoms of some common medical conditions, providing a good foundation to undertake formal first aid training and qualifications.

Unit R181 – Applying the principle of training, fitness and how it affects skill performance.  This unit is set and marked internally in the form of written coursework. Although assessed in a written form, the lessons are taught through practical and therefore almost 50% of year 10 lessons will be taught practically through this unit. By completing this unit, learners will develop knowledge and understanding of the principles and methods of training and the application of these in the design of training programmes along with the practical skills in fitness testing.

Unit R182 – The body’s responses to physical activity and how technology informs this. . This unit is set and marked internally in the form of written coursework. By completing this unit, learners will understand key aspects of the structure and function of the musculo-skeletal and cardio-respiratory systems and investigate some of the changes which occur to them in response to short and long-term physical activity.

Start a career in the sport or leisure industry. The course will give you an understanding of the vast array of jobs that are available in the sports industry. It will also allow you to work and train in another chosen career. (This course is good preparation for work in any area).

Component 1: Exploring enterprises

• Understand how and why enterprises and entrepreneurs are successful
• Understand customer needs and competitor behaviour through market research
• Understand how the outcomes of situational analyses may affect enterprises.  

Topics covered:

• Size and features of SMEs
• Markets, sectors models and industries in which enterprises operate
• Ains and activities of enterprises
• Market Research to understand customer needs and competitor behaviour
• PEST and SWOT analysis

Component 2: Planning and pitching a micro-enterprise

• Choose an idea and produce a plan for a micro-enterprise idea
• Present a plan for the micro-enterprise idea to meet specific requirements
• Review the presentation of the micro-enterprise idea to meet specific requirements. 

Topics covered:

• Types of business ownership
• Aims and objectives
• Identifying a target audience
• The marketing mix
• Resources and financial information required
• Risk assessment and viability of the idea.

Component 3: Marketing and Finance for enterprise. 

• Understanding and application of knowledge of how SMEs promote and finance their business. 

Topics covered:

• Targeting and segmenting the market
• The 4 p’s of the marketing mix
• Financial documents
• Payment methods
• Revenue, costs and profit
• Profitability and liquidity
• Budgeting
• Cash flow & Breakeven analysis
• Sources of business finance. 

Components 1 and 2 are assessed through non-exam internal assessment. Component 1 is assessed through a coursework pierce. Component 2 is assessed through a recorded presentation alongside a written review. 

Component 3 is an external assessment which provides the main synoptic assessment for the qualification. This is a 2 hour paper consisting of short answer questions with a total of 60 marks. 

The final grade awarded for a qualification represents an aggregation of a learner’s performance across the three components. The learner will gain a grade between a L1P to a L2D*.

Entrepreneurial roles, chartered management accountant,banking, human resources, insurance underwriters, retail manager, marketing executive and many more.