§ Mrs. Curtis-ThomasTo ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills, pursuant to the answer of 16 April 2002,Official Report, column 895W, how (a) vocational and (b) academic GCSEs are defined. [60560]
§ Mr. Ivan LewisGCSE qualifications are defined by accreditation criteria set out in the national qualification framework. For new GCSEs in vocational subjects, the qualifications meet the common accreditation criteria for vocationally-related qualifications; for other GCSEs, the common accreditation criteria for general qualifications.
In addition to meeting common criteria, the qualifications must meet additional criteria, specific to GCSEs and GCSEs in vocational subjects, and, where they exist, the requirements of the criteria specific to particular subjects.