The first thing we would like to mention is that the term of non-advanced education is applicable only for such countries as the United Kingdom and Scotland. To understand what it actually means, the team of experts from Icheapessay.com has to remind you of the education system in the UK. It has five essential stages:
1. Early years education (learning for 3 to 5-year-olds).
2. Primary education (ages 7 to 12).
3. Secondary education (between 12 and 16 years old).
4. Further education (in-between stage, which students enter at the age of 16 years old and end up when they are 18).
5. Higher Education (learning for students who are 18 years old and above).
Starting from early and ending up with secondary education, these three stages are compulsory for all children between the ages of 5 and 16. Further education is not a compulsory one, but it covers non-advanced education that can be taken at colleges for further education (including tertiary one) and higher education institutions.
Non-Advanced Education Definition and More
Now, when you understand the whole background of the UK education system, it will be easier for you to learn what non-advanced education is. So, in the UK and Scotland, after finishing high school (secondary education) and getting the results of General Certificate of Secondary Education (GCSE), you have two options, whether to get further education or land the job market straight away. The majority of students choose the first variant. It gives them an insight into what college is like, provides them with different academic qualifications, and covers up to five subjects to prepare them for the major they are planning to apply to.
So, non-advanced education is a stage of education that is below the level of Higher National Diplomas (Higher National Certificates in Scotland), General National Vocational Qualification, or equivalent post-16 courses of study. It does not include university courses. To be more precise, non-advanced education involves qualifications such as:
- A-levels (AS and A2) – qualifications that help you to get a basic knowledge of subjects for your future degree;
- an ordinary national diploma;
- General Certificate of Secondary Education – an exam that high school students take when they graduate;
- Scottish Highers – a specific type of qualification for those who are planning to enroll a Scottish university;
- National Vocational Qualification at level 3;
- Study Programme (England only), etc.
Basically, non-advanced education is a stage of study that is not above “Level 3”, which is deemed to be “further education" (“Level 4” and above are deemed to be "higher education"). And one more thing we have to highlight – once it is non-advanced education we are talking about, the students are not entitled to any form of student loan.
Non-Advanced Education and Child Tax Credit
According to Google Analytics, the majority of Internet users search for “non-advanced education” pages in the context of Child Tax Credit. So, we could not help but add this paragraph to the article. What is the connection between those terms – “non-advanced education” and “Child Tax Credit?”
The point is, if a student is under 19 (in some cases 20) years of age and he or she is in full-time non-advanced education, their parents or caretakers can carry on claiming Child Benefit and Child Tax Credit. However, there is another perspective for that scheme. At 16 years of age, it may be possible for a student to claim certain benefits in their own right. Either your parents can carry on claiming for you as part of the family, or you can claim for yourself as a disabled adult.
So, Child Tax Credit is one of the benefits of non-advanced education. But pay attention that it applies only for full-time students (the ones who study more than 12 hours per week during term time, not counting breaks for meals and homework).
Non-advanced education also correlates with such a term as “qualifying young person.” According to the legislation of the UK, a qualifying young person is a person who is in full time that is not at an advanced level. The legislation does not define non-advanced education, but instead, it defines the advanced one. So, if some stage of education does not fall under the advanced heading, it is non-advanced by definition.
We hope you have understood what non-advanced education is and how the whole education system of the UK works. Non-advanced education is just a chance for students to fill in the blanks in their knowledge, whether they are planning to go to university afterward or choosing a specific career path. It is one of the best ways to get professional qualifications and experience in a particular industry as well as develop new skills.
