What is a Level 1 qualification equivalent to:
- first certificate
- GCSE - grades 3, 2, 1 or grades D, E, F, G
- level 1 award
- level 1 certificate
- level 1 diploma
- level 1 ESOL
- level 1 essential skills
- level 1 functional skills
- level 1 national vocational qualification (NVQ)
- music grades 1, 2 and 3
These levels of certificate and qualifications are often achieved in Years 10 and 11 of secondary school. Although many people take these level 1 qualifications outside of any school setting.
What is a Level 2 qualification equivalent to:
- CSE - grade 1
- GCSE - grades 9, 8, 7, 6, 5, 4 or grades A*, A, B, C
- intermediate apprenticeship
- level 2 award
- level 2 certificate
- level 2 diploma
- level 2 ESOL
- level 2 essential skills
- level 2 functional skills
- level 2 national certificate
- level 2 national diploma
- level 2 NVQ
- music grades 4 and 5
- O level - grade A, B or C
Again these levels of certificate and qualifications are often achieved in Years 10 and 11 of secondary school. Although with this level far more people take level 2 qualifications outside of any school setting, for example intermediate apprenticeships.
What is a Level 3 qualification equivalent to:
- A level
- access to higher education diploma
- advanced apprenticeship
- applied general
- AS level
- international Baccalaureate diploma
- level 3 award
- level 3 certificate
- level 3 diploma
- level 3 ESOL
- level 3 national certificate
- level 3 national diploma
- level 3 NVQ
- music grades 6, 7 and 8
- tech level
Level 3 generally shows greater knowledge in a subject. Often achieved by years 12 and 13 in a school setting, or in centres for adult further education. Many online courses can also be used to gain level 3 certificates. For example our Level 3 award in Health and Safety in the Workplace.
What’s the difference between level 1, 2 and 3 courses?
A subject can have different levels associated with it. The government web site gives this as an example:
“Most qualifications have a difficulty level. The higher the level, the more difficult the qualification is.
If you need to know the level of a qualification, you can:
Qualifications at the same level sometimes cover different amounts of the same subject.
Example
AS levels and A levels are both level 3, but you study AS levels over 1 year and A levels over 2 years. So you learn more about the subject at A level.”
This is the syllabus for our Level 2 award, Health and Safety in the Workplace:
- Have an understanding of health and safety in the workplace and work environment.
- Be able to define hazard and risk and understand principles of risk assessment.
- Understand how to identify common workplace hazards including hazardous substances.
- Know how to improve your organisation’s safety performance.
- Understand the legal requirements for risk assessment and health and safety law.
And this is the syllabus for our Level 3 award, Health and Safety in the Workplace:
- Understand how to apply health and safety in the workplace and work environment.
- Be able to identify hazards and calculate risk. Know how to carry out a risk assessment.
- Understand how to reduce the risk from workplace hazards and hazardous substances.
- Know how to monitor and improve your organisation’s safety performance.
- Know how to apply the legal requirements for risk assessment and health and safety law.
Comparing the two syllabus there is not a lot of difference, just the depth of knowledge and how to apply it. The level 2 certificate takes about 6 hours of study whereas the level 3 certificate takes 12 hours.
Hopefully this article has explained what is level 2 certificate, but there is one final thing. What is a level 2 risk assessment. If this is qualification or certificate awarded then the answer is it is just a level 2 course and award.
Risk assessments are sometimes rated so the highest risk is given the highest rating. In this case a level 2 risk assessment may be the rating for a risk assessment. Our risk assessment course would cover this in greater detail.
Further reading on this subject
How long does a level 2 food hygiene certificate last
How to get a level 2 food hygiene certificate
How long does a level 2 food safety certificate last
What is a CPD qualification
