Step 7 - Level 1 Vocational Programme (Level 1 - Gateway)

Course description

This programme is for learners who believe that they have made a decision regarding the vocational area they wish to study but would like some flexibility to try other areas of study. Successful completion to distinction level can enable learners in gaining entry to Level 2 programmes (if they have not met the entry criteria to go on to them straight away).

You will study a Level 1 qualification in your chosen vocational area as 3 mandatory units that all learners must participate in (Healthy Body, ICT and Introduction to Customer Service). This qualification will run alongside a range of additional accreditation to help prepare the learner for life and work. There will be a range of ‘core’ activities which all learners have to study which include Tutorials, Functional Skills in English, Maths and ICT.

It is hoped in addition to this that there may be opportunities to take part in work experience.

There is a choice of one to three Vocational routes out of the following:
• IT
• Health & Care
• Carpentry, Painting & Decorating (these routes are only available at Abingdon campus).
• Business Retail & Administration (if there are low numbers for this subject it may be run with a mixture of Business, Hospitality, Travel & Tourism units)
Please note: These will run subject to adequate numbers of learners enrolling to each vocational area.

Final award

BTEC Introductory Certificate/Diploma in Vocational Studies (portfolio assessment only - subject to validation and may change).
BTEC Workskills in Personal & Social Development (portfolio assessment only).
English, Maths & ICT Functional Skills (formal assessment or exam depending on level).

Entry requirements

Learners are expected to have studied a range of GCSE’s usually achieving grades D-G’s. Learners may have completed Step 5 or Step 6 and depending on individual progress made during these programmes it may be possible to progress on to the Step 7 programme.
All qualifications are at level 1 which will demand a certain level of literacy ability.

Contact details

Telephone Abingdon Campus on 01235 555585, or Witney Campus on 01993 703464 or Email enquiry@abingdon-witney.ac.uk

Additional information


*Students aged 16-18 will not be required to pay the full course fee, in most cases your fee will not exceed £150. Please contact us if you need more information regarding fees for full-time courses.

Code Campus Duration Start date Day(s)
GFAC103P Abingdon Campus 1 year Sep 2010 Everyday
GFWC103P Witney Campus 1 year Sep 2010 Everyday

Getting more information

To get more information about our courses, contact us on 01235 555 585 (A) or 01993 703 464 (W). Or email us at enquiry@abingdon-witney.ac.uk.

The application procedures for full-time courses, part-time courses and HE courses, involving a partner University, are slightly different.  Please read the relevant pages in this section.

Download an enrolment form

Part-time enrolment form    Full-time aplication form

You can find out about applying for our Business Development short courses in the Employers section.

Online Application

If you are currently at school or college in Oxfordshire you can submit an electronic application to Abingdon & Witney College. If you click on the proceed button below you will be redirected to our course listings on the online Oxfordshire Area Prospectus.  You will be able to search the listings to find the course you wish to apply for. In order to actually submit an application you will need an unlock code. You can get this code from either your Head of Year or Connexions PA in school. You can search for the course you want by using the course code.

Proceed to the online application process

How soon should I apply?

We advise you to apply early. Some courses can be over-subscribed; in other cases if a course is under-subscribed we may decide to cancel it, so don't leave it to the last minute!