The City & Guilds 5261 qualification has been given the green light by the Qualifications and Curriculum Authority (QCA), which means that colleges running it will get automatic government funding.

The latest City & Guilds includes core modules, completed by all students, which are then combined with areas of specialisation.

At Level Two students will be assessed through an online multiple choice exam as opposed to a short written exam. Level Three exams will be assessed by short written answer questions.

Colleges had hoped to offer 5261 to last years students, but the qualification had been held up by the QCA and has since been rewritten