Access course, advanced or non advanced

My client is in full time non advanced education and claims IS on grounds of estrangement.  He wishes to join an Access course, is this considered advanced education?

As far as I am aware, it’s equivalent to A’ levels (so non-advanced).

HMRC website states that any course that is preparation for a degree is considered advanced.  I thought Access fell into this category but I do not know
https://online.hmrc.gov.uk/information/help?helpcategory=shortform&helpid=CBOFTECH299e
It does not specify Access courses specifically nor does CPAG page 570

But then from the Access to HE website:
http://www.accesstohe.ac.uk/Access/FAQs/Pages/Default.aspx?acceptcookies=true

“How does the Access to HE Diploma relate to other qualifications?

The Access to HE Diploma is a full level 3 qualification. Study on the Access to HE Diploma makes academic demands that are at an equivalent level to those of other level 3 qualifications.Examples of other level 3 qualifications include A levels and Scottish Highers. This comparison relates to the level of the qualification: there is no standard measure of ‘equivalence’ that relates to the volume of the qualification.”

Hopefully that confirms what you report 1964.  Thank you

There are access courses and access courses. You will need to establish with the course provider what qualification will be gained, what is the qualification providing body, who funds the course (Skills Funding Agency?) and whether it consists of X hours of ‘guided learning’. It is also useful to establish if the college consider the course full time / advanced level and on what basis / can the student access a student loan or other funding for FE level courses like 24+ bursery. Remember the definitions used in education often have no relation to the benefit regulations.

Having just spend months trying to establish this information with Reading College regarding an Access to Higher Education course (and the SFA website does not appear to refer to Access to HE courses anywhere although they fund many of them!) - good luck!

You can find a useful document on
https://www.gov.uk/what-different-qualification-levels-mean/compare-different-qualification-levels

This is a grid showing where some of the most common qualifications sit on the recognised nine-level framework ranging from entry level to Level 8.  Anything at or above Level 4 is considered higher education.

And there is a database on which you can search for specific regulated qualifications:
https://www.gov.uk/find-a-regulated-qualification

I found these while trying to decide whether a dance college was providing higher education.  Seems I could open a dance college in my front room if I wanted and offer my students the “Advanced Romford Dance Diploma”, which I just made up and means nothing at all as it is unregulated.  I could even form my own professional association called the Romford Dance Instuctors Institute to accredit my Diploma and make it easier to fleece wannabe West End stars and their rich parents.

Well, we’ll all be in need of a job soon enough 😊