Cambridge Nationals

Cambridge Nationals_Inspire minds, build real-world skills

If you're reviewing which KS4 qualification to offer, look no further than Cambridge Nationals

Practical, accessible, fun to teach and exciting to learn, Cambridge Nationals will inspire your students to develop real-world skills to prepare them for their future.

Designed for students aged 14-16 years, our Level 1 / Level 2 Cambridge Nationals complement GCSE choices. 

Why choose a Cambridge National?

  • All our Cambridge Nationals are included on the key stage 4 performance tables for England.
  • Set assignments (NEA) are released on 1 June each year with one opportunity to resubmit the same assignment within the academic year for each NEA unit.
  • The coursework is done in the classroom under teacher supervision, without the need for exam conditions.
  • They are combined Level 1 and Level 2, so that classes of mixed ability students can follow the same course and achieve either level, based on their performance.

Hear what staff and students think about Cambridge Nationals

Watch one of our inspiring videos on Engineering Design, Enterprise and Marketing, Health and Social Care and Sport Science - where principals, department heads, teachers, and students share their experience with Cambridge Nationals and the value it brings to them. 

We aim is to support you at every stage of your journey with us – from initial enquiry right through to results day.  Our support package includes:

  • free teaching resources including candidate style work, schemes of work
  • wide range of professional development courses
  • endorsed textbooks and resources from leading publishers
  • support from our expert team of subject advisors
  • internal assessment online, on-demand training
  • ... plus much more

Professional Development

If you're thinking about teaching a Cambridge National, explore the benefits of Cambridge Nationals through our ‘Choosing OCR’ qualification videos by subject. These videos aim to give you an overview of the qualification and the support and resources available to you. 

If you're just about to start or have started to teach our qualifications, there's a wide range of courses which will help you in your delivery.

Cambridge Nationals Specifications and SAM

Download our specifications and see the topic areas and our approach to terminal assessment.  You can also download our sample assessment materials (SAMs) for both examined and non-examined (NEA) units.

Cambridge OCR Nationals_Specification_Cover_Child_Development

Cambridge National in Child Development

Cambridge OCR Nationals_Specification_Cover_Creative_iMedia

Cambridge National in Creative iMedia

Cambridge OCR Nationals_Specification_Cover_Engineering_Design

Cambridge National in Engineering Design

Cambridge OCR Nationals_Specification_Cover_Engineering_Man

Cambridge National in Engineering Manufacture

Cambridge OCR Nationals_Specification_Cover_Engineering_Programmable_Systems

Cambridge National in Engineering Programmable Systems

Cambridge OCR Nationals_Specification_Cover_Ent_&_Marketing

Cambridge National in Enterprise and Marketing

Cambridge OCR Nationals_Specification_Cover_HSC

Cambridge National in Health and Social Care

Cambridge OCR Nationals_Specification_Cover_IT

Cambridge National in IT                         

Cambridge OCR Nationals_Specification_Cover_Sport_Science

Cambridge National in Sport Science

Cambridge OCR Nationals_Specification_Cover_Sport_Studies

Cambridge National in Sport Studies

Guides and resources

We’ve guides and resources for all our Cambridge National subjects to help you understand the qualifications so you can start preparing and teaching. They include:

View Guides/Resources

Open days and options discussions

Do you have open days and option discussions coming up? Whether they're face to face or online, we've a toolkit for each of our qualifications which you can either download or order.  Each pack comprises:

  •  Cambridge Nationals Student and Parents Guide 
  •  Cambridge Nationals summary leaflet
  •  Course content leaflet
  •  Course content poster
  •  Careers poster

Get in touch with our team today

If you have any questions about our qualifications, our advisors are here to help. You can request a callback by completing this form.  Alternatively, you can contact them on 01223 553998 or by email: support@ocr.org.uk.