Are courses mapped to National Standards?

Yes. All courses are mapped to National Standards, the NQF and the Common European Framework.

The  CEF was established by the Council of Europe and grades language attainment levels as follows A1,A2,B1,B2,C1,C2.

Find out more here.

Are these courses GCSE equivalent?

In most cases a completed intermediate level (AE level 4) is equivalent to a good GCSE (C-A*).

Take a look at this Scale of Assessment to compare levels.

I studied a language at GCSE level 20 years ago, am I an advanced level learner?

Although your skills will soon refresh, if you have not studied since then you would be best to try an intermediate level course.Why not try the skills questionnaire? Try our CEF skills questionnaire

Is there a minimum age to sign up for one of these courses?

Yes. Unless specified, the events are run specifically for adults and are not suitable for children under the age of 16.