NCFE CACHE · childcare, education, health and social care

CACHE UCAS points

A CACHE Level 3 Extended Diploma is worth 168 UCAS points at A*, 144 at A and 120 at B, the same as three A levels. But CACHE runs dozens of Level 3 courses with near-identical names, and their points range from 24 to 168. Find yours by the qualification number below.

Checked against the UCAS 2027 Tariff tables on 26 October 2026how we check

CACHE Extended Diploma points

Children & Young People’s Workforce

600/1349/7

Grade	UCAS points
A*	168
A	144
B	120
C	96
D	72
E	48

Health and Social Care (Technical)

601/8435/8

Grade	UCAS points
A*	168
A	144
B	120
C	96
D	72

The Health and Social Care Extended Diploma has no E grade on the Tariff, so D (72) is its lowest pass.

Find your CACHE course

The qualification number (like 601/8437/1) is printed on your certificate and on the college course page. It’s the only reliable way to tell these apart.

Qualification	Number	Hours	Points
Technical Level 3 Extended Diploma in Health and Social Care	601/8435/8	1189	A* 168 to D 72
Level 3 Extended Diploma for the Children & Young People's Workforce	600/1349/7	1047-1144	A* 168 to E 48
Technical Level 3 Diploma in Childcare and Education (Early Years Educator)	601/8437/1	1080	A* 168 to D 72
Level 3 Diploma in Childcare and Education (Early Years Educator) (from September 2014)	601/4000/8	1071	A* 168 to D 72
Technical Level 3 Diploma in Early Years Education and Care (Early Years Educator)	601/8438/3	691	A* 112 to D 48
Level 3 Diploma in Early Years Education and Care (Early Years Educator)	601/2147/6	643	A* 112 to D 48
Level 3 Diploma for Working in the Early Years Sector (Early Years Educator)	610/4164/6	864	P 64
Level 3 Alternative Academic Qualification in Health and Social Care (Extended Certificate)	610/4003/4	384	D* 56 to P 16
Level 3 Diploma for the Early Years Workforce (Early Years Educator)	601/2629/2	486	P 32
Level 3 Diploma in Supporting Teaching and Learning	603/2496/X	380	P 32
Level 3 Diploma in Health and Social Care (Adults) for England	501/1258/2	315	P 24

Source: UCAS 2027 Tariff tables. Wales and Northern Ireland versions have their own rows with the same or similar points.

Why the points vary so much

The Tariff multiplies size by grade. A Technical Level 3 Diploma in Childcare and Education runs about 1,080 hours, which is size band 12, the same as three A levels. The Diploma in Early Years Education and Care is around 650 to 690 hours, size band 6, so its A* is 112 rather than 168.

The Pass-only diplomas, such as Supporting Teaching and Learning, are built for people already working in a setting. With no grades to spread across, every learner gets the same grade band (8), and the points depend on size alone.

If you’re choosing a course with university in mind, the graded Extended Diploma or Technical Diploma carries the most points. The newer route in England is the T Level in Education and Early Years, worth up to 168 points too.

CACHE questions

How many UCAS points is a CACHE Level 3 Extended Diploma?

A* is 168, A 144, B 120, C 96, D 72 and, where the course has an E grade, E is 48. That matches three A levels at the same grades.

How many UCAS points is the CACHE Childcare and Education (Early Years Educator) Diploma?

The Technical Level 3 Diploma in Childcare and Education (Early Years Educator), 601/8437/1, is A* 168 down to D 72. The smaller Diploma in Early Years Education and Care is A* 112 down to D 48. Check the number on your certificate.

Why does my CACHE diploma only have a Pass?

Several CACHE diplomas are workplace-style qualifications graded Pass only. On the Tariff an ungraded Level 3 pass gets grade band 8, so the points depend only on size: 24, 32, 48 or 64 for the common ones.

Can I get into nursing with a CACHE diploma?

Many nursing and early childhood degrees accept graded CACHE Level 3 diplomas, often with a minimum grade and GCSE English and maths. Some want a science component too. Check the course page and look for the exact CACHE title.