National Qualifications: Foundation

New Foundation qualifications are being introduced as part of widespread reforms to qualifications available to 14 to 16-year-olds in Wales. They will form part of the new National 14-16 Qualifications suite, increasing choice and flexibility for learners. 

Foundation qualifications are for learners who may not feel ready for GCSE and/or VCSE study and they will span  Entry Level and Level 1 (with the exception of the Cymraeg qualifications). 

 

What subjects will be available as Foundation qualifications? 

The suite includes nine general subjects linking in with the areas of learning and experience that make up the Curriculum for Wales, as well as 15 work-related subjects, which will directly support progression to the new VCSEs. 

Learners may take a mix of general and work-related Foundation qualifications, and may also take these qualifications alongside GCSEs, VCSEs and the Skills Suite. 

 

General subjects
Cymraeg Core Cymraeg Expressive Arts Humanities English	Mathematics and Numeracy The Sciences Digital Technology Design and Technology

 

Work-related subjects
Agriculture, Horticulture and Forestry Animal Care Built Environment Business, Accounting and Finance Creative and Media Production, and Technology Engineering Hair and Beauty	Health and Social Care, and Childcare Hospitality and Catering Motor Vehicle Maintenance Nature Restoration Public Services Retail and Customer Service Sport, Leisure and Recreation Travel and Tourism

 

What are the key benefits of Foundation qualifications?

As well as providing learners with a solid background in a range of general and work-related subjects, Foundation qualifications will: 

• • • be available in Cymraeg and English
    • meet the aims and purposes of the Curriculum for Wales
    • promote positive learning experiences
    • reflect the diversity of learners and the world they live in
    • support positive mental health and wellbeing
    • offer a range of assessment types
    • enable learners to progress to GCSEs, VCSEs or post-16 training or learning
    • be deliverable within the reasonable resources available to schools (but won’t be limited to delivery in schools)
    • have a consistent grading system

 

Foundation qualifications grading structure

The grading structure for Foundation qualifications will be: 

Entry Level	Level 1
Entry Level 1 Pass	Level 1 Pass
Entry Level 2 Pass
Entry Level 3 Pass

 

The exception to this will be the grading for Foundation Cymraeg and Foundation Core Cymraeg, which will be available at Entry Level but not Level 1. 

 

Progression routes from Foundation study

Foundation qualifications will have recognition in their own right, and some learners may choose to study subjects at Foundation alongside their GCSEs and/or VCSEs at Level 1 and Level 2. 

Others, who may not feel ready to study GCSEs and/or VCSEs, may choose to initially study Foundation qualifications and progress onto GCSEs and/or VCSEs at a later date. 

Some learners may simply choose to study Foundation qualifications instead of GCSEs and/or VCSEs.

Following Foundation study, learners may progress onto GCSE and/or VCSE study or post-16 vocational study, either at school, a further education institution or as part of their work-based learning. Some may choose to progress directly into employment. 

 

Timeline of project delivery

Foundation qualifications will be taught in schools for the first time from September 2027. There are a number of milestones to keep an eye out for as part of the development of these new qualifications.

 

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2024

We will be publishing the approval criteria (the conditions an awarding body needs to meet for their qualification to be authorised) for Foundation qualifications by the end of the year. 

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2025-2026

Awarding bodies will develop the Foundation qualifications for us to approve.

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2026

Awarding bodies will publish the specifications for their approved Foundation qualifications, one year before first teaching in schools. 

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