National Qualifications: Skills Suite

The Skills Suite forms an integral part of the new National 14-16 Qualifications offer. Available from Entry Level to Level 2, the Skills Suite allows learners to create their own learning pathway from a range of inclusive topics to develop effective and relevant work and life skills. 

 

What topics will be available as part of the Skills Suite? 

There will be at least 28 Skills for Life topics and 19 Skills for Work topics, enabling all types of learners to develop skills in areas they have told us they would like to explore. In addition to the topics listed below, awarding bodies will be able to offer an international languages unit for both Skills for Life and Skills for Work, as well as up to three additional units of their choosing. 

Each topic is taught and assessed as a standalone, bitesize unit, and learners are able to mix and match units to create a learning pathway that suits their strengths, interests and progression aspirations. Learners can take Skills Suite units alongside their GCSEs, VCSEs and/or Foundation qualifications.

Learners can also develop their skills exploring a topic they’re passionate about with the Personal Project. 

Skills for Life topics

The 28 Skills for Life units cover topics which allow all learners to develop skills and knowledge in areas that will help them in life, and support them to become happy and healthy individuals. 

Skills for Life
Art and Crafts  Basic First Aid  British Sign Language  Community Participation  Democracy In Action  Digital Film and Media  Equality, Diversity and Inclusion  Ethical Choices Everyday Law  Exercise For All  Faiths and World Views in the Community Financial Literacy  Food Planning and Preparation  Healthy Lifestyle	Healthy Relationships Home Management and Maintenance  Looking After Others  Mental Health and Wellbeing  Music, Dance and Drama  Online Safety  Personal Safety  Practical Gardening  Science and Technology in Everyday Life  Skills in the Natural Environment  Sustainability In Action Teamwork  Understanding Self and Others  Values for Life

 

Skills for Work topics

The 19 Skills for Work units cover topics that will help learners transition to employment, at whatever point they choose to progress from full-time education.

Skills for Work
Applying for Jobs Building a Growth Mindset Business Finance Career Creativity Customer Service Enterprise Venture Exploring Career Pathways Fairness and Inclusion in the Workplace Interview and Confidence Techniques Jobs of the Future	Overcoming Barriers Personal Development Planning Rights and Responsibilities in the Workplace Sustainable Economic Development Understanding the Changing Labour Market Using IT in the Workplace Wellbeing and Work Work Experience Working in Wales

 

The Personal Project

A successor to the Skills Challenge Certificate, the Personal Project is a standalone project completed independently by learners and on a topic of their choice. Following completion of their project, learners will be assessed on their application of four integral skills as outline in the Curriculum for Wales: 

• • • planning and organising
    • creativity and innovation
    • critical thinking and problem solving
    • personal effectiveness

Learners will be able to demonstrate their proficiency of these skills via a wide range of evidence types. 

What are the key benefits of the Skills Suite?

As well as allowing learners to mix-and-match units to suit their needs, the Skills Suite will also: 

• • • be available in Cymraeg and English
    • meet the aims and purposes of the Curriculum for Wales
    • develop knowledge, understanding and skills with an
    • emphasis on practical-based approaches
    • promote positive learning experiences
    • reflect the diversity of learners and the world they live in
    • support positive mental health and wellbeing
    • enable learners to progress post-16 training or learning
    • have a consistent grading system

 

Skills Suite grading structure

The grade structure for Skills for Life, Skills for Work and Skills for Life and Work qualifications will be:

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

 

The grade structure for the Personal Project will be:

Entry Level	Level 1	Level 2
Entry Level 1 Pass	Level 1 Pass	Level 2 Pass
Entry Level 2 Pass	Level 1 Merit	Level 2 Merit
Entry Level 3 Pass	Level 1 Distinction	Level 2 Distinction

 

 

Progression routes from the Skills Suite

As the Skills Suite is available at Entry Level, Level 1 and Level 2, the qualifications are designed to work for all learners and can be taken alongside GCSEs, VCSEs and/or Foundation qualifications. 

Therefore, learners taking these qualifications may progress to post-16 academic or vocational study, either at school, a further education institution, university or as part of their work-based learning. Some will choose to go straight into employment.

Timeline of project delivery

The Skills Suite 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 the Skills Suite by the end of the year. 

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2025-2026

Awarding bodies will develop their Skills Suite qualifications for us to approve.

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2026

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

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