Key Skills

Key Skills Qualifications are designed to offer students the chance to learn skills commonly required for success in a range of activities in education, training, work and life in general. Learners are encouraged to recognise and develop their ability to apply these skills in ways that are appropriate to different contexts, in order to improve the quality of performance and learning.

Key skills are available in secondary schools, FE colleges and other places of learning and may be taken independently or alongside other qualifications such as A levels, NVQs or other equivalent academic or vocational courses. Key skills are also developed as part of modern apprenticeships, in the workplace and as part of higher education programmes.

Levels

Key Skills Qualifications are offered over five levels, each equivalent to the corresponding level in the National Qualifications Framework (NQF):

• Level 1 - working at the standard of a GCSE (grades D-G)
• Level 2 - working at the standard of a GCSE (grades A∗-C)
• Level 3 - working at the standard of an A level
• Level 4 - working at the level of a Higher National Certificate
• Level 5 - working at the level of a Higher National Diploma

Subjects

Key Skills Qualifications are offered in six subjects, split into two groups. Those students who take the corresponding subjects at AS/A-level (or equivalent) are generally excluded from the external assessment in that subject.

Group 1 - Core Skills

• Communication
• Application of Number
• Information Communication Technology

The core skills are examined using internal assessment (usually a portfolio of work) and external assessment (usually a formal examination).

Group 2 - Wider Skills

The second group is described as the 'wider' key skills:

• Working With Others
• Improving Own Learning and Performance
• Problem Solving

This group is examined by internal assessment alone.

Key Skills: A range of essential skills that underpin success in education, employment, lifelong learning and personal development.