An Introduction to Core Skills

This presentation will cover: What are Core Skills? Why should you offer Core Skills? How do you offer Core Skills?

What are Core Skills? Core Skills are key to learning and working in todays world There are five Core Skills: –Communication –Numeracy –Information and Communication Technology –Problem Solving –Working with Others

What are Core Skills? Available at levels 2 to 6 of the Scottish Credit and Qualifications Framework (SCQF) The SCQF allows you to compare the level and amount of learning in different qualifications At each level, there are 40 hour Core Skills Units available At levels 2 and 3 in Communication and Numeracy there are also 10 or 20 hour Units

What are Core Skills? The smaller Units (10 and 20 hours) are designed for candidates who: –would be motivated by achievement of smaller Units (opportunity for quick certification) –may have difficulty achieving the full 40 hour Unit

Why should you offer Core Skills? There are a number of advantages for candidates who complete Core Skill Units: –They can improve prospects for employment –They can contribute to the achievement of bigger qualifications such as Group Awards –They can improve candidates confidence and independence –They can help candidates improve their own learning opportunities

Why should you offer Core Skills? There are also benefits for centres who are involved in the delivery of Core Skills: –They can provide a focus for learning and a target for achievement –They can help to identify areas where candidates skills may need to be developed

How do you offer Core Skills? Organisations must be approved to offer Core Skills SQA has a two stage approval process: –Approval as an SQA centre –Approval to offer specific qualifications Prospective centres must show they have: –appropriately qualified/experienced staff –suitable accommodation, equipment and materials –internal verification and management systems

How do you offer Core Skills? Some organisations may prefer a partnership rather than seeking approval on their own Assessors must be competent in assessment and in the subject they are assessing There are specific qualifications that can prove someone is competent in assessment, eg TQFE, TQSE, A & V Units, other SQA Units

How do you offer Core Skills? SQA Co-ordinator in each centre is responsible for all communication with SQA, for example: –registering candidates with SQA –entering candidates for qualifications –submitting candidate results

How do you offer Core Skills? The costs associated with Core Skills include: –£450 for centre and specific award approval –£7.25 for each Unit entered for each candidate (regardless of Unit size) –No extra charges for registration or certification

How do you offer Core Skills? The Unit requirements are listed as bullet points under the heading What do I need to do? All Unit requirements must be met by each candidate The new Units encourage centres to be more flexible in their approach to generating evidence

How do you offer Core Skills? The Units and Assessment Support Packs (ASPs) provide assessment examples Centres are advised to read the Units and ASPs together Copies of Units and ASPs can be found on the Core Skills section of SQAs website –

How do you offer Core Skills? Other materials are available in the Core Skills section of SQAs website Centres may also consider using resources from other sources, such as: –resources provided by Learning Connections at –resources on the LTS website

Core Skills presentation extension The following three slides can be used to explain the certification process for staff who have a little more experience of Core Skills delivery.

What are Core Skills? There are two routes to certification for Core Skills: –by achieving Core Skills Units –by achieving qualifications containing embedded Core Skills All Core Skills achievements are recorded in the Core Skills Profile in each candidates Scottish Qualifications Certificate (SQC)

What are Core Skills? The Core Skills Profile provides a cummulative record of Core Skill achievement for candidates It is important that centres understand how Core Skills Profiling operates Centres should identify whether a candidate has already achieved Core Skills and at what level, before delivering new Core Skills Units