Where are we with Core and other

essential skills?

March 2013

Troublesome skills?

Core SkillsCore Skills

SfLLWSfLLW Ongoing Ongoing workwork

Skills for Learning, Life and Work

SQA’s skills framework, derived from BtC4

5 main skill areasLiteracyNumeracyHealth and well beingEmployability, enterprise and citizenshipThinking skills

Policy : SQA remains committed to generic skills development

What is Higher Order thinking?

Knowing +

Intellectually challenging, requires effort

(‘dressed in overalls and looks like work’)

Complex, interconnected and uncertain

Seeks meaning, conceptual understanding

Analytical, evaluative and creative

Metacognitive, involves self-regulation

Administration and IT Course Specification, April 2012, version 1.0 Valid from August 2013

Development of skills for learning, skills for life and skills for workIt is expected that learners will develop broad, generic skills through this Course. The skills that learners will be expected to improve on and develop through the Course are based on SQA’s Skills Framework: Skills for Learning, Skills for Life and Skills for Work and drawn from the main skills areas listed below. These must be built into the Course where there are appropriate opportunities.

2 Numeracy 2.3 Information handling

4 Employability, enterprise and citizenship 4.1 Employability 4.2 Information and communication technology (ICT)

5 Thinking skills 5.1 Remembering 5.2 Understanding 5.3 Applying

Amplification of these is given in SQA’s Skills Framework: Skills for Learning, Skills for Life and Skills for Work. The level of these skills will be appropriate to the level of the Course. Further information on building in skills for learning, skills for life and skills for work for the Course is given in the Course Support Notes.

Skill for Learning, Life and Work

Skill for Learning, Life and Work resources

SfLLW framework: SfLLW Framework

SQA Skills webpages: Employability and Enterprise Skill set focus

Course / Unit Specs : http://www.sqa.org.uk/sqa/45625.3728.html

Core Skills

Policy : SQA remains committed to generic skills development

Linking: Skills for Learning, Life and Work with Core Skills for progression

Updated approach: Key National Courses + Literacy / Numeracy Units Awards Skills for Work

Top – up guidance for: LiteracyNumeracyPersonal Development: Self in the Community

Key National Courses with Core Skills

National Course Auto-certificated Core Skill

English/Gaidhlig Communication

Maths/Lifeskill Maths Numeracy

Administration and IT ICT

Computing Science ICT

National Literacy Unit Communication

National Numeracy Unit Numeracy

Work Experience Unit Problem SolvingWorking with Others

Core Skill equivalences

Core Skill: Numeracy SCQF level New National Numeracy Unit

Higher 6 N/A

Intermediate 2 5 National 5 Numeracy

Intermediate 1 4 National 4 Numeracy

Access 3 3 National 3 Numeracy

Access 2 2 N/A

Core Skill: Communication SCQF level New National Literacy UnitNational Certificate (NC) Communication

Higher 6 N/A NC Communication (Higher)

Intermediate 2 5 National 5 Literacy Units do not currently match

Intermediate 1 4 National 4 Literacy Units do not currently match

Access 3 3 National 3 Literacy Units do not currently match

Access 2 2 N/A N/A

*Please note that some programmes may require a specific generic skills qualification and may not accept equivalent qualifications.

Ongoing work

•Does Core Skill Framework still do what it is meant to do?

o Modest proposals: open, flexible and relevant

o Focus on ICT

o Language to reflect CfE principles and skills for 21st century

•Liaising with colleagues in Wales and Northern Ireland

•Top-up support for aspects of Core Skills

Any questions?

Margaret Tierneymargaret.tierney@sqa.org.uk 0845 213 5454

Eleanor Boyd 0845 213 5532eleanor.boyd@sqa.org.uk

Please keep in touch!