DCF Cymru Digital competence for Wales

Qualifications and the DCF

The new National Qualifications for 14 to 16 year olds ask pupils to use digital skills. This page shows which parts of the Digital Competence Framework (DCF) each qualification uses, and what pupils can practise in Years 7, 8 and 9 to be ready.

Start with a qualification, or start with a part of the DCF further down the page.

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GCSEs

VCSEs

Foundation qualifications: general subjects

Foundation qualifications: work-related subjects

Skills for Life units

Each of these is a unit, not a whole qualification. A unit is 10 or 20 guided learning hours and can be taken at Entry 1, Entry 2, Entry 3, Level 1 or Level 2. Learners combine units into an Award (60 hours), a Certificate (120 hours) or a Diploma (240 hours).

Unit Awarding body Hours Digital skills Amount of digital work
Art and Crafts WJEC 20 5 Low
Art and Crafts Pearson 20 3 Low
Basic First Aid WJEC 20 5 Low
Basic First Aid Pearson 20 3 Low
British Sign Language WJEC 20 3 Low
British Sign Language Pearson 20 4 Low
Community Participation WJEC 20 5 Low
Community Participation Pearson 20 5 Low
Democracy In Action WJEC 20 5 Low
Democracy In Action Pearson 10 3 Low
Digital Film and Media WJEC 20 8 High
Digital Film and Media Pearson 20 7 High
Equality, Diversity and Inclusion WJEC 20 5 Low
Equality, Diversity and Inclusion Pearson 10 4 Low
Ethical Choices WJEC 20 5 Low
Ethical Choices Pearson 10 3 Low
Everyday Law WJEC 20 4 Low
Everyday Law Pearson 10 4 Low
Exercise For All WJEC 20 4 Low
Exercise For All Pearson 20 4 Low
Faith and Belief in the Community WJEC 20 4 Low
Faith and Belief in the Community Pearson 20 3 Low
Financial Literacy WJEC 20 5 Medium
Financial Literacy Pearson 10 3 Low
Food Planning and Preparation WJEC 20 5 Low
Food Planning and Preparation Pearson 20 3 Low
Healthy Lifestyle WJEC 20 6 Low
Healthy Lifestyle Pearson 20 3 Low
Healthy Relationships WJEC 20 4 Low
Healthy Relationships Pearson 10 2 Low
Home Management and Maintenance WJEC 20 5 Low
Home Management and Maintenance Pearson 20 3 Low
International Language: Communicating Personal Information (Spoken) WJEC 10 5 Low
International Language: Communicating Personal Information (Written) WJEC 10 5 Low
International Language: Social Activities (Spoken) WJEC 10 5 Low
International Language: Social Activities (Written) WJEC 10 6 Low
Leading a Sport Activity Session Pearson 20 3 Low
Looking After Others WJEC 20 3 Low
Looking After Others Pearson 20 3 Low
Mental Health and Wellbeing WJEC 20 3 Low
Mental Health and Wellbeing Pearson 20 3 Low
Music, Dance and Drama WJEC 20 4 Low
Music, Dance and Drama Pearson 20 3 Low
Online Safety WJEC 20 7 High
Online Safety Pearson 10 5 High
Personal Safety WJEC 20 5 Low
Personal Safety Pearson 20 3 Low
Practical Gardening WJEC 20 4 Low
Practical Gardening Pearson 20 2 Low
Preparing for an Outdoor Expedition Pearson 20 3 Low
Science and Technology in Everyday Life WJEC 20 7 High
Science and Technology in Everyday Life Pearson 10 6 High
Skills in the Natural Environment WJEC 20 4 Low
Skills in the Natural Environment Pearson 20 4 Low
Sustainability In Action WJEC 20 4 Low
Sustainability In Action Pearson 20 4 Low
Teamwork WJEC 20 3 Low
Teamwork Pearson 20 4 Low
Understanding Self and Others WJEC 20 5 Low
Understanding Self and Others Pearson 10 3 Low
Values for Life WJEC 20 4 Low
Values for Life Pearson 10 4 Low

Skills for Work units

Each of these is a unit, not a whole qualification. A unit is 10 or 20 guided learning hours and can be taken at Entry 1, Entry 2, Entry 3, Level 1 or Level 2. Learners combine units into an Award (60 hours), a Certificate (120 hours) or a Diploma (240 hours). Units from Skills for Life and Skills for Work can also be combined into a Skills for Life and Work qualification, with at least a third of the hours from each.

Unit Awarding body Hours Digital skills Amount of digital work
Applying for Jobs WJEC 20 4 Medium
Applying for Jobs Pearson 20 4 Medium
Building a Growth Mindset WJEC 20 3 Low
Building a Growth Mindset Pearson 10 3 Low
Business Finance WJEC 20 6 Medium
Business Finance Pearson 10 4 Low
Career Creativity WJEC 10 4 Low
Career Creativity Pearson 20 3 Low
Customer Service WJEC 20 2 Low
Customer Service Pearson 20 3 Low
Enterprise Venture WJEC 20 5 Medium
Enterprise Venture Pearson 20 4 Low
Exploring Career Pathways WJEC 20 5 Medium
Exploring Career Pathways Pearson 20 4 Medium
Fairness and Inclusion in the Workplace WJEC 20 3 Low
Fairness and Inclusion in the Workplace Pearson 10 4 Low
International Language: Education and Employment (Spoken) WJEC 10 5 Low
International Language: Education and Employment (Written) WJEC 10 5 Low
Interview and Confidence Techniques WJEC 20 4 Low
Interview and Confidence Techniques Pearson 20 4 Low
Jobs of the Future WJEC 20 4 Medium
Jobs of the Future Pearson 10 5 Low
Overcoming Barriers WJEC 10 4 Low
Overcoming Barriers Pearson 10 4 Low
Personal Development Planning WJEC 20 5 Low
Personal Development Planning Pearson 20 3 Low
Rights and Responsibilities in the Workplace WJEC 20 4 Low
Rights and Responsibilities in the Workplace Pearson 10 3 Low
Sustainable Economic Development WJEC 20 5 Low
Sustainable Economic Development Pearson 20 4 Low
Understanding the Changing Labour Market WJEC 20 4 Medium
Understanding the Changing Labour Market Pearson 10 4 Medium
Using IT in the Workplace WJEC 20 8 High
Using IT in the Workplace Pearson 10 6 High
Wellbeing and Work WJEC 20 5 Low
Wellbeing and Work Pearson 10 4 Low
Work Experience WJEC 20 6 Medium
Work Experience Pearson 20 5 Low
Working in Wales WJEC 10 5 Low
Working in Wales Pearson 10 4 Low

Personal Project

Or choose a part of the DCF

The DCF has 4 strands, and each strand is split into elements. Open an element to see the qualifications that use it.

Citizenship

Identity, image and reputation Used in 70 qualifications
Health and well-being Used in 84 qualifications
Digital rights, licensing and ownership Used in 96 qualifications
Online behaviour and online bullying Used in 60 qualifications

Interacting and collaborating

Communication Used in 52 qualifications
Collaboration Used in 28 qualifications
Storing and sharing Used in 78 qualifications

Producing

Sourcing, searching and planning digital content Used in 154 qualifications
Creating digital content Used in 140 qualifications
Evaluating and improving digital content Used in 123 qualifications

Data and computational thinking

Problem-solving and modelling Used in 33 qualifications
Data and information literacy Used in 64 qualifications

Taken from the awarding bodies' specifications. Each qualification page links to its specification.