Foundation Digital Technology
Foundation Digital Technology is a two year Entry Level and Level 1 qualification for learners aged 14 to 16 who need an accessible route into the subject, and it leads on to GCSE Digital Technology. Digital work runs through every unit. Unit 1 is three short topic tests on digital systems, online safety and digital careers and working practices. In Unit 2 learners collect audience data, set up and analyse it in a spreadsheet, then plan, build and demonstrate a computer game, interactive quiz or interactive storybook. In Unit 3 they plan a digital video with a mood board and storyboard, edit text, photos, graphics and footage, export it and demonstrate their skills in a screen recording. The skills to practise in Key Stage 3 are spreadsheets, block coding and media editing.
- Awarding body
- WJEC
- Level
- Entry Level and Level 1
- First taught
- September 2027
- Amount of digital work
- High
- Specification
- Open the specification
How this qualification is assessed
- Unit 1: The Digital World: Three digital topic tests of 20 minutes each (1 hour in total), 30%, 60 marks, set and marked by WJEC, taken in digital or paper format within a four week window under invigilated conditions
- Unit 2: Designing Digital Solutions: Non-examination assessment, suggested timing of approximately 16 hours, 35%, 70 marks, set by WJEC, marked by the centre and moderated by WJEC, assignment brief available via the WJEC Portal
- Unit 3: Creating and Communicating with Digital Media: Non-examination assessment, suggested timing of approximately 14 hours, 35%, 70 marks, set by WJEC, marked by the centre and moderated by WJEC, assignment brief available via the WJEC Portal
Skills that use Problem-solving and modelling
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Programming game, quiz or story behaviour
Learners build a computer game, interactive quiz or interactive storybook and control its behaviour, such as player movement, game logic, scoring, lives, quiz logic and story branching. Appendix A steps this up from arrow key movement, simple loops and linear navigation to collision detection and automated enemies, then score and lives variables, broadcast messages, random spawning, input validation and timed events at Level 1.
DCF: Problem-solving and modelling
Getting pupils ready
- Year 7
- Pupils make a sprite move with the arrow keys in Scratch and use a forever loop so it bounces off the edge of the stage.
- Year 8
- Pupils add collision detection to a Scratch game so touching a coin hides it and plays a sound, and touching an enemy sends the player back to the start.
- Year 9
- Pupils build a Scratch game with score and lives variables, an enemy that spawns at a random x and y position, and a broadcast message that switches to a win or lose screen.
Show the specification wording and the DCF statements
Where it is in the specification: Unit 2, Section 2.3.1 (a), (b) and (c), pages 22 and 23; Appendix A, pages 36 and 37
“control computer game behaviour, such as:”
Progression step 3
I can create and refine algorithms and flowcharts to solve problems, making use of features such as loops, Boolean values and formulae.
I can understand the importance of the order of statements within algorithms.
Progression step 4
I can create a simple model or self-contained algorithm.
I can identify repeating patterns within an algorithm and use iteration to make the algorithm more efficient.
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Testing, demonstrating and reflecting on digital products
Assessment objective AO4 asks learners to develop, test and evaluate digital products. In both NEA units they demonstrate their digital skills in a screen recording, showing appearance and functionality such as control behaviour, artwork, sound and progression between stages, then reflect on whether audience needs, goals and success criteria were met and what could be improved.
DCF: Problem-solving and modelling, Evaluating and improving digital content
Getting pupils ready
- Year 7
- Pupils swap Scratch projects with a partner, try each control, note what worked and record a short screen clip of their game running.
- Year 8
- Pupils fix a Scratch game with three planted bugs, such as a score that never resets, then make a screen recording showing each feature and say which goal they met.
- Year 9
- Pupils test their own quiz or game against a test plan, fix the faults, record a screen recording of every skill used and write a reflection against each goal with improvements.
Show the specification wording and the DCF statements
Where it is in the specification: Section 3.1, page 27; Unit 2, Sections 2.4.1 and 2.4.2, page 23; Unit 3, Sections 3.3.1 and 3.3.2, page 26
“Demonstrate digital skills in a screen recording”
Progression step 3
I can understand the importance of the order of statements within algorithms.
I can explain reasons for layout and content of my own work and the work of others.
I can ensure my output is appropriate for specific purposes.
Progression step 4
I can detect and correct errors in algorithms.
I can justify the reasons for choices and explain the advantages and disadvantages of the different digital outputs I create.
I can suggest and make improvements that are relevant for audience and purpose, based on feedback and self-evaluation of my digital work.
Good to know
- Unit 1 can be taken on screen or on paper: "Centres can select from digital and paper formats within a four-week assessment window." (Summary of assessment, page 5). Each 20 minute test "must be sat under invigilated examination conditions" (Section 3.2, page 28).
- Both NEA units end with a recording of the work: learners "Demonstrate digital skills in a screen recording" (Summary of assessment, pages 5 and 6), so screen recording software is needed in Units 2 and 3.
- Learners pick the product for Unit 2: they "may choose to develop either a computer game, an interactive quiz, or an interactive storybook." (Section 3.2, page 28). No software is named.
- Marks depend on the level of skills used: learners use skills "from each level of complexity" (Unit 2, Section 2.1.2, page 20 and Unit 3, Section 3.3.1, page 26), and Appendices A and B label each skill as Basic (Entry 1/Entry 2), More advanced (Entry 2/Entry 3) or Complex (Level 1) (pages 36 to 40).
- NEA follows the JCQ vocational rules: work "must adhere to the instructions included in JCQ's Instructions for Conducting Non-Examination Assessments (Vocational and Technical Qualifications)" (Section 3.3, page 29). The specification gives no separate rule on AI use.
- Teachers may allow "one opportunity to improve their evidence and resubmit it for marking" in Units 2 and 3 (Section 3.4, page 30), but not in Unit 1.
- Section 3.3 states "All units of this qualification are assessed through non-examination assessment." (page 29), although Unit 1 is a set of invigilated topic tests marked by WJEC (page 28).
- Appendix C (pages 41 to 43) maps the DCF strands to the units: Citizenship to 1.2, 1.3, 2.1, 2.3, 3.1 and 3.2, Interacting and Collaborating and Producing to 1.3 and all of Units 2 and 3, and Data and Computational Thinking to 2.3 and 3.1 to 3.3. Section 1.2 refers to this mapping as "Appendix A" (page 7).
Links with other qualifications
The qualification is designed as a route onto GCSE Digital Technology, and its units match the GCSE closely in a simpler form. The GCSE asks learners to clean and analyse a WJEC data set with formulas, filters and pivot tables, build a multi page website in HTML and CSS plus a game or 2D animation, and edit media into a marketing video, while the Foundation keeps to the learner's own small audience survey, one block based game, quiz or storybook and a short video. The online safety and digital footprint content links with Personal and Social Education, and the spreadsheet charts support Mathematics and Numeracy.
Source: WJEC Entry Level/Level 1 Foundation Digital Technology specification, approved by Qualifications Wales, teaching from September 2027, for award from 2029 (© WJEC CBAC Ltd 2026).