Skills for Life: Democracy In Action
Democracy in action is a Skills for Life unit in which learners find out what democracy is, why it matters and how it works in Wales, including the Senedd, and show practical ways to make informed decisions about their own political rights and responsibilities. It is one 10 hour unit that learners combine with others into a Pearson Skills for Life Award, Certificate or Diploma, achieved at one level from Entry 1 to Level 2. Assessment is internal, on centre-devised tasks. Digital demand is low: no criterion requires technology. Digital work sits in researching with trusted sources, fact-checking information and choosing reputable sources, which the guidance gives as examples of informed decisions.
- Awarding body
- Pearson
- Level
- Entry Level 1 to Level 2
- Guided learning hours
- 10
- First taught
- September 2027
- Amount of digital work
- Low
- Specification
- Open the specification
How this unit is assessed
- Entry Level (Entry 1, Entry 2, Entry 3): One assessment criterion at each of Entry 1, Entry 2 and Entry 3: state, outline or identify what democracy is (and at Entry 3 why it matters and how it works in Wales), and demonstrate at least two, three or four ways to make decisions about own political rights and responsibilities. Evidence is centre-devised and internally assessed by the centre, with Pearson standards verification. Graded Pass or Fail. 10 guided learning hours.
- Level 1 and Level 2: One assessment criterion at each of Level 1 and Level 2: describe (Level 1) or explain (Level 2) what democracy is, why it is important and how it works in Wales, and demonstrate at least five (Level 1) or six, with reasons (Level 2), ways to make informed decisions about own political rights and responsibilities. Evidence is centre-devised and internally assessed by the centre, with Pearson standards verification. Graded Pass or Fail. 10 guided learning hours.
The digital skills in this qualification
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Researching democracy and rights from trusted sources
Learners find out about democracy, voting and their own political rights from sources such as official websites, from Entry 1 with clear support to Level 2 where they identify, select and use information from a variety of sources. The criterion requires ways to make informed decisions, and the guidance gives research using trusted sources as one example, so online research is likely evidence but not compulsory.
DCF: Sourcing, searching and planning digital content
Getting pupils ready
- Year 7
- Pupils use the Senedd Cymru website to find the name of their Member of the Senedd and two facts about what the Senedd decides.
- Year 8
- Pupils search for how young people aged 16 can vote in Wales, try two different sets of keywords, and record which search gave the most useful official result.
- Year 9
- Pupils research the difference between the UK Parliament and the Senedd using three websites, bookmark the sources, and note which ones are official.
Show the specification wording and the DCF statements
Where it is in the specification: Unit SfL 5, Essential information for assessment decisions, Entry 1, page 31; Levels of supervision and support, Level 1 and Level 2, page 32
“or carrying out research using trusted sources”
Progression step 3
I can adjust keywords and search techniques to find relevant information.
I can begin to reference sources used in my work, and consider if content is reliable.
Progression step 4
I can search a variety of sources using relevant search techniques with increased complexity.
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Fact-checking information and choosing reputable sources
Level 2 learners explain why they should fact-check political information they receive and trust only reputable sources, giving a reason for each way of making an informed decision. Lower levels meet the idea through using trusted sources with support. This is an example in the Level 2 guidance for the assessed criterion rather than a separate requirement.
DCF: Identity, image and reputation, Sourcing, searching and planning digital content
Getting pupils ready
- Year 7
- Pupils compare a political claim in a made up social media post with the same topic on an official website and say which they trust and why.
- Year 8
- Pupils check three claims about voting in Wales against an official source and a fact-checking website, and mark each claim true, false or misleading.
- Year 9
- Pupils evaluate a news article, a campaign leaflet and a social media video on the same election issue, rate how reliable each one is, and justify their ratings.
Show the specification wording and the DCF statements
Where it is in the specification: Unit SfL 5, Essential information for assessment decisions, Level 2, page 32
“why they should fact-check information they receive and only trust information from reputable sources”
Progression step 3
I can think critically about information shared online, e.g. the impact of sharing images and videos, metadata of images and videos.
I can begin to reference sources used in my work, and consider if content is reliable.
Progression step 4
I can evaluate the reliability of sources of information, justify my opinions and reasons for choices, and reference using appropriate methods.
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Organising and presenting findings clearly
Level 1 learners are expected to organise their findings and present them clearly and accurately, and Level 2 learners manage their own learning. The format is the centre's choice, so a digital poster, slides or a podcast is one option, not a requirement.
DCF: Creating digital content, Evaluating and improving digital content
Getting pupils ready
- Year 7
- Pupils make a one page digital poster explaining what democracy means, with a title, three key facts and an image.
- Year 8
- Pupils build a short slide presentation on how the Senedd works and check that each slide has one clear point for a Year 7 audience.
- Year 9
- Pupils record a two minute podcast explaining three ways young people in Wales can make informed political decisions, using notes from their own research.
Show the specification wording and the DCF statements
Where it is in the specification: Unit SfL 5, Levels of supervision and support before and during assessment, Level 1, page 32
“They are accountable for organising their findings and presenting them clearly”
Progression step 3
I can use a range of software to select, produce and edit a range of multimedia components for a purpose, such as:
- text and images, e.g. format text (bold, underline, italics, highlight); insert and edit text boxes; columns; use refine tools (spellchecker, find and replace); word wrap; crop; alter size and shape; alter images; add effects; trim and split sound and video clips; transitions; onion skin
- presentation, e.g. page orientation; animations; transitions; remove and alter images; use background; use action buttons to create hyperlink; embed objects.
I can ensure my output is appropriate for specific purposes.
Progression step 4
I can select and use a variety of appropriate software, tools and techniques to create, modify and combine multimedia components for a range of audiences and purposes, such as:
- text and images, e.g. explore and use effectively image manipulation techniques; explore and use appropriately the many aspects of document layout; use animation, video and audio effects such as echo, tempo, envelope, layering, frame rate, key frames
- presentation, e.g. use design tools; adapt themes and colours to suit the purpose; create master templates.
Good to know
- The unit is "Unit SfL 5: Democracy in action" and carries 10 guided learning hours in the unit summary (Unit summary, page 5), half the 20 hours of the WJEC unit of the same name.
- A unit counts once: "Learners can only achieve each unit once, at a single level" (Rules of Combination, page 6; Assessment of units, page 9).
- There is a single assessment criterion per level, and "there are no mandatory evidence requirements and centres can select the type of evidence" (Essential information for assessment decisions, page 31).
- The unit content is not in the specification: it "can be found in the Teaching and Learning Support document for this unit" (Unit content, page 31).
- Pearson's Authorised Assignment Briefs are optional: "AABs are not mandatory" (How to use this document, page 1).
- AI may be used only if acknowledged: "A learner will have committed malpractice if they use AI tools without acknowledging them" (Requirements relating to permitted/prohibited resources, page 33).
- Learners who fail "may be eligible for one resubmission of improved evidence" at the centre's discretion (Assessment of units, page 9).
- The Entry 3 assessment criterion contains a stray symbol, "demonstrate some @ways to make informed decisions" (Assessment criteria, page 30), and the Entry 2 supervision note prints "They can follow a short sequence of instructions." twice (page 32).
Links with other qualifications
Democracy in action links most closely with GCSE Social Studies, which covers democracy, rights and participation, and with GCSE History for how the Senedd and devolution came about. Within the WJEC Skills Suite, Everyday Law, Community Participation and Ethical Choices sit alongside it. The WJEC Democracy in action unit is a 20 hour unit with several learning outcomes that require learners to take part in a discussion or debate and research an issue; the Pearson unit is 10 hours with one criterion per level built around explaining democracy in Wales and demonstrating ways to make informed decisions, so it is shorter and lighter on debate and presentation.
Source: Pearson Entry Level 1 to Level 2 Skills for Life Award, Certificate and Diploma Qualifications Specification, Issue 1, August 2026, Unit SfL 5: Democracy in action.