DCF Cymru Digital competence for Wales

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VCSE Retail and Customer Service

VCSE Retail and Customer Service asks learners to research a real retail business online, use customer service data such as online reviews, live chat transcripts and response times, and produce a report, staff guidance, customer replies for digital platforms, a brand mood board, mock-up digital adverts and pitch slides. Unit 1 tests knowledge of retail technology such as AI chatbots, RFID and self-checkout in a one-hour sector test taken on paper or on screen, while Units 2 and 3 (80% together) are NEA tasks that need IT and software and are submitted digitally. The single biggest thing KS3 should build is confidence turning research and customer data into clear, branded documents, adverts and slides for a real audience using everyday Office tools.

Awarding body
WJEC
Level
Level 1 and Level 2
First taught
September 2027
Amount of digital work
Medium
Specification
Open the specification
Step before
Foundation Retail and Customer Service, Entry Level and Level 1
How this qualification is assessed
  • Unit 1: Introduction to the Retail and Customer Service Sector: External assessment (sector test) 1 hour, 20%, 50 marks, set and marked by WJEC, available on paper or on screen
  • Unit 2: Developing Customer Service Skills: External non-examination assessment 6 hours 30 minutes, 20%, 60 marks, set and marked by WJEC, tasks based on a case study released on the WJEC Portal and changed every year
  • Unit 3: Retail Marketing and Promotion: Non-examination assessment 19 hours, 60%, 90 marks, set by WJEC, marked by the centre and externally moderated by WJEC, five tasks based on an assignment brief

Skills that use Evaluating and improving digital content

  1. Creating a visual mood board for a brand personality

    Assessed: In coursework (non-examination assessment, NEA)

    In Unit 3 learners create a visual mood board for their own retail business concept, including the business name, logo or visual identity, strapline, colour scheme, fonts and images that reflect the brand personality. The specification does not say the mood board must be digital, but Unit 3 requires suitable hardware and software to produce the evidence.

    DCF: Creating digital content, Digital rights, licensing and ownership, Evaluating and improving digital content

    Getting pupils ready

    Year 7
    Pupils make a mood board in PowerPoint for a made-up café, choosing a name, three colours, two fonts and copyright-free images.
    Year 8
    Pupils design a logo and strapline for a pop-up stall at a local market in PowerPoint and explain how the colours and font suit the customers.
    Year 9
    Pupils build a brand mood board for a retail idea with a logo, colour codes, fonts and licensed images, then justify each choice to a partner acting as the target customer.
    Show the specification wording and the DCF statements

    Where it is in the specification: Unit 3, Section 3.2.2, page 39

    “create a suitable visual mood board to represent the brand personality for a retail business concept”
    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 use software tools to enhance the outcomes for specific audiences.

    • I can understand that copying the work of others and presenting it as my own is plagiarism.

    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.

    • I can justify the reasons for choices and explain the advantages and disadvantages of the different digital outputs I create.

    • I can act responsibly as creator and user of creative work, e.g. exploring decisions that creators make when exercising their creative rights and responsibilities, giving consideration to ethical, real-life issues.

    Progression step 5

    • I can use a variety of software, tools and techniques to create a professional, individual or collaborative project outcome incorporating a range of multimedia components.

    • I can justify reasoning to critical audiences in terms of layout and content of my digital work.

    • I can understand and reflect on the differences between taking inspiration from the creative work of others and appropriating that work without permission.

  2. Designing mock-up promotional materials, including digital adverts

    Assessed: In coursework (non-examination assessment, NEA)

    Learners plan promotional materials with success criteria, time planning and resources, then design or mock up materials such as posters, flyers, a TV or radio advert as a script or storyboard, and digital adverts such as an influencer post, social media advert or email marketing campaign. They also develop a strategy covering distribution, placement, timing and sequencing.

    DCF: Creating digital content, Sourcing, searching and planning digital content, Evaluating and improving digital content

    Getting pupils ready

    Year 7
    Pupils design a poster in Publisher or PowerPoint to advertise the school tuck shop, with a clear headline, an image and the price.
    Year 8
    Pupils create a mock-up Instagram post and a printed flyer for the same school event and say how each one is changed to suit where it will be seen.
    Year 9
    Pupils plan and storyboard a short social media advert for a local business with success criteria and a timeline, make a mock-up and improve it after peer feedback.
    Show the specification wording and the DCF statements

    Where it is in the specification: Unit 3, Section 3.2.3, page 39

    “digital adverts, for example influencer post, social media advert (could be a script or storyboard), email marketing campaign”
    Progression step 3

    • I can use software tools to enhance the outcomes for specific audiences.

    • I can independently create and plan work before beginning a digital task.

    • 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.

    • I can select and effectively use a variety of planning techniques.

    • I can suggest and make improvements that are relevant for audience and purpose, based on feedback and self-evaluation of my digital work.

    Progression step 5

    • I can use a variety of software, tools and techniques to create a professional, individual or collaborative project outcome incorporating a range of multimedia components.

    • I can plan my digital work effectively and with increasing complexity.

    • I can make detailed and specific changes to my digital work, based upon feedback and self-evaluation, as relevant.

  3. Creating presentation slides and visual aids for a pitch

    Assessed: In coursework (non-examination assessment, NEA)

    Learners plan and deliver a professional pitch for their retail business concept and create visual resources to support it, such as presentation slides, handouts and cue cards, notes or a script. Performance evidence such as presentations is recorded by the teacher on observation records.

    DCF: Creating digital content, Evaluating and improving digital content, Collaboration

    Getting pupils ready

    Year 7
    Pupils make three PowerPoint slides about a favourite local shop, using large images and few words, and present them to a small group.
    Year 8
    Pupils create slides and cue cards for a two-minute pitch for a new tuck shop product, keeping their prompts in the speaker notes rather than on the slides.
    Year 9
    Pupils pitch a retail business idea to a 'dragons' panel using slides with a consistent brand theme and a one-page handout, then answer unplanned questions.
    Show the specification wording and the DCF statements

    Where it is in the specification: Unit 3, Sections 3.3.1 and 3.3.2, page 40; Section 3.3, page 45

    “create appropriate visual resources to support the delivery of a pitch”
    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 explain reasons for layout and content of my own work and the work of others.

    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.

    • I can justify the reasons for choices and explain the advantages and disadvantages of the different digital outputs I create.

    • I can independently select and use a range of online collaboration tools to create a project with others in one or more languages, e.g. making use of online technology to share and present ideas to others.

    Progression step 5

    • I can use a variety of software, tools and techniques to create a professional, individual or collaborative project outcome incorporating a range of multimedia components.

    • I can justify reasoning to critical audiences in terms of layout and content of my digital work.

Good to know

Links with other qualifications

Researching a local business, writing a report from data and the digital marketing content overlap closely with GCSE Business, and the customer service content is shared with the VCSE in Hospitality and Catering. The mood board, mock-up adverts and pitch slides use the same groundwork as GCSE Digital Media and Film and the VCSE in Creative and Media Production, and Technology.

Source: WJEC Level 1/Level 2 VCSE Retail and Customer Service specification, approved by Qualifications Wales, teaching from September 2027, for award from 2029 (© WJEC CBAC Ltd 2026).