What they are

Skills for Life qualifications are designed to help you develop the skills you use in everyday life, such as reading, writing or maths. They can also help you boost your CV or move on to further study.

You can take a Skills for Life qualification if you:

• Are over 16 years of age
• Have left compulsory full-time education
• Do not have an up-to-date English or maths qualification at level 2 on the National Qualifications Framework (such as a GCSE)

In some cases, schools can also offer Skills for Life qualifications for 14 to 16 year olds.

As well as ‘Skills for Life’, you may have also heard people talking about ‘Basic Skills’. The two terms mean the same thing, and refer to the same qualifications.

Subjects available

Skills for Life Certificates are available in:

• Adult literacy
• Adult numeracy
• Information and communications technology (ICT) available at the University College of St Mark & St John Plymouth

Where and when you can take them

Skills for Life qualifications are offered on a regular basis, so you can take one whenever you are ready.

You can take them in your own work place or at Focus Training’s learning centre.

Study at a level to suit you

Skills for Life Certificates are available at a level of learning to suit you.

The levels are:

• Entry level (three entry levels to choose from)
• Level 1
• Level 2

How you are assessed

Focus Training use a simple computer based tool called ForSkills your training consultant will help you to access the tool and you will have plenty of time work through the tasks. From this we will be able to use the computer to produce a diagnostic report of what skills you particularly need to improve. Your training consultant will work with you on a one to one basis so that you can work at your own pace.

Once you feel confident in what you have learnt you will be ready to take the test at the level above that which you were assessed.

Your training consultant will set you up and explain how to use the computer to take the National Basic Skills tests. The tests consist of 40 multiple choice questions. For each question, you choose from four possible answers. You have one hour to complete the literacy test and one hour 15 minutes for the numeracy test.

These are the same tests that are taken for level 1 and level 2 Key Skills qualifications in Application of Number and Communications.

Awards

Skills for Life Certificates are marked as either a pass or fail.

Take a mini test online

To find out which level of Skills for Life qualification might be right for you, follow the link below and try a mini test online.

Test your skills on the Move On website.

If you don’t pass

If you don’t pass, you can take the test again. In fact, you can take it as many times as you like until you do pass. However, each time you take it you’ll be asked a different set of questions.

Where they can lead

Skills for Life qualifications are based on national standards, so everyone, including potential employers, can see what you’re capable of. They can:

• Give you more confidence in your own abilities
• Show what you have achieved in your learning programme
• Boost your CV
• Help you get onto other courses such as Apprenticeships

Find out more

To find out more about Skills for Life qualifications, you can:
Contact Focus Training (SW) Ltd at enquiries@focus4training.co.uk or telephone 01752 348980.

More useful links

• NIACE (National Institute of Adult Continuing Education) Opens new window

Useful contacts

• Qualifications and Curriculum Development Agency (QCDA)
• Office of Qualifications and Examination Regulation
• Quality Assurance Agency for Higher Education (QAA)
• UK NARIC