First Essential Skills Wales live controlled tasks now available

These tests are now available in the secure tests section of the Pearson Qualifications website.

Only those centres that have registered for the new ESW will be able to access these tests.

Since these are live assessment materials, the live controlled tasks must not be used for any purpose other than to carry out candidate assessments.

What's included in the first batch, and what else can we expect?

This initial batch of live controlled tasks includes one topic for each Essential Skills qualification subject area and level, with one exception, Essential Digital Literacy Skills (EDLS) at Level 3, where we are continuing to work closely with the other Essential Skills Wales awarding bodies to refine some of the task activities.

We expect that work to be complete within the next couple of weeks, and for this task to be included alongside the next complete set of live controlled tasks that will be ready for release towards the end of February.

After that, we expect to release a further complete set of controlled tasks approximately every six weeks until there are at least eight topics per subject/level.

What about Welsh medium versions?

We are working jointly with the other Essential Skills awarding bodies to develop Welsh medium versions of at least the first few sets of live controlled tasks, and thereafter Welsh medium versions of the more popular topics.

We will advise separately when these become available.

Qualification handbook also now available

A qualification handbook for the Essential Skills Wales suite of qualifications is also now available, which:

• sets out the administration and assessment conduct requirements for these qualifications
• is designed to complement the standards amplification and delivery guidance in the document developed by ColegauCymru/CollegesWales.

Please note that for assessment and qualification achievement purposes, any requirements in the qualification handbook take precedence over what is stated in the ColegauCymru/CollegesWales guidance.

Update on the confirmatory tests

We are continuing to work with the other Essential Skills awarding bodies to finalise the first batch of live confirmatory tests for Essential Application of Number Skills and (EAoNS) and Essential Communication Skills (ECommS).

Since these tests are not intended to be attempted until after the controlled task, the first opportunity to sit a live confirmatory test will be during the week beginning 21 March 2016.

If you need more information, please contact us.