About Personal and Social Development

Find out more about our Edexcel Personal and Social Development qualifications, who they’re for, how they're assessed and what learners can go on to do once they’ve achieved them. 

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What are Personal and Social Development qualifications?

Personal and Social Development qualifications are designed to help prepare learners for employment and help with career development if they are already employed. They allow students to learn about communication, reading and writing, mathematics, independent living, skills for the workplace and engaging with the world around them.

Personal and Social Development can be offered alongside Functional Skills, MySkills, BTEC WorkSkills and BTEC Entry and Level 1 as part of an Entry and Level 1 programme.

Read the brochure for more information.

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Why offer Edexcel Personal and Social Development qualifications?

Personal and Social Development qualifications enable learners to develop their skills and improve their confidence and self-esteem. Learners will develop skills such as communications, mathematics and ICT, as well as the personal skills and knowledge required for everyday life and work.

How are they assessed?

All units are internally assessed. Each unit within the qualification has specified assessment criteria which must be satisfied for a learner to achieve a pass. You can find more information about the assessment criteria in the relevant specification.

What can learners go on to do once they’ve achieved these qualifications?

Learners who successfully achieve our Personal and Social Development qualifications can progress to:

  • GCSEs and/or A level
  • Diplomas 
  • Apprenticeships 
  • supported employment 
  • independent living.

What qualification sizes are available?

There are 3 sizes, with different sizes available for different qualifications:

  • Award (1-12 credits)
  • Certificate (13-36 credits)
  • Diploma (37+ credits).

What levels are available?

We offer Personal and Social Development qualifications from Entry Level 1 to Level 2 in order to enhance your learners’ life skills in different contexts. Entry Level 1 qualifications are for learners with specific needs who are at pre-entry level and/or Entry 1 and are not yet able to access Functional Skills.

How should the programmes be delivered?

The qualifications can be delivered using any mode of delivery that meets learners’ needs, including full time, part time, evening only and distance learning. Learners should have access to the resources identified in the specification. Those planning the programmes should enhance the vocational nature of the qualifications by:

  • liaising with employers to make sure a course is relevant to learners’ specific needs 
  • accessing and using non-confidential data and documents from learners’ workplaces
  • developing updated, relevant teaching materials
  • giving learners the opportunity to apply what they learn in practical activities
  • sponsoring employers in the delivery of the programme and, where appropriate, in the assessment
  • making full use of the variety of experience of work and life that learners bring to the programme.