personal reflection presentation welsh bacc

ENTERPRISE & EMPLOYABILITY

CLICK HERE TO RETURN TO A-LEVEL WELSH BACC HOMEPAGE 🏠

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Task 1: pen portait.

EE TASK 1: PEN PORTRAIT

The required Pen Portrait is a A4 document that conveys self-promotion in a creative visual format. It can be considered in a similar way to a mini CV; where an individual presents themselves, their skills, competencies, attributes and experiences.

TASKS 2: INNOVATION VENTURE

2.1 EXECUTIVE SUMMARY

The Executive Summary is an overview of the innovation proposal which includes the main points from each of the other sections within the proposal. This section is usually written after the other sections have been completed.

It is important to write concisely and clearly, a short summary which includes each aspect of Why, Who, What, When and How’. It should be no more than two pages.

This is a statement of purpose. Learners should provide a brief setting and history behind the proposed Innovation Proposal.

✅ What is the brief?

✅ Who are the instigators of the brief?

✅ Who are the intended audience?

✅ What parameters have been stipulated ?

This section should describe the team including reference to each individual and their roles and responsibilities. There should be evidence that individuals have been considered in terms of their suitability for a certain role. Pen Portraits could be used in assessing the suitability of roles and allocating responsibilities.

The following roles need to be allocated with detailed reasoning behind the decisions made – it is important to consider the skills audit and Pen Portrait when coming to these decisions as a group:

✅ Project Manager

✅ Innovation and Design Manager

✅ Marketing Manager

✅ Finance Manager

✅ Company Secretar y

Task 2.4: What?

In this section, the innovation should be described. You need to include the following aspects:

✅ Idea Generation

It should begin with a discussion of ideas, ideas screening, appraisal of ideas, and details concerning the rationale behind decisions made - Include a mind map of your group’s possible ideas which you may consider for your own product (e.g. several ideas of pop- up stalls/ shops).

✅ Market Research

Conduct market research using the internet, select six different products/services that are similar/linked to the market of what you need to produce/develop. Make sure you include an image of each product and conduct a detailed SWOT analysis (strengths/weaknesses/opportunities/threats) on each.

You could conduct a questionnaire to gain market research information in regards to your product/service.

✅ Product Design Development

The design/prototype of the final idea should be developed, which may have been modified in light of the feasibility study. Its Unique Selling Point should also be described.

The more development you can show (drawings/drafts etc.) the better your mark!

✅ Marketing/Branding

Demonstrate the design process for your company logo (include all drawings/ideas, explain what choices you have made and why you think they are effective and suit the brand - you could produce an electronic version with websites like https://www.tailorbrands.com/logo-maker . Explain why you feel your target audience will like your logo etc.

Additionally, you could include a Facebook/Twitter/ Instagram accounts for your business for a visual representation for your pitch. Explain why this is a good method of promotion etc. For example, photos of products, sharing with friends, communication deals and upcoming events, etc. Include screenshots of your page.

Posters/leaflets/videos could be used as additional marketing . It could be promotional products like company mugs/badges/car stickers/hats/t-shirts. Ensure you include a screenshot of the design process and explain how this kind of marketing is an effective way to build a business.

✅ Financial forecasts

The commercialising of the innovation should be considered, how the business will be organised operate and a plan of resources required. Number of people employed and their anticipated roles. How will the product/service get to the customer? Production quantities of the product/service . Resource requirements. Risk assessment.

The finance required for the innovation, the source of the finance, and what it will be used for should be identified. Notes should be provided explaining how figures in the forecasted cash flow (the cash flow represents the flow of cash through the business) and forecasted profit and loss (a financial statement showing net profit or loss in a given period) were arrived at.

🔴 Using the internet, cost material you will need.

🔴 Cost your pop - up venue (tent, van, trailer, market stall, steel container, etc.)

🔴 How much will one product cost to make (called a unit)

🔴 How much will you sell the product for that will make it a good value for money for your customers?

🔴 Take into consideration labour (manpower)

🔴 How much will you make if you sell 50 units? 200 unit? 500 units?

🔴 Identify where you located your materials (list of website links)

Project management requires the establish ment of roles and responsibilities in order to plan and control a range of tasks required to deliver the Innovation Proposal.

The plan can show all the intended activities, timings and provide an at a glance guide of the actions to be undertaken throughout the process - this could be in the form of meeting Minutes (notes)

2.6 SWOT ANALYSIS

Using a photograph/computer visual representation/sketches, show what you intend your stall/ pop-up shop to look like (this is called a prototype).

Complete a thorough SWOT analysis of the final product (enterprise concept) you will be pitching - STRENGTHS/WEAKNESSES/OPPORTUNITIES/THREATS

2.7 EVALUATING THE DESIGN PROCESS

For this part of your challenge, you need to reflect critically o n the design process and your final product/service outcome . Here are some points you may want to include/consider:

Consider the whole of the design and creating process and respond in full sentences, evaluate your group’s idea/product outcome.

Consider the following:

✅ Your idea generation task

✅ Ideas you serious considered and how you came to the decision not to use them

✅ Your m arket research

✅ The selection of your final idea

✅ The designing process for your product

✅ Your costing analysis

✅ Decisions on marketing strategies

✅ Challenges you as a group had and how you overcame them

✅ How you functioned as a group during the design process

Remember, b e as detailed as you can. There are a lot of marks that can be awarded for reflecting critically o n the design process. Ensure everyone contributes.

2.8 PITCH PRESENTATION SCRIPT

For this part of the challenge, you have to produce present your Innovation Proposal. You need to produce a script as evidence of the contribution made by each member of the group.

Your pitch needs to 'bid' for money to support your venture.

TASK 3: DESINATION PLAN

DESTINATION PREPARATION

Learners need to identify two potential career pathways (not university courses) that are relevant to them as an individual. They should develop knowledge about the careers, including skills, competencies, attributes, experience and qualifications that employers require. Direct contact could be made with employers to enquire about their requirements when appointing new employees.

By analysing personal skills, competencies, attributes, experiences and qualifications, any gaps can be identified, and a plan produced to overcome these.

3.1 POTENTIAL CAREER PATHWAYS

For this part of your Destination Plan you need to research and identify two potential career pathways that you wish to possibly follow that are linked to what you want to study at University or Higher Education. Here are some points you need to include/consider:

✅ Mindmap possible ideas for your career pathway

✅ Research - Using Careers Wales (or a similar site), research TWO potential jobs/careers you wish to pursue (go to Careers Wales website, click on Tools and Resources tab, and select Job Information button).

✅ Present - Include a screenshot (next to F12 on the keyboard) of each information sheet/page from Careers Wales (or a similar site).

✅ Describe - In your own words, describe what each career choice involves (i.e. what do people in that profession do? (150 words approx. for each career choice.)

✅ Explain – Why are you interested in this career? Why does it appeal to you? (150 words approx. for each career choice)

Remember you are doing this for TWO possible career pathways that are linked to what you want to study at University or Higher Education .

3.2 SKILLS, ATTRIBUTES, EXPERIENCES & QUALIFICATIONS

For this part of your challenge, you need to research and identify the skills, attributes, experiences, and qualifications for each of your chosen career pathways. Create two tables with the following headings for each career pathway:

✅ SKILLS: What specific learned and developed abilities/skills do the career pathways you have selected require?

✅ ATTRIBUTES/TRAITS: What qualities do the career pathways you have selected require?

✅ EXPERIENCES: What experiences will support you on your journey towards these career pathways?

✅ QUALIFICATIONS: What qualifications will you require for each career pathway?

3.3 SKILLS DEVELOPMENT PLAN

For this part of your challenge, you need to identify the skills that need to be developed for your chosen career pathways. You need to write up an analysis of personal skills and attributes, experiences and qualifications, and the gaps which need to be addressed in order to achieve your move to your chosen career/ job destination. Here are some points you need to include/consider:

✅ Look at the skills audit you completed at the start of this challenge – Reflect on your strengths and weaknesses before the Enterprise aspect of the challenge (teamwork/creativity/numeracy/problem solving etc.)

✅ Reflect on how your skills developed during / thanks to the EE group challenge

✅ Analyse what skills you still need to develop and improve.

3.4 DIRECT CONTACT WITH EMPLOYERS

For this part of your challenge you need to provide evidence of having had direct contact with employers to enquire about their requirements in regards to your chosen career pathways. You should make contact with relevant professionals linked to your chosen career pathways, whether that is face to face, over the phone or over email. You should summarise your findings (what you have learnt) in your own words.

Here are some suggested questions to ask a professional linked to your chosen careers/ jobs/ pathways:

o What career pathway led you to that job?

o What qualifications did you need?

o What skills are needed in your profession?

o What experience did you need and what experience did you gain?

o What is the starting salary?

o What is the top salary?

o What exactly does your job entail?

o What are the usual hours?

o What are the advantages and disadvantages of the job?What advice would you give a student considering this career?

YOU NEED TO PROVIDE EVIDENCE OF THIS CONTACT BY PRINTING OFF COPIES OF EMAIL S

DESTINATION DEPARTURE

A number of vacancies with expected salary should be considered for each career pathway, these should be in different regions in Wales and the UK. For learners wishing to go to university, the vacancies should be suitable for graduates. Learners should be able to make some comparisons with their CV and application statement with regard to vacancy requirements.

3.5 CAREER PATHWAY VACANCY RESEARCH

For this part of your challenge, you need to research vacancies linked to your chosen career path and evaluate each critically. Here are some points you need to include/consider:

✅ Research - You need to provide evidence of having researched a compilation of vacancies and their application requirements; you could use screenshots of job adverts (aim to provide 4-6 adverts for each chosen career path)

✅ Summarise - You need to write a short analysis of each job advert i.e. salary, hours, location.

✅ Explain - You then need to write up your opinion about the job opportunities you have found for each chosen career path (i.e. the job adverts you found). Consider the following points :

Working hours

Responsibilities

✅ Finally, you need to write about what job appeals the most to you and why. Again, consider points like location, salary, personal implications, interests, family implications etc. (aim for 500 words approx.)

3.7 UCAS PERSONAL STATEMENT or COVER LETTER

✅ Y ou need to provide your personal statement (if you are applying to university) or a letter of application for a job.

3.8 ANALYSIS OF SKILLS, ATTRIBUTES, EXPERIENCES & QUALIFICATIONS FOR CHOSEN CAREER PATHS

For this part of your challenge, you need to critically look at yourself and see what you have to do to achieve your chosen career path. Here are some points you need to include/consider:

✅ Explain - Identify the skills and attributes you already have and explain how they suit your career choices.

✅ Explain - Identify the skills and attributes you need to develop for your chosen career choices and why they are important/essential.

✅ Explain - Identify the experiences you already have and explain how they suit your career choices.

✅ Explain - Identify the experiences you need to develop for your chosen career choices and why they are important/essential.

✅ Explain - Identify the qualifications you require for your career choices and where and how you intend to attain them.

✅ Conclude – Are you confident you have the ability to achieve these skills, experiences, and qualifications? How difficult do you feel it will be to pursue your chosen careers? After all of your research, which of the two career pathways appeal to you most and why at this point in your life?

DESTINATION ARRIVAL

In preparation for future destination decision learners should produce a cost analysis of personal financial demands of independent living and life style expectations demonstrating a variety of complex numerical techniques. Learners should select a scenario either related to travel expenses, accommodation expenses or general living expenses. (Examples can be found on the secure website.) They will be required to compare the financial demands of different options available and decide on which is financially feasible based on the salary expectation of the vacancies considered.

3.9 COST ANALYSIS: INDEPENDENT LIVING & LIFESTYLE EXPECTATIONS

For this part of your challenge you need to demonstrate your numeracy skills by completing a cost analysis of living independently after education, taking into consideration the lifestyle you want to live . Here are some points you need to include/consider:

This is the section where you need to show numeracy skills. You could start by answering the following questions:

What goals would you like to achieve by the time you are 18?

What goals would you like to achieve in the next 5 years?

What goals would you like to achieve by the time you are 30 ?

When doing your financial analysis, you could include the following:

Cost of a three-year university course (including accommodation and living costs)

Average starting salary in your chosen career

Research into renting and/or buying a house (you could compare areas, provide graphs and statistics, consider the mortgages availability linked to your salary, etc.

Provide a monthly budget/ calculations of living costs on this salary ( including tax, pension and national health contributions, accommodation, mortgage repayments if any, car, insurances, utility bills, food, hobbies, clothing, phones and devices….)

Explain what strategies you would use to avoid being in debt.

Standard Deviation are examples of high level numeracy (this will be covered by specialists)

TASK 4: PERSONAL REFLECTION PRESENTATION

EE TASK 4: PERSONAL REFLECTION PRESENTATION

Personal Reflection Presentation :

This could be carried out in the form of an interview. With a 5 -10 minutes oral presentation where the learner reflects and positively promotes their skills, competencies, attributes and suitability for their future destination. Learners must provide a copy of their presentation and speech notes.

This should be followed by learners responding to competency-based questions. Competency based questioning refers to asking questions which require individuals to give situational examples of times in the past when they have performed specific tasks or achieved specific outcomes using certain skills, competencies and attributes.

RESOURCES 💻

BRANDING INTRODUCTION

WHAT IS A BRAND?

BRANDING: THREE Ps

WORLD BRANDS

HOW BRANDS MAKE US BUY

HOW BRANDS MAKE MONEY

BRANDING: PURPOSE

BRAND IDENTITY

BRANDING: SOCIAL DIMENSION

BRAND DIRECTOR: VIRGIN

BRANDING: INSIDE THE INDUSTRY

BRAND IDENTITY 360

CUMULATIVE FREQUENCY GRAPHS

⛓ USEFUL LINKS ⛓

YEAR 12 GOOGLE CLASSROOM

YEAR 13 GOOGLE CLASSROOM

3.6 CURRICULUM VITAE & PEN PORTRAIT

✅ Y ou need to provide an up to date CV providing a chronological account of your qualifications, your experiences, and your employment history (You completed a CV in Y12 – return to it and redraft it if necessary).

✅ Include a screenshot of your Pen Portrait.

💻 USEFUL LINKS

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Welsh Baccalaureate

Explains the structure and benefits of the award.

Read details on this page

• Qualifications (Sub-topic)

Impact assessment: delivery of the Skills Challenge Certificate as part of the Welsh Baccalaureate , file type: PDF, file size: 460 KB

What is the welsh baccalaureate.

The Welsh Baccalaureate (Welsh Bacc) was designed in Wales for our learners. It gives broader experiences than traditional learning programmes, to suit the diverse needs of young people. The Welsh Bacc award is based on specified combinations of qualifications to help learners get the most benefit from these experiences and skills.

It is wide-ranging and embraces the teaching of key skills that complement the subjects and courses already available for learners. Learners get real life experience of the world outside school, and learn how to apply skills in practical situations.

How is it structured?

The Welsh Bacc can be achieved at three levels:

• Foundation (Level 1)
• National (Level 2)
• Advanced (Level 3)

At all levels, it comprises multiple elements and is achieved on the successful completion of the Skills Challenge Certificate and the required level of attainment in supporting qualifications.

What is the Skills Challenge Certificate?

The Skills Challenge Certificate (SCC) is a standalone, graded qualification and is valued as a GCSE or A Level equivalent or it can be taken alongside GCSEs or A Levels. It can be achieved and awarded without the supporting qualifications that comprise the Welsh Bacc.

It offers a different type of qualification that focusses on developing a range of essential employability skills. It gives learners the opportunity to study topics and issues of their choosing that are relevant to their future study and career plans.

It consists of four components:

• Individual Project
• Enterprise and Employability Challenge
• Global Citizenship Challenge
• Community Challenge

The combined outcomes of the four components will determine whether the SCC is awarded.

The focus of the SCC is on the essential and employability skills young people need in their future lives. These skills are developed and assessed through an individual project and three challenges. It is designed to include learning and assessment that will enthuse, engage and motivate learners in the classroom, the workplace and the wider community. Learners are required to reflect on how the application of their skills may impact on individuals, employers, society and the environment.

More information about the structure of the Welsh Bacc can be found on the Qualifications Wales and WJEC websites.

Why do we want learners to complete the Welsh Baccalaureate?

We want all learners to benefit from the Welsh Bacc, and achieve the Skills Challenge Certificate. By adding essential personal development and employability skills to academic study or vocational qualifications, the Welsh Bacc helps young people to be better prepared for further/higher education, employment and life.

It provides an opportunity for our learners to develop the wider skills and knowledge that align with, and build upon, the four purposes of the new curriculum.

We want all learners in Wales to be:

• ambitious, capable learners, ready to learn throughout their lives
• enterprising, creative contributors, ready to play a full part in life and work
• ethical, informed citizens of Wales and the world
• healthy, confident individuals, ready to lead fulfilling lives as valued members of society.

Through the SCC learners are able to develop their wider skills and confidence, enabling and empowering them to take their place as responsible and active citizens within a diverse society. The Enterprise & Employability Challenge specifically supports learners to become enterprising, creative contributors who will be better prepared to play a full part in life and work.

Through the Global Citizenship and Community challenges, learners will be given the opportunity to develop their knowledge and understanding of society, the community in which they live and an awareness of global issues, events and perspectives - helping them to become ethical, informed citizens of Wales and the world.

The individual project provides the learner with the opportunity to undertake work related to their studies, an area of particular interest to them or related to the further/higher education course they wish to pursue.

Is the Welsh Baccalaureate compulsory?

It should be offered to all learners in schools and further education colleges at Key Stage 4 and post-16, in line with our vision for universal adoption. Learners at Key Stage 4 should be entered at the appropriate level for them.

There are no statutory requirements for learners to undertake any qualification. Therefore, undertaking the Skills Challenge Certificate is not compulsory. However, our policy is to encourage all schools and colleges to offer it as part of their learning programmes. Every learner should therefore have the opportunity to benefit from taking the SCC as part of the Welsh Bacc.

For most learners it is invaluable in helping them to develop the skills they need for further study and work. It complements other subjects and courses, giving learners greater confidence and a more rounded educational experience.

For some learners, undertaking the SCC may not be the right choice, and we therefore need some flexibility. Schools and colleges should be providing opportunities that are in the best interests of their learners. We expect schools and colleges to use their professional judgement, by giving due consideration to each young person’s wellbeing and their ability to reach their full potential, in determining whether an individual learner can be exempt for taking the Welsh Bacc and the SCC.

Do employers value the Welsh Baccalaureate?

It will help young people develop the skills that employers need in their workforce and thus, have better access to varied opportunities when they leave education and enter the workplace.

Its development involved employers and experts from across the UK, and the content of the specification presents schools with a choice of delivery models, so a creative approach to curriculum requirements can be taken.

The review of the Advanced SCC by Wavehill for Qualifications Wales found that many employers say that the skills that are developed through the Welsh Bacc are ones that young people need to succeed in the workplace.

Do universities value the Skills Challenge Certificate?

The skills, attributes and behaviours that are developed through the SCC are greatly valued by universities. The Advanced SCC can help students to gain entry to higher education.

We encourage sixth forms and colleges to ensure that their young people follow two or three A Levels (or equivalents) according to the requirements of higher education course they intend to pursue, in addition to the Advanced SCC, universities are generally supportive of this view.

Universities are autonomous bodies and as such are responsible for setting admission criteria for their courses. Universities across the UK, including Russell Group universities, are generally very positive with many prepared to accept the Advanced SCC for entry requirement purposes.

However, there are differences in how different universities identify the Advanced SCC as part of their offer-making process. Sometimes there are differences across different courses offered by the same university.

• Some universities treat the Advanced SCC as equivalent to an A level when making offers
• Others will make alternative offers for students who achieve the Advanced SCC

Some universities and faculties have strict policy of only making entry offers based on A level grades. But many of these will take the experiences gained by learners on the Advanced Skills Challenge Certificate into account when deciding whether or not to make an offer.

Those universities that don’t accept the  Advanced SCC as a specific entry requirement still value it for the broader skills and experiences that it gives the young person, and it can enhance applications e.g. personal statements and interviews.

The Advanced SCC is a relatively new qualification, and was introduced in 2015. It is not unknown for universities to take some time to fully recognise and accept new qualifications – we therefore continue to work with our partners promoting the qualification to universities across the UK.

The most recent information about universities that accept the Advanced SCC can be found on the WJEC website .

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How the Welsh Baccalaureate helped me at university

Posted in: Pre-university programmes , Welsh Baccalaureate

So, what exactly is the Welsh Baccalaureate?

Love it or hate it, the Welsh Baccalaureate Advanced Skills Challenge certainly has a huge impact on the studies of all Welsh students. This compulsory qualification was first introduced to the syllabus in Wales in 2015 with the aim of enabling students to develop a range of transferable skills outside the scope of their A level study, helping students with both their future education and employability.

The Welsh Bacc (as it was colloquially known by staff and students alike), is made up of four modules: the community challenge, enterprise and employability, global citizenship, and the individual project. Each of these modules enables pupils to utilise and develop the seven fundamental Welsh Baccalaureate employability skills: Communication, Numeracy, Digital Literacy, Planning and Organisation, Creativity and Innovation, Critical Thinking and Problem Solving, and Personal Effectiveness through the completion of different tasks. These tasks range from designing and marketing a new product as part of a team, to writing an in-depth academic essay on a topic of our choosing.

“Isn’t Welsh Bacc just a waste of an A level though?”

To be brutally honest, when I was in sixth form, I, like many other pupils my age, did not see the point in the Welsh Bacc. I thought if I were to do additional study, it should have been something that was relevant to my university course. However, little did I know that the transferable skills I had picked up over the two years of my Welsh Bacc course, would help me out immensely at university.

The Welsh Baccalaureate doesn’t just allow students to tailor their learning experience to them by granting flexibility in its research topics, it also allows us to develop technical academic skills such as referencing and credibility analysis which are integral to studying a subject at degree level.

My Bacc teacher always said, “You take out of this subject what you put into it”. Yes, I admit that it’s slightly annoying that we’re forced to do the Welsh Bacc, however, I do believe that on balance, if you practice good time management and balance your Welsh Bacc deadlines with your other subjects, the gains to your future studies and overall employability will be more than worth it.

How Welsh Bacc has helped me at university

Firstly, even just having the Bacc as an A level qualification at grade B or above, gave me a lower alternative offer from Bath university, taking my required grades down from AAA to AAB alongside a B in the Welsh Bacc.

After conversing with some of my non-Welsh peers on my course, I have learned that getting a head start on learning how to properly cite and reference academic texts is a massive benefit of the Welsh Bacc. In my course, Politics with Economics , every essay we write must be properly cited and referenced. Welsh Bacc made this transition to writing in full academic style that extra bit easier.

Furthermore, being taught how to accurately analyse sources for credibility allowed me to thrive on my course where the critical analysis of texts, journals and articles is fundamental. Informed practice in writing succinct and effective reports before starting university is another blessing the Welsh Bacc provides; everyone’s first piece of marked work at uni is daunting, however with prior experience, the weight is lifted ever so slightly.

Personally, I found the final Welsh Bacc module, the Independent Project, the most useful for my first year at uni. The Independent Project (sometimes referred to as the dissertation), is an in-depth qualitative and quantitative analysis into any topic you’re interested in, as long as it’s related to your current A levels or future career plans. Knowing I wanted to work in politics and international studies, I chose a question focusing on Welsh independence. My analysis of this topic became astoundingly relevant to my university studies when one of my exam questions in my British Politics module focussed on devolution and nationalism.

Bath University's Welsh Baccalaureate MOOC

The University has also teamed up with the University of Aberystwyth to give Welsh post-16 learners a vital helping hand for their Individual Project module. This support comes in the form of a MOOC (or Massive Open Online Course) which is also available in Welsh . The course offers a run-down of the module giving a basis of information and allowing learners to explore the study skills they will need to complete the task to the best of their abilities, all to be completed at one’s own pace and completely for free!

I truly hope that this blog has convinced you that however fashionable it is to hate on the Welsh Bacc, it truly is an important part of the curriculum that does give you a step up in both university education and the wider world of work.

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Bacc to the Future – what do people think of the Welsh Bacc?

On Wednesday 3 July 2019, Plenary will debate the Children, Young People and Education Committee’s report, Bacc to the Future, the Status of the Welsh Baccalaureate Qualification (April 2019) (PDF 718KB).

What is the Welsh Bacc?

The original Welsh Baccalaureate Qualification (Welsh Bacc) was first piloted in September 2003 and made available to all schools and colleges in Wales in September 2007. The Welsh Government’s Review of Qualifications for 14 to 19-year-olds in Wales (PDF 293KB) (November 2012) recognised a number of strengths in the Welsh Bacc, but recommended it should be revised and made more rigorous.The new Welsh Bacc was introduced in September 2015.

This new Welsh Bacc is considerably different from its predecessor. It is an overarching qualification that aims to help prepare students between the ages of 14 and 19 for employability, further study and life.

The Welsh Bacc is awarded at Foundation, National and Advanced levels.

The Skills Challenge Certificate

To be awarded the Welsh Bacc, a student must achieve the Skills Challenge Certificate (SCC), and qualifications in:

• English or Welsh Language, and
• Mathematics or Mathematics-Numeracy; and
• a choice of supporting qualifications such as GCSEs, A levels or vocational qualifications.

The SCC is central to the Welsh Bacc. It has four components: the Individual Project; the Enterprise and Employability Challenge; the Global Citizenship Challenge; and the Community Challenge.

At the Advanced level, the SCC is equivalent in size and demand to an A level. It is also graded in the same way, and carries the same UCAS tariff points.

In 2017, a review of the SCC was commissioned by Qualification Wales, the independent organisation responsible for regulating general and vocational qualifications. The report, Review of the design and assessment model of the Skills Challenge Certificate, and its place within the Welsh Baccalaureate , (PDF 1,103KB) was published on 23 April 2018.

As a result, Qualifications Wales have established Design and Practitioner Groups to help develop and consider proposals for change to the SCC. This work is ongoing .

The Committee’s inquiry

The Committee were aware of negative perceptions about the Welsh Bacc and wanted to learn how well the it is understood and valued by learners, parents, schools, colleges, universities and employers. They also wanted to understand whether the Welsh Bacc is having an effect on other subjects in the curriculum, and on education provision more generally.

The Committee heard a range of views from learners, including that the Welsh Bacc is time consuming and students don’t see the value of the qualification. Other learners thought that it was beneficial to their future learning or employment, although some only appreciated this in hindsight.

The Committee found that universities treat the Welsh Bacc differently when making admissions decisions. Some treat it as an equivalent to A level, while others recognise its usefulness for the personal statement that supports a student’s university application. Some universities reduce the grades required in other A level subjects if a student is also studying the Welsh Bacc.

The Committee also found that the Welsh Bacc is delivered inconsistently. Some schools have dedicated co-ordinators, but in others it is taught by teachers who have spare capacity in their time-tables.

The Committee heard that there is confusion as to whether the Welsh Bacc is compulsory for all learners, given the Welsh Government’s policy of universal adoption. This means that all schools and colleges must be in a position to offer the Welsh Bacc, and that it should be an entitlement for students.

Overall, the Committee reported that while there is clearly merit to studying the Welsh Bacc, the way it is currently delivered and publicised is having a detrimental effect on its actual, and perceived, value.

Responses to the Committee's report

The Committee made nine recommendations to the Welsh Government. The Welsh Government accepted eight of the recommendations and accepted one in principle (PDF 410KB).

The Committee recommended that Qualifications Wales should urgently consider whether their only higher education liaison officer is sufficient to establish a picture of the higher education landscape in relation to the Welsh Bacc, and raise awareness of it across the sector. In response, Qualifications Wales (PDF 141KB) said that the liaison officer is a relatively new post and that it is too soon to consider an additional appointment, but it will keep this under review.

The Committee wants to see a clearer statement from the Welsh Government about its vision for the Welsh Bacc, and on the expectations and resources needed to deliver it. The Committee also recommended a campaign to raise awareness of the benefits of the qualification among businesses and higher education institutions.

Article by Sian Hughes , Senedd Research, National Assembly for Wales

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The Welsh Government’s “national mission” for education: In Brief

Welsh Baccalaureate

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Harvard Referencing

This pack uses items from the Library's collection to learn how to cite information in their Individual Project and how to create a full reference for their Bibliography or Reading List. Examples include books, magazines, newspapers, audio visual material, images, web sources and other items in the Library's collections.

FutureLearn: How to succeed in your Welsh Bacc: the Individual Project Essentials

A short course designed to help students prepare for the Welsh Bacc Advanced Skills Challenge Certificate – Individual Project. Learn everything you need to know for your Welsh Bacc Individual Project.

Join the FutureLearn: How to succeed in your Welsh Bacc: the Individual Project Essentials course for free

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Information Literacy Resource Bank

Evaluating the evidence – a tutorial for welsh bacc students.

20 April 2016

Cardiff University Library Service has developed a new suite of tutorials called ‘ Evaluating the evidence ‘. Focused on finding good quality information from free sources and critical reading, the tutorials are designed to support students completing the Global Citizenship Challenge in the Advanced Welsh Baccalaureate. The tutorials have been launched on a pilot basis and we are currently gathering feedback . When the pilot phase is completed the tutorials will be finalised and made available in both English and Welsh.

‘Evaluating the Evidence’ is available under Creative Commons licence and we welcome you to adapt and re-use them as required.

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Personal effectiveness What are skills?

Personal effectiveness is about understanding yourself. A skills audit helps identify strengths and areas for improvement. Team working and presentation skills are particularly desirable by employers.

Part of National: Foundation KS4 Enterprise and employability challenge

What are skills?

Skills are the ability to do something well.

People can possess many different types of skills. For example, they could have an expertise in sport, coding, public speaking, music, speaking more than one language, art or dance.

Skills can be developed and improved. The Welsh Baccalaureate focuses on seven key skills, and the challenges have been designed to provide opportunities to practise these skills and improve them.

The seven skills are:

• digital literacy close digital literacy The ability to find, sort, evaluate, manage and create information safely and securely.
• planning and organising
• creativity and innovation
• personal effectiveness
• problem solving and critical thinking close critical thinking The ability to identify, construct and evaluate arguments and make logical connections between ideas.

What is personal effectiveness?

Personal effectiveness concerns how well you know yourself. By understanding your strengths and weaknesses, you can manage and improve your own behaviour and performance. This can be done both individually and in group situations.

More guides on this topic

• Creativity and innovation
• Digital literacy