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Key skills

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IF YOU WANT to acquire or develop the skills to help you get on at school, college, work or home (or show what you already know) a Key Skills qualification could be for you.

What are they?

Key Skills refer to the skills that are commonly needed in a range of activities in education and training, work and life in general. They are transferable skills: once you've got them, you can use them in different situations.

Key Skills qualifications can give you more confidence in your own abilities,  boost your CV and show employers what you can do, help you move on to other qualifications such as an HND or degree and show what you have achieved in your learning programme.

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What form do they take?

You can take Key Skills qualifications in any approved centre, from schools and colleges to training providers. They are also offered by some employers, the armed forces and the Prison Service.

You can study Key Skills as part of a full-time or part-time course at school or college (such as an NVQ), or as part of some higher education courses. Key Skills are also one of the components that make up an apprenticeship.

Each Key Skill is assessed separately. Your assessment is based on a portfolio you produce, which is assessed internally by your school, college or trainer. This will be a folder of evidence that shows you have the necessary skills to pass.

For the three main Key Skills, you also take a test, which is marked externally by an awarding body.

At levels 1 and 2, the test consists of 40 multiple choice questions, each with four possible answers. The test lasts for an hour, or one hour 15 minutes for application of number. At level 3, the test lasts for ninety minutes; you have to write your answers to the questions, or complete a practical task for the ICT test. The test at level 4 lasts for two and a half hours.

If you don't pass the test, generally you can retake it as many times as you want. However, it's a good idea to check this with your particular learning provider.

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Who takes them?

Key Skills qualifications can be taken by anyone, at any stage. There are no minimum entry requirements, and you can study them alongside other types of qualifications, such as GCSEs.
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What subjects are available?

There are six different Key Skills subjects:

Main Key Skills

Communication
Application of Number
ICT (information and communication technology)

Wider Key Skills

Working with Others
Improving Own Learning and Performance
Problem Solving

Key Skills are at levels 1-4 of the National Qualifications Framework (NQF). You can take different subjects at different levels to suit you.
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Where can they lead?

Getting a Key Skills qualification at one level can lead to further Key Skills qualifications at higher levels. They can also help you move on to other qualifications, such as an HND or degree.

The main Key Skills (Communication, Application of Number and ICT) attract points on the UCAS tariff for entry into higher education. From 2007 entry onwards, the three wider Key Skills will earn UCAS points as well.

The points you get for each Key Skill depend on the level of qualification you pass:

Key Skills level
UCAS points
2
10
3
20
4
30
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Useful websites

keyskills4u.com
www.keyskills4u.com/index.asp

Directgov - Key Skills
www.direct.gov.uk/...


We welcome your comments and feedback on this article.

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