What are Key Skills?

We offer Key Skills at different levels. They test what you can do in important areas like communication and computing. When you pass the tests, you will have better skills for a job, training or just life in general.

There are three Key Skills at every level:

• Communication
• Application of Number
• Information Technology (IT)

We also have what we call ‘wider Key Skills’. These are:

• Improving Own Learning and Performance
• Working with Others
• Problem Solving

You can take these separately if you want, but you don’t have to if you don’t want to.

When you learn about Key Skills, you work with groups and on your own. You do some work in the classroom and some out of the classroom. You learn how to be organised and how to work with a range of different people.

During the course you create a folder of study which we call a portfolio. At the end of the course you hand in your portfolio and take tests. Edexcel writes the tests which are sent to your place of study. If you don’t pass after the first time, you can retake as often as you like.