Consultation outcome: Regulating Basic Digital Skills Qualifications

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Essential Digital Skills Conditions and Requirements

Ref: Ofqual/19/6500/3PDF, 347KB, 26 pages

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Essential Digital Skills Guidance

Ref: Ofqual/19/6500/3PDF, 266KB, 10 pages

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Detail of outcome

We have decided to make changes to the following proposals and associated draft Conditions, requirements and Guidance.

• Qualification purpose – We have changed the qualification purpose statements to align with the new purpose set out by DfE
• Compliance with national standards – We have revised our requirements for compliance with national standards to align with the DfE’s curriculum expectations
• Titling – We have revised our titling requirements to align with the changes made by DfE to the titling of the national standards. The qualifications will now be titled Essential Digital Skills Qualifications (EDSQs)
• Disapplication of General Conditions E1.3 to 1.5 – We will no longer dis-apply this General Condition, which requires awarding organisations to demonstrate support for qualification development. We think that this is necessary in light of the greater flexibility now permitted in compliance with the national standards
• Total Qualification Time and Guided Learning Hours – We have adjusted our bespoke Total Qualification Time (TQT) Condition to align with the DfE’s revised figure for Guided Learning Hours (GLH)
• Marking – We no longer require awarding organisations to mark Level 1 assessments

Feedback received

Analysis – Regulating Essential Digital Skills Qualifications

Published: 23 April 2019PDF, 624KB, 35 pages

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Detail of feedback received

We received 19 responses to our consultation, 9 from awarding organisations, 2 local authorities, 2 school or colleges, 5 were from other representative or interest group and 1 learning manager, responding in a personal capacity.

Consultation description

New Basic Digital Skills Qualifications form part of the government’s plans to improve adult basic digital skills.

The purpose of these qualifications, set out by government, is to provide learners with the core digital skills and knowledge that will enable them to operate confidently, effectively and independently in life, and support progression into employment and further study. In our regulation of these qualifications, we seek to secure flexible qualifications that are relevant to users, while providing the assurance that learners have demonstrated the knowledge and skills needed to benefit from the opportunities the digital world offers.

Our consultation sets out a proposed approach to regulating Basic Digital Skills Qualifications. We ask for views on their defining characteristics, including their design, delivery and awarding, and on the detailed work that will be required in order to maintain standards on an ongoing basis.

Documents

Consultation on Regulating Basic Digital Skills Qualifications

Ref: 18/6438/1PDF, 330KB, 40 pages

DRAFT Basic Digital Skills Conditions, Requirements and Guidance

Ref: 18/6438/3PDF, 655KB, 21 pages

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Published 5 November 2018
Last updated 23 April 2019 + show all updates

1. 23 April 2019 Consultation outcome documents published.
2. 5 November 2018 First published.