29 Nov 2021
Key Facts
Qualification purpose
Recognise personal growth and engagement in learning
Qualification Grading Type
Pass
Assessment Methods
Why choose this qualification?
The qualifications, available at Entry 1, Entry 2 and Entry 3, are focused on those skills which will support a learner’s personal growth and increase their independence in adult life, including areas such as independent travel, self-advocacy, personal safety and developing relationships. They provide a progression route from Entry 1 Personal Progress qualifications.
These Personal and Social Skills qualifications have been developed as part of a coherent suite designed to recognise the achievements of learners working at Entry level, as they prepare for employment, independent living, further learning or adult life in general. The suite also includes qualifications with the following titles:
- Skills for Active Learners
- Making Support Work
- Personal and Social Skills
- Preparation for Employment
- Enterprise
- Skills for Independent Living.
All the qualifications in the Entry level suite are designed to enable maximum flexibility, combining units at different levels and offering a wide range of choice, so that the curriculum can be led by the learners’ needs, accommodating the spiky profiles typical of learners at this level. Learning outcomes and assessment criteria are written in such a way that centres have the freedom to determine their own approach to teaching and learning, as well as the most appropriate form of assessment and type of evidence. In this way, the qualifications can be used to underpin person-centred programmes.
Personal and Social Skills – 2019
This qualification was developed in 2019 to update our Entry level suite of qualifications. It will replace the older LEGACY: Gateway Qualifications Entry Level Diploma In Personal and Social Skills (Entry 2) qualification. The two versions of the qualification will run in parallel until 31st July 2020.
If you are running Personal and Social Skills please double check that you are registering and claiming on the correct version. If you have any queries about which version you are approved for, please contact us.
For information about the older version of the qualification, please visit LEGACY: Gateway Qualifications Entry Level Diploma In Personal and Social Skills (Entry 2).
Rules of Combination
Learners must complete 37 credits, of which a minimum of 19 must be at Entry 2, remaining credits can be achieved at, above, or below the level of the qualification. Learners cannot include more than one unit with the same or similar title (e.g. a learner may not include Dealing with problems at Entry 1 and Entry 2).
Units
Learners must complete 37 credits, of which a minimum of 19 must be at Entry 2, remaining credits can be achieved at, above, or below the level of the qualification. Learners cannot include more than one unit with the same or similar title (e.g. a learner may not include Dealing with problems at Entry 1 and Entry 2).
Learners may chose 1 unit from this group.
Being a householder
Being a householder
Looking after your own home
Learners may chose 1 unit from this group.
Being part of a group
Being part of a group
Being part of a group
Learners may chose 1 unit from this group.
Completing a task
Completing a task
Contributing to tasks
Learners may chose 1 unit from this group.
Contributing to the community
Contributing to the community
Contributing to the community
Learners may chose 1 unit from this group.
Dealing with problems
Dealing with problems
Dealing with problems
Learners may choose 1 unit from this group.
Digital Skills for Everyday Life
Digital Skills for Everyday Life
Digital Skills for Everyday Life
Learners may chose 1 unit from this group.
Direct Own Support
Direct Own Support
Making Support Work for You
Learners may chose 1 unit from this group.
Handling money
Handling money
Using money
Learners may chose 1 unit from this group.
Healthy eating
Healthy eating
Healthy eating
Learners may chose 1 unit from this group.
Independent travel
Independent travel
Independent travel
Learners may chose 1 unit from this group.
Keeping safe online
Keeping safe online
Keeping safe online
Learners may chose 1 unit from this group.
Looking after own mental wellbeing
Looking after own mental wellbeing
Looking after own mental wellbeing
Learners may chose 1 unit from this group.
Making choices
Making choices
Making choices
Learners may chose 1 unit from this group.
Managing money
Managing money
Learners may chose 1 unit from this group.
Negotiation Skills
Negotiation skills
Learners may chose 1 unit from this group.
Personal safety
Personal safety
Personal safety
Learners may chose 1 unit from this group.
Rights and Responsibilities
Rights and Responsibilities
Rights and responsibilities
Learners may chose 1 unit from this group.
Self-awareness
Self-awareness
Self-awareness
Learners may chose 1 unit from this group.
Self-advocacy
Speaking up for yourself
Speaking up for yourself
Learners may chose 1 unit from this group.
Taking exercise
Taking exercise
Taking exercise
Learners may chose 1 unit from this group.
Understanding relationships
Understanding relationships
Understanding relationships
Learners may chose 1 unit from this group.
Using social and leisure facilities
Using social and leisure facilities
Using social and leisure facilities
Internal quality assessor requirements
DCS status for centres previously approved to offer the legacy version of this qualification can retain DCS status for this qualification subject to ongoing maintaining standards through external quality assurance monitoring.
What is the purpose of this qualification?
This qualification is primarily aimed at learners with learning difficulties and/or disabilities or with Special Educational Needs or Disability (SEND) who need a structured programme of learning to support their personal and social development.
What skills, knowledge, or understanding does this qualification develop?
This qualification includes a broad range of skills which will support a learner’s personal growth and increase their independence in adult life, including areas such as independent travel, self-advocacy, personal safety and developing relationships. There are no mandatory units, enabling learners and providers to work together to select units appropriate to the individual’s needs, interests and aspirations for the future, in line with the aims of the SEND reforms.
How is this qualification different from other, similar qualifications?
There is a Gateway Qualifications Award, Certificate, Extended Certificate and Diploma in Personal and Social Skills.
The Award is designed to meet the needs of learners, including those on 16-19/25 study programmes, who wish to combine a small amount of accredited learning with a broader unaccredited programme tailored to their personal goals. It is also suitable for learners, such as those on the autistic spectrum, who may be operating at a much higher level in other areas (e.g. academic subjects) but who need to target specific areas of personal development.
It is particularly suitable for learners with more complex needs, where it is beneficial for their programme to be specifically focused on a carefully selected core skill set, relevant to their specific needs.
Which sector does this qualification support?
This qualification is not intended to lead directly to employment, although for the small numbers who may progress into a (supported) entry-level job role, the skills covered will be of use in any employment context.
Progression & entry requirements
Learners do not need any prior qualifications or specific level of attainment to take this qualification and it is available to learners of any age.Funding information
There are now two main sources for funding information, a straightforward ESFA Qualification Search and the more detailed Find a Learning Aim website.
The new Find a learning aim (FALA) service provides a search tool that you can use to check the funding status of any qualification, framework, unit, standard or T Level:
View this qualification on the ESFA’s Find a learning aim website
The Education and Skills Funding Agency search provides funding information on qualifications. It does not provide funding information for units, non-regulated activity and work placements, for this information please use Find a learning aim (FALA).
View this qualification on the ESFA Qualification Funding Search
How to find a learning aim
If you’re not sure how to use the new find a learning aim website, we’ve created a handy walkthrough to help you:
How to Use: Find a learning Aim
We have done our best to collate and summarise the key information, and wherever possible we alert our providers to changes in funding policy.
This funding information is provided in good faith and it is always advisable to check directly with the funding agencies before committing to delivery.
The following support materials will help you to deliver this qualification.