02 Mar 2021
Key Facts
Qualification purpose
Prepare for further learning or training and/or develop knowledge and/or skills in a subject area
Qualification Grading Type
Pass
Assessment Methods
Why choose this qualification?
The Essential Digital Skills Qualifications have been designed to meet the content, conditions and requirements set out by the Department for Education (DfE) and Ofqual, the Office of Qualifications and Examinations Regulation that regulates qualifications, examinations and assessments in England.
The content of the qualifications is based on the National standards for essential digital skills April 2019 (reference: DfE-00082-2019) and covers 5 skills areas:
- Using devices and handling information
- Creating and editing
- Communicating
- Transacting
- Being safe and responsible online.
The qualifications are appropriate for adults (19+) across a wide range of settings.
The qualifications have been developed in collaboration with FE colleges, private skills/training providers, adult community learning providers and digital skills experts.
Resits
Resits are charged at £18 per attempt.
Rules of Combination
In order to achieve this qualification, learners are required to successfully complete the online assessment.
Units
In order to achieve this qualification, learners are required to successfully complete the online assessment.
Gateway Qualifications Level 1 in Essential Digital Skills
What is the purpose of this qualification?
The qualifications have the following purposes:
• to enable learners to develop the digital skills they need for life, work, or further study as set out in the National standards for essential digital skills
• to provide reliable evidence of learners’ attainment in relation to the National standards for essential digital skills.
At entry 3 the focus will be on developing skills for life and introducing learners to skills for work. At level 1 the focus will be more on skills for work with a secondary focus on skills for life.
What skills, knowledge, or understanding does this qualification develop?
The content of the qualifications is based on the National standards for essential digital skills April 2019 (reference: DfE-00082-2019) and covers 5 skills areas :
1. Using devices and handling information
2. Creating and editing
3. Communicating
4. Transacting
5. Being safe and responsible online
The qualifications are appropriate for adults across a wide range of settings.
The qualifications have been developed in collaboration with FE colleges, private skills/training providers, adult community learning providers and subject matter experts.
Progression & Entry Requirements
No previous formal qualifications are required for entry to these qualifications. Learners should normally have English skills at the level below their chosen qualification. The DfE national standards in essential digital skills acknowledges that some adults may need support to handle and use digital devices for the first time and learn the following foundation skills before enrolling on an entry level course. • Turning on a device (including entering and updating any account information safely, such as a password) • Using the available controls on a device (such as a mouse and keyboard for a computer, or touchscreen on a smartphone or tablet) • use of accessibility tools (including assistive technology) to make devices easier to use (such as changing display settings to make content easier to read) • Interacting with the home screen on a device • Connecting to the internet (including Wi-Fi) safely and securely, and opening a browser • Opening and accessing an application on a device. Centres should carry out a initial assessment of each learner prior to the start of the qualification to identify their current digital skills capabilities and areas for development.Funding information
Learning Aims Search
The Hub provides a Learning Aims Search which you can use to check the funding status of any qualification or unit.
View this qualification on the ESFA’s Hub website
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.
Resources to support your delivery of EDSQ
Guidance on using our external assessment platform, Surpass
Frequently Asked Questions about EDSQ
External Resources
Online Shopping Simulator – This flash-based simulator allows learners to work through a shopping activity safely but still maintaining a realistic shopping experience.
Online Shopping Activity – This instructional YouTube video walks you through how to set up a shopping activity for your learners using Google Forms.
Good Things Foundation – The following resources have been developed by Good Things Foundation, a social change charity aiming to help people improve their lives through digital.
- Learn My Way (Entry Level) – Learn My Way is a website of free online courses, built by Good Things Foundation, to help people develop their digital skills.
- The Planner Tool – Designed by Good Things Foundation to be used at the start of self-guided learning, the Planner Tool helps a learner identify their own strengths, areas of interest and areas for development of digital skills.
- Make It Click (Level 1) – Make It Click features free courses, tools and templates that you can trust. You can learn new apps, improve the skills you already have and take a positive step forward in your work.
- Remote Support Delivery Support – Resources to help Centres offer, or continue to offer, remote learning.
Education & Training Foundation – In 2019, DfE commissioned the Education and Training Foundation (ETF) to deliver the start of blended CPD programme to prepare teachers, trainers and leaders to deliver the new qualifications based on the national standards for Essential Digital Skills.
Further guidance available for centres approved to deliver our EDSQs
The following resources are available for approved Centres through Prism:
- Centre Guide – This guide is for all involved in the delivery and assessment of Entry Level 3 and Level 1 Essential Digital Skills Qualifications (EDSQ). It provides information and guidance on meeting the assessment and quality assurance requirements for this suite of qualifications.
- Glossary of Terms – This glossary has been developed to give the learner the key vocabulary that you need when developing their digital skills.
- Surpass Candidate Guide – This guide gives learners an overview of how to access and navigate the assessment.
- Surpass Guide for Centres – This guide gives you the centre an overview of how to book assessments, mark and carry out internal quality assurance.
- Standardisation Materials – This zip file contains everything you need to be able to carry out standardisation activities within your centre; including sample answers, sample marking, and mark schemes.
- Mock Assessments (paper versions) – These are paper versions of the mock assessments which will allow you to use the various tasks or knowledge questions as teaching materials, either remotely or face to face.
- Mock Assessment Mark Schemes – These accompany the mock assessments and will allow you to mark work.
The following resources are available for registered EDSQ learners approved Centres through Surpass:
- Mock Assessments (online versions) – These mock assessments allow the learners to familiarise themselves with the assessment platform, they also allow centres to familiarise themselves with the marking procedures.
- Mock Assessment Mark Schemes – These accompany the mock assessments and will allow you to mark work.
Webinar with The Education and Training Foundation and Good Things Foundation
Watch now – Essential Digital Skills Support and Resources webinar