Welsh Baccalaureate Qualification

About the WBQ

Exam Board: WJECwbqtitle
WBQ Coordinator: Miss. I. Davies

WBQ Presentation Downloads:
Welsh Baccalaureate Presentation PDF Version
Welsh Baccalaureate PowerPoint

Aims of the course
The Welsh Baccalaureate aims to enable learners to develop and demonstrate an understanding of the essential employability skills. These are the skills that employers and further education establishments value and which learners need for learning, work and life.

The seven essential and employability skills are:

  • Literacy
  • Numeracy
  • Digital Literacy
  • Critical Thinking and Problem Solving
  • Planning and Organisation
  • Creativity and Innovation
  • Personal Effectiveness

Learners will develop skills in the context of purposeful tasks and appropriate knowledge and understanding. The Welsh Baccalaureate will encourage the learner to value skills development as a key aspect of education and life-long learning.

How your child will be assessed?

The Welsh Baccalaureate is delivered over two years, starting in Year 10. There is no ‘examination’ within the course; however, the pupils need to complete the 4 assessed elements that make up the Skills Challenge Certificate. The skills and controlled assessment tasks will be carried out though 3 contact hours per fortnight.

The Welsh Baccalaureate is based on a Skills Challenge Certificate alongside Supporting Qualifications. The requirements of both the Skills Challenge Certificate and Supporting Qualifications must be met in order to achieve the overarching Welsh Baccalaureate.

The Skills Challenge Certificate consists of four components which will be followed by all learners:

Weighting
1 Individual Project 50%
2 Enterprise and Employability Challenge 20%
3 Global Citizenship Challenge 15%
4 Community Challenge 15%

There is no Welsh Baccalaureate ‘examination’, although pupils will be required to complete the assessments for the Skills Challenge Certificate over the 2 years.

Certificate is awarded at National or Foundation level. Each unit of work is teacher assessed and graded as follows

  • Level 1 Pass;
  • Level 2 Pass;
  • Level 2 Merit;
  • Level 2 Distinction.

The National Skills Challenge Certificate is graded A* – C. For a National award, the learner must achieve all of the components, the Individual Project and the three Challenges at level 2.

The Foundation Skills Challenge Certificate is graded Foundation Pass or Foundation Pass*. For a Foundation award, the learner must achieve all of the components, the Individual Project and the three Challenges at level 1.

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The Supporting Qualifications include two mandatory GCSEs of English Language together with Mathematics-Numeracy. A further three GCSEs are also required, of which two may be of equivalent qualifications. To meet the National Welsh Baccalaureate requirements all five of the Supporting Qualifications must be achieved at grades A*-C. Similarly, for the Foundation Welsh Baccalaureate the Supporting Qualifications must be achieved at grades A*-G.

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Future Opportunities
Due to the nature of the course and the assessment procedures, many pupils are able to reach their potential in the Welsh Baccalaureate. Throughout the Welsh Baccalaureate learners will raise their skill levels and confidence enabling them to take their place as responsible and active citizens within a diverse society. They will have the opportunity to develop their knowledge and understanding of society, the community in which they live and an awareness of global issues, events and perspectives.

What you can do to help your child…
It is vital that your child keeps their Welsh Baccalaureate classwork and controlled assessment tasks up to date. Therefore good attendance is a key to success. To achieve the National Welsh Baccalaureate pupils must achieve a minimum of 5 GCSE’s including English and Numeracy at a grade C or above. Monitoring of your child’s progress in all subjects areas will be essential.

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