What is Wider Achievement?
SQA Awards are designed to recognise wider achievement and the development of skills which help learners to succeed in today’s world. Wider Achievement recognises the life and work skills that come from a range of activities which can include sport, mentoring, voluntary work or fundraising.
There are SQA Awards and other qualifications from SCQF levels 1 to 6 which are suitable for a range of learners. Some Awards can be delivered alongside Youth Awards to give a nationally recognised SQA qualification, while others can be offered as part of Skills Development Scotland (SDS) employability fund contracts (subject to meeting SDS criteria). Check with your local SDS contact for more information.
Benefits to learners
When designing these Awards practitioners reported that skills which young people need go beyond subject knowledge and academic skills, and include a range of other abilities that help in the world of work and in everyday life.
These qualifications provide opportunities for learners to:
- develop self-confidence and self-belief in what they can achieve
- improve the 'soft skills' involved in communication and team working
- gain transferable employability skills
More on SCQF levels
The table below shows how an Award is differentiated across SCQF levels 2 - 6:
| SCQF level descriptor | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 | 6 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| The learner will work with... | frequent and direct support: the teacher/lecturer will issue explicit instructions/provide assistance | directive support: the teacher/lecturer will issue explicit instructions | support: the teacher/lecturer will offer advice | minimum support: the teacher/lecturer will respond to specific questions from the learner | non-directive supervision: learners will take responsibility for their own learning but the teacher/lecturer may explain and interpret it. |
| The learner will... | respond and participate: agree to ideas, suggestions and plans | participate: agree to ideas, suggestion and plans | contibute: offer some ideas and/or suggestions | negotiate: put forward suggesions and ideas and agree a way forward | take some supervisory responsibility: take the lead in some aspects of the work. |
| Tasks and activities will be... | very simple: routine and familar and supported/supervised | basic: routine and familiar | straightforward: consisting of routine elements | detailed: consisting of some routine and non-routine elements | complex: consisting of some non-routine elements |
Further information
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