Kirsty Williams, Cabinet Secretary for Education
This was published under the 2016 to 2021 administration of the Welsh Government
The independent regulator, Qualifications Wales, today presented us with the outcome of their review clear of the Skills Challenge Certificate (SCC) and its place within the Welsh Baccalaureate (external link).
I welcome this report which recognises the many strengths of the Skills Challenge Certificate and Welsh Baccalaureate. It is particularly pleasing to see the strength of support for the SCC amongst teachers, employers and students – this endorses our view that the qualification is delivering when it comes to teaching skills needed to succeed in the workplace.
The Welsh Government remains committed to the Welsh Baccalaureate. Our challenge now is to build on these strengths, reduce complexity and consolidate the status of these qualifications amongst learners, teachers, universities and employers. This means improving the way we communicate the many benefits of this qualification. I am also looking at what measures can be taken in terms of future funding for post-16 delivery of the Welsh Bacc.
I expect all young people who are able to take the SCC element of the Welsh Bacc to study this part of the qualification. From this year, the Welsh Bacc will be a published performance measure for Key Stage 4 and we are also developing measures for post-16.
Whilst the majority of the report’s recommendations are for Qualifications Wales, some fall under the responsibility for Welsh Government. I will therefore be responding to these recommendations in due course.