Credit and Qualification Framework for Wales

Why is credit important?

• It could help you and other people such as potential employers, colleges and universities to understand the type of learning you have completed and what it is worth.
• Gaining credit for your learning can raise your confidence and motivate you to continue your achievements.
• Your learning is divided up into small units and therefore you can build up credits when doing a specific course, programme of study, practical learning or training.
• If you find that the course that you have started on and gained credits is not for you then you may be able to transfer those credits to another course.
• A credit based system can help you to follow a particular training or study path.
• Credits can be taken from one place to another such as changing schools, colleges or workplace.

What is CQFW?

CQFW is the Credit and Qualifications Framework for Wales and includes all learning. The levels capture all learning from the very initial stages (Entry) to the most advanced (Level8).
Most of the learning within this framework is based on credit – a currency for learning which is used to compare learning and qualifications. The learning is built into block or units.

Each unit is made up of

• learning outcomes tell you what you need to know, understand or do;
• the assessment criteria tell you how you will show what you have learned, understood or done;
• the level tells you what stage of learning you are at on a scale from level E (Entry level) to level 8 (doctorate level)
• the credit value tells you the size of your learning, a credit is 10 hours of learning. Not all of this time will be taught time, you may be asked to do some work or exercises at home or “on the job” etc.

All sorts of learning programmes are included in CQFW such as taught courses, distance learning, e-learning, work related learning, community-based learning and other education and training activities.

CQFW is used by schools, colleges, universities, work-based trainers, community-based providers, industry, voluntary and other organisations offering learning or training.

CQFW is based on the three areas, groupings or pillars of qualifications and learning opportunities. For more information go here

Quality Assured Lifelong Learning (QALL)

This grouping or pillar of CQFW includes the diverse range of ‘other’ learning outside QCF, in the form of units. It can include learning that improves knowledge, know-how, skills for personal or professional reasons

What type of learning is within QALL?

The type of learning within the QALL pillar is diverse and includes:

• Adult and Community Learning including learning to assist adults to return to learning.
• introductory or additional learning undertaken by all types of learners that might help learners to move into QCF units and / or qualifications.
• learning which is additional to QCF units and / or qualifications;
• training you might do as part of a job which is not formally recognised currently.
• informal learning or training provided in a variety of situations;
• informal, specialist, interest or hobby based learning provided by a variety of organisations, such as  libraries, museums, unions and voluntary organisations

Agored Cymru has a wide range of units that will be within QALL, examples lie under the broad curriculum headings of:

• Adult Community Learning
• Youth Work
• 14-19 (see – create link)
• Basic Skills & ESOL
• Health
• Credit for Patients
• Welsh Language, Welsh for Adults & Welsh Culture
• Employability
• Offender Learning
• Land-based
• Independent Living Skills (ILS)
• Continuing Professional Development (CPD)

For more information on the QCF go here.

CQFW

• The Higher Education pillar was the earliest part of CQFW to be developed and is the part delivered through universities.
• The General, Vocational Education and Training (GVET) pillar includes the Qualifications and Credit Framework, (QCF) and the National Qualifications Framework (NQF). The QCF consists of the new credit based vocational qualifications from all Awarding Organisations, including Agored Cymru. The NQF includes all of the non-credit based GCSE & A-Levels
• The Quality Assured Lifelong Learning (QALL) pillar includes learning opportunities that do not sit with the other two areas of learning including Agored Cymru units.