Community Languages Qualifications

This table lists the available language qualifications for the community languages or home languages most commonly offered in Wales that can be used pre and post 16 in schools and colleges.

Which qualification will best suit your learners?

Learners’ experience of a home or community language will vary considerably: some may speak the language at home; some may speak English or Welsh at home but have sufficient knowledge to obtain a qualification; some may have very good speaking and listening skills but poor literacy skills; some may be taught either in or outside your institution; some may be recent arrivals and have not yet developed skills in English or Welsh.  In choosing the best qualification you need to consider:

• Which level to enter (if you are not sure initially an untiered GCSE, if it is available will allow grades from G to A*)
• Which skills (if the learner does not have well-developed literacy in the language, a focus on speaking and listening may be more appropriate)
• When to enter for the qualification (for some learners, entering early may be more suitable depending on level of language and maturity)
• Progression opportunities
• Resources available to support the learner and parents as appropriate
• Liaising with supplementary schools as appropriate
• Planning for the conduct of any speaking assessment

Controlled Assessment at GCSE

The table specifies the nature of assessment for each qualification. Unless stated, GCSE speaking and writing examinations are still external, with only Mandarin Chinese and Urdu requiring students to take part in controlled assessment tasks.