Personal Project
The WJEC Entry Level Personal Project is a stand-alone 60 hour qualification, graded Entry 1, Entry 2 or Entry 3, in which learners choose a topic that interests them and carry out a simple project. They submit a project plan and a final project, assessed against the four Integral Skills. Literacy runs through the criteria as speaking and listening more than writing: saying what they want to achieve, finding information and saying where it came from, sharing ideas, presenting and reflecting. Entry 3 written work should not normally exceed 1000 words. Numeracy is light and sits in keeping to time and to the order of steps.
- Awarding body
- WJEC
- Level
- Entry Level
- Guided learning hours
- 60
- First taught
- September 2027
- Amount of literacy work
- Medium
- Amount of numeracy work
- Low
- Specification
- Open the specification
How this qualification is assessed
- Planning and organising (learning outcomes 1 to 3): Assessment grid with seven criteria (plan a simple project, say what they want to achieve, use resources and time), each awarded 1, 2 or 3 points for Entry 1, Entry 2 or Entry 3, 21 points, 30% weighting. Internally assessed by the centre and externally moderated by WJEC.
- Critical thinking and problem solving (learning outcomes 4 and 5): Assessment grid with six criteria (find and use simple information, notice and talk about problems), each awarded 1, 2 or 3 points, 18 points, 20% weighting. Internally assessed by the centre and externally moderated by WJEC.
- Creativity and innovation (learning outcome 6): Assessment grid with three criteria (try out ideas, select colours, materials or designs, present their work), each awarded 2, 4 or 6 points, 18 points, 20% weighting. Internally assessed by the centre and externally moderated by WJEC.
- Personal effectiveness (learning outcomes 7 and 8): Assessment grid with seven criteria (share and talk about ideas, think about what they have learned), each awarded 1, 2 or 3 points, 21 points, 30% weighting. Internally assessed by the centre and externally moderated by WJEC. All four grids are applied to one two-part final entry: the project plan and the final project.
Skills that use Collaborative talk
-
Sharing ideas, listening and responding
Learners share ideas with others, listen to or consider other people's ideas and suggestions, respond appropriately, and take turns or work cooperatively. Entry 1 learners may share ideas using words, pictures or actions. These are assessment criteria for every project.
Literacy: Collaborative talk, Listening as part of collaborative talk, Questioning
Getting pupils ready
- Year 7
- Pupils take turns in a small group to share one idea for a class display and repeat back one idea they heard.
- Year 8
- Pupils discuss two project ideas in pairs, ask each other one question and agree which idea is stronger.
- Year 9
- Pupils pitch their project idea to a small group, listen to two suggestions and say which one they will use and why.
Show the specification wording and the LNF statements
Where it is in the specification: Personal effectiveness, learning outcome 7, assessment criteria 7.1 to 7.4, page 14; section 2.4, page 9
“Respond appropriately to other people's suggestions”
Progression step 3
I can contribute to group discussion in different roles, taking responsibility for completing the task well.
I can listen to and respond to others with questions and comments which focus on reasons, implications and next steps.
I can ask and answer questions, building on and developing the ideas of others in group discussions.
Progression step 4
I can undertake a range of responsibilities to structure and develop group talk, including in more formal situations.
I can listen to and respond to others with questions, comments and suggestions in order to develop collaborative talk and reach compromise/consensus.
I can respond to others' points of view with confidence and sensitivity, summarising and evaluating what I have heard, read or seen.
Good to know
- The qualification has its own codes: "WJEC Qualification Code 9000Q0", with 9000C0 for Welsh medium entries (pages 2 and 21), and is worth 60 guided learning hours.
- Writing is limited: at Entry 1 and Entry 2 "Candidates are not required to produce extended written work", and at Entry 3 written evidence "should not normally exceed 1000 words" (section 4.2, page 16).
- Word counts are flexible: "Word counts are intended as guidance only and must not restrict a candidate's ability to meet the assessment criteria" (section 4.2, page 16).
- Sources must be acknowledged in writing or aloud: "For spoken evidence, this can be by the candidate verbally identifying the source during their presentation or discussion" (section 4.2, page 17).
- There are two required pieces: "Learners should submit their project plan and their final project" (section 2.5, page 9).
- AI tools may be used "When properly referenced", but misuse includes "copying or paraphrasing whole responses of AI-generated content" (section 4.4, page 19).
- There are no set tasks in the specification; suggested activities are in a separate document, the "Personal Project Guidance for Teaching and Assessment" (section 2, page 7).
Links with other qualifications
The Entry Level Personal Project leads on to the WJEC Personal Project Level 1 and Level 2, which assesses the same four Integral Skills with more independence. Because the topic is the learner's own choice, a project can grow out of any GCSE, VCSE or Foundation subject the learner enjoys, but no subject content is assessed. The planning, teamwork and reflection criteria overlap with Skills Suite units such as Teamwork and Personal development planning, which can be taken alongside it at Entry Level.
Source: WJEC Entry Level Personal Project specification, approved by Qualifications Wales, teaching from September 2027, for award from 2029 (© WJEC CBAC Ltd 2026).