Skills for Life: Democracy In Action
Democracy in action is a Skills for Life unit in which learners find out what democracy is, why it matters and how it works in Wales, and show practical ways to make informed decisions about their own political rights and responsibilities. It is one 10 hour unit that learners combine with others into a Pearson Skills for Life Award, Certificate or Diploma, achieved at one level from Entry 1 to Level 2. Literacy sits in stating, describing and explaining democracy with examples, reading information from a range of sources, and giving reasons for decisions at Level 2. Discussion and debate appear in the unit's aim but not the criteria. The specification gives no numeracy link.
- Awarding body
- Pearson
- Level
- Entry Level 1 to Level 2
- Guided learning hours
- 10
- First taught
- September 2027
- Amount of literacy work
- Medium
- Amount of numeracy work
- Low
- Specification
- Open the specification
How this unit is assessed
- Entry Level (Entry 1, Entry 2, Entry 3): One assessment criterion at each of Entry 1, Entry 2 and Entry 3: state, outline or identify what democracy is (and at Entry 3 why it matters and how it works in Wales), and demonstrate at least two, three or four ways to make decisions about own political rights and responsibilities. Evidence is centre-devised and internally assessed by the centre, with Pearson standards verification. Graded Pass or Fail. 10 guided learning hours.
- Level 1 and Level 2: One assessment criterion at each of Level 1 and Level 2: describe (Level 1) or explain (Level 2) what democracy is, why it is important and how it works in Wales, and demonstrate at least five (Level 1) or six, with reasons (Level 2), ways to make informed decisions about own political rights and responsibilities. Evidence is centre-devised and internally assessed by the centre, with Pearson standards verification. Graded Pass or Fail. 10 guided learning hours.
Skills that use Purpose
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Giving reasons for informed decisions about rights
Learners demonstrate ways to make decisions about their own political rights and responsibilities, from two simple ways at Entry 1 to at least six at Level 2, where each must come with a reason. Examples include knowing their rights, registering to vote and fact-checking information. This is required by the assessment criteria.
Literacy: Purpose, Planning and organising for different purposes, audiences and context, Questioning
Getting pupils ready
- Year 7
- Pupils choose one way to have their say in school, such as voting for the school council, and write two sentences on why it matters.
- Year 8
- Pupils make a table of three ways a 16 year old in Wales can take part in democracy, with a reason for each one.
- Year 9
- Pupils write a short guide for new voters giving five informed choices, such as registering and checking facts, each backed with a clear reason.
Show the specification wording and the LNF statements
Where it is in the specification: Unit SfL 5, Assessment criteria, page 30; Essential information for assessment decisions, Entry 1 to Level 1, page 31, Level 2, page 32
“demonstrate at least six ways to make informed decisions about their own political rights and responsibilities, providing reasons for each”
Progression step 3
I can share, talk and write about my thoughts, feelings and opinions using a range of techniques to show impact.
I can adapt my writing style and structure to suit the audience, purpose and context, e.g. suitable balance between facts and viewpoints, a precise conclusion.
Progression step 4
I can sustain a convincing point of view, anticipating and responding to other perspectives.
I can use summary, discussion of issues, detailed explanations and logic when covering a topic.
Good to know
- The unit is "Unit SfL 5: Democracy in action" and carries 10 guided learning hours (Unit summary, page 5), half the 20 hours of the WJEC unit of the same name.
- Evidence is the centre's choice: "there are no mandatory evidence requirements and centres can select the type of evidence" (Essential information for assessment decisions, page 31), and forms of evidence include "observation records, witness testimony, and products of learners' work" (Assessment requirements, page 9).
- Spoken answers need a record, because "achievement cannot be inferred from performance" (Assessment requirements, page 9).
- The command words rise by level, from "State what democracy is" at Entry 1 to explaining it with "detailed examples to support their explanations" at Level 2 (Assessment criteria, page 30; Essential information, page 32).
- The specification maps no numeracy to this unit: the numeracy column in Annexe C reads "No direct link" (Annexe C, page 161).
- AI may be used only if "the final submission must be in the learner's own words" and the use is acknowledged (Requirements relating to permitted/prohibited resources, page 33).
Links with other qualifications
Explaining democracy and rights and judging sources link with GCSE Social Studies and GCSE History, and the reading and explaining work supports GCSE English Language and Literature. Within the WJEC Skills Suite, Everyday Law, Community Participation and Ethical Choices use similar explanation and reasoning. The WJEC Democracy in action unit is 20 hours and requires a discussion or debate at every level, with presenting and justifying a viewpoint at Level 1 and Level 2, so it carries more speaking and listening; the Pearson unit is 10 hours and assesses mainly written or spoken explanation and reasoned decisions.
Source: Pearson Entry Level 1 to Level 2 Skills for Life Award, Certificate and Diploma Qualifications Specification, Issue 1, August 2026, Unit SfL 5: Democracy in action.