Skills for Life: Digital Film and Media
Digital film and media is a 20 hour Skills for Life unit in which learners study how films, adverts, vlogs and podcasts communicate with an audience, then plan, shoot, edit and review a product of their own. It is one unit that learners combine with others into a Skills for Life or Skills for Work Award, Certificate or Diploma, from Entry 1 to Level 2. Literacy sits in analysing how media texts send messages, presenting and summarising ideas, writing plans and scripts, and evaluating the product and feedback. Numeracy is light: production timelines and clip timings are suggested but not assessed.
- Awarding body
- WJEC
- Level
- Entry Level 1 to Level 2
- Guided learning hours
- 20
- First taught
- September 2027
- Amount of literacy work
- Medium
- Amount of numeracy work
- Low
How this unit is assessed
- Entry Level (Entry 1, Entry 2, Entry 3): Four learning outcomes (types of digital film and media products, expressing an idea for a product, taking part in creating a product, reflecting on the product) with assessment criteria at Entry 1, Entry 2 and Entry 3. Evidence goes in a portfolio, internally assessed by the centre and externally quality assured by WJEC. 20 guided learning hours.
- Level 1 and Level 2: Four learning outcomes (how digital film and media products communicate messages, planning a product, producing a product, reflecting on its success) with assessment criteria at Level 1 and Level 2. Evidence goes in a portfolio, internally assessed by the centre and externally quality assured by WJEC. 20 guided learning hours.
Skills that use Understanding, response and analysis
-
Analysing how media texts communicate messages
Entry learners describe types of product, their purpose and target audience. At Level 1 learners describe, and at Level 2 explain, how visual, audio and text elements work together to send messages and create effects, and how representation or audience affects tone and style. These are assessment criteria.
Literacy: Understanding, response and analysis, Listening to understand
Getting pupils ready
- Year 7
- Pupils watch a short charity advert and say who it is for and what it wants them to feel or do.
- Year 8
- Pupils compare the opening of two music videos and write how the music, colour and shots set the mood.
- Year 9
- Pupils annotate stills and a transcript from a campaign video to explain how image, sound and text work together to persuade a particular audience.
Show the specification wording and the LNF statements
Where it is in the specification: Entry Level, learning outcome 1, page 5; Level 1 and Level 2, learning outcome 1, assessment criteria 1.2 to 1.4, page 7
“Explain how different elements work together to”
Progression step 3
I can use my understanding of different kinds of texts to consider whether a text is effective in conveying information, ideas and views.
I can collate and make connections, e.g. prioritising, categorising, between information and ideas from different sources including digital and audio-visual texts.
Progression step 4
I can compare and contrast themes and issues across a range of texts including digital and audio-visual texts.
I can listen to information and ideas, and identify and explain how they are presented to promote a particular viewpoint (bias and objectivity).
Progression step 5
I can read closely, analysing the content, language and impact of texts to deepen my understanding.
Good to know
- Unit codes run from Entry 1 to Level 2: "S606E1" to "S606L2", and the unit is 20 guided learning hours (Unit overview, page 3).
- Spoken and visual evidence counts. The pack says evidence "may be verbal, written, practical, or visual" and extended written work "is not required unless appropriate" (Sources of evidence, page 13).
- Reflections can be recorded rather than written: the pack lists a "short written or recorded reflection on the production process" (Sources of evidence, page 13).
- Suggested activities and assessment tasks are optional: the specification says "These tasks are not mandatory" (section 4.1, page 18).
- AI tools must be acknowledged. "Copying or paraphrasing sections of AI-generated content" is listed as AI misuse (Specification section 4.6, page 21), which matters for scripts and evaluations.
Links with other qualifications
The pack names links with GCSE Digital Media and Film, the VCSEs in Creative and Media Production, and Technology, and in Performing Arts, Foundation Digital Technology, Foundation Expressive Arts and Foundation Creative and Media Production, and Technology. The analysis of audio-visual texts, scripting and evaluation also overlaps with media and spoken language work in GCSE English Language and Literature. Within the Skills Suite the pack suggests delivering it alongside Music, dance and drama, Online safety, Science and technology in everyday life, Interview and confidence techniques, and Using IT in the workplace.
Source: WJEC Digital film and media unit delivery and assessment pack, read with the WJEC Entry 1 to Level 2 Skills for Life and Skills for Work specification, approved by Qualifications Wales, teaching from September 2027 (© WJEC CBAC Ltd 2026).