LNF Cymru Literacy and numeracy for Wales

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Skills for Life: Mental Health and Wellbeing

Mental health and wellbeing is a Pearson Skills for Life unit in which learners recognise emotions in themselves and others, identify warning signs and triggers, suggest steps to stay mentally strong and find out where to get support; at Level 1 and Level 2 they create a personal mental health and wellbeing plan. It is one 20 hour unit that learners combine with others into a Pearson Skills for Life Award, Certificate or Diploma, from Entry 1 to Level 2. Literacy carries the assessment: describing and explaining emotions and triggers, reading about sources of support, writing the plan and taking part in group discussion. There is no numeracy: Annexe C records no direct numeracy link.

Awarding body
Pearson
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
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 the characteristics of good mental health and emotional wellbeing, steps or measures to protect them, and where to get support. The essential information for assessment decisions sets the number of warning signs and steps at each level (two, three and four). Centres choose the type of evidence and set and mark the assessment, adapting Pearson's Authorised Assignment Brief or devising their own, internally verified and quality assured by Pearson standards verification. 20 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) the characteristics of good mental health and emotional wellbeing and create a simple (Level 1) or detailed (Level 2) personal mental health and wellbeing plan, with Level 2 including a practical safety plan. Centres choose the type of evidence and set and mark the assessment, internally verified and quality assured by Pearson standards verification. Graded Pass or Fail. 20 guided learning hours.

Skills that use Vocabulary, spelling, grammar

  1. Describing and explaining emotions, warning signs and triggers

    Assessed: In coursework (non-examination assessment, NEA)

    Learners recognise emotions in themselves and, from Entry 3, in others, and give warning signs or triggers that might affect their mental health: two at Entry 1, three at Entry 2, four at Entry 3 and at least five at Level 1 and Level 2. Level 1 learners describe and Level 2 learners explain them, with reasons and effects. This is required by the assessment criteria.

    Literacy: Purpose, Vocabulary, spelling, grammar, Planning and organising for different purposes, audiences and context, Clarity and vocabulary

    Getting pupils ready

    Year 7
    Pupils match emotion words such as anxious, frustrated and content to pictures of faces, then use two of them in sentences about a day at school.
    Year 8
    Pupils read a short story extract and write a paragraph describing how a character feels, the warning signs shown and what might have caused them.
    Year 9
    Pupils write an explanation of five common triggers for stress in teenagers and the effects each could have, using precise wellbeing vocabulary.
    Show the specification wording and the LNF statements

    Where it is in the specification: Unit SfL 18, assessment criteria Entry 1 to Level 2, page 87; Essential information for assessment decisions, Entry 1 to Level 2, pages 88 to 89

    “explain a range of different emotions in themselves and others, and reasons why this might be”
    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 use varied, appropriate and precise vocabulary including area of learning and experience/discipline-specific words for different purposes.

    Progression step 4

    • I can write about my thoughts, feelings and opinions, using a range of techniques, e.g. emotive language, hyperbole, choice of pronouns (you, we), to show impact.

    • I have experienced a range of area of learning and experience/discipline-specific and general academic vocabulary, and can use them in my own communication.

Good to know

Links with other qualifications

Talking and writing about emotions, triggers and support carries over to WJEC GCSE Physical Education and Health and GCSE Health and Social Care, and Childcare, and the reflective writing supports GCSE English Language and Literature. Within the WJEC Skills Suite, Healthy Relationships, Understanding Self and Others, Looking After Others and Wellbeing and Work use the same vocabulary and discussion skills. Compared with the WJEC Mental health and wellbeing unit, where literacy sits in asking for and offering support and comparing wellbeing strategies, the Pearson unit puts more weight on written planning: Level 1 and Level 2 learners write a personal mental health and wellbeing plan, and Level 2 adds a safety plan. Neither version assesses numeracy.

Source: Pearson Entry Level 1 to Level 2 Skills for Life Award, Certificate and Diploma Qualifications specification, Issue 1, August 2026, Unit SfL 18: Mental health and wellbeing.