Skills for Life: Mental Health and Wellbeing
Mental health and wellbeing is a 20 hour Skills for Life unit, running from Entry 1 to Level 2, on what good mental health and emotional wellbeing mean, why they matter, asking for and offering support, and trying out and reflecting on wellbeing strategies. It is one unit that learners combine with others into a Skills for Life or Skills for Work Award, Certificate or Diploma. Literacy is central: using wellbeing vocabulary, talking and writing about feelings, asking for and offering support, and comparing strategies. Evidence can be spoken. Numeracy is minimal and not assessed, limited to optional mood or strategy tracking over a few days.
- 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 with assessment criteria at Entry 1, Entry 2 and Entry 3 (what good mental health means, ways of taking care of it, showing ways of looking after own or others' mental health, describing own wellbeing). Evidence goes in a portfolio, internally assessed by the centre and externally quality assured by WJEC. 20 guided learning hours, unit codes S618E1, S618E2 and S618E3.
- Level 1 and Level 2: Four learning outcomes with assessment criteria at Level 1 and Level 2 (what good mental health and emotional wellbeing mean, why it is important to look after them, using support strategies, reflecting on those strategies). Evidence goes in a portfolio, internally assessed by the centre and externally quality assured by WJEC. 20 guided learning hours, unit codes S618L1 and S618L2.
Skills that use Collaborative talk
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Discussing and debating mental health issues
The pack suggests group discussions and a class debate on whether mental health is as important as physical health, and the unit overview names collaborating in discussions as a literacy opportunity. Discussions can be observed or recorded as evidence for several criteria, but the debate itself is a suggested activity, not a requirement.
Literacy: Collaborative talk, Listening as part of collaborative talk, Questioning
Getting pupils ready
- Year 7
- Pupils discuss in groups of four what helps people feel happy at school, each taking a role such as chair or note taker.
- Year 8
- Pupils hold a structured class discussion on whether social media is good or bad for wellbeing, agreeing and disagreeing politely with reasons.
- Year 9
- Pupils debate whether mental health is as important as physical health, preparing points for one side and responding to the other side's arguments.
Show the specification wording and the LNF statements
Where it is in the specification: Suggested activities, Level 1 and 2, page 13; Unit overview, page 3
“Is mental health as important as physical health?”
Progression step 3
I can contribute to group discussion in different roles, taking responsibility for completing the task well.
I can listen in order to show agreement and disagreement in collaborative discussion and situations.
Progression step 4
I can use talk in a range of authentic contexts to explore challenging or contentious issues.
I can sustain a convincing point of view, anticipating and responding to other perspectives.
Good to know
- The unit has five unit codes, one per level: "Unit Codes S618E1" to S618L2, and it is a 20 guided learning hour Skills for Life unit (Unit overview, page 3).
- Spelling and presentation are not judged and evidence can be spoken: "extended written work is not required unless appropriate" (Sources of evidence, page 13), and evidence can include learner interviews or oral reflections (page 14).
- No special kit is needed: "Assessment of this unit should not require any specific resources" (Resources required for assessment, page 16).
- Suggested activities and assessment tasks are optional: "These tasks are not mandatory" (specification section 4.1, page 18).
- AI tools may be used only if acknowledged: "When properly referenced, this can be acceptable", but copying AI content or failing to acknowledge AI is malpractice (specification section 4.6, page 21).
- Literacy is named in the unit overview, with "opportunities to develop their Literacy skills by applying wellbeing vocabulary, expressing their own views, and opportunities to collaborate in discussions" (page 3). Appendix A of the specification maps Literacy to this unit but not Numeracy (page 28).
Links with other qualifications
GCSE Physical Education and Health asks learners to explore connections between their experiences and mental health, and GCSE Health and Social Care and Childcare covers factors that affect wellbeing and talking openly about mental health, so the vocabulary and reflective writing here carry over. Discussion, debate and writing about feelings also support GCSE English Language and Literature. Within the Skills Suite, the pack names Exercise for all, Healthy lifestyle, Healthy relationships, Looking after others and Wellbeing and work as closely related units. The pack also names the WJEC Pathways to Employment Self Development and Wellbeing qualification.
Source: WJEC Mental health and wellbeing 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).