Skills for Life: Online Safety
Online Safety is a Skills for Life unit in which learners find out what online safety means, recognise risks such as scams, phishing and cyberbullying, protect their personal information, and learn how to report unsafe activity. It is one 20 hour 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 reading suspicious messages and sources critically, using vocabulary such as phishing and malware, and describing and explaining risks, consequences and reporting routes in speech or writing. There is no numeracy in the assessment criteria.
- 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 covering what online safety means, online risks and unsafe behaviour, staying safe online, and getting help and reporting. 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 covering online safety in different contexts including the Children's Code, recognising online risks, demonstrating safe online practices and explaining why they matter, and getting help and reporting. Evidence goes in a portfolio, internally assessed by the centre and externally quality assured by WJEC. 20 guided learning hours.
Skills that use Planning and organising for different purposes, audiences and context
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Explaining risks, unsafe behaviour and consequences
Learners describe what online safety means and explain why it matters, how risks and unsafe behaviours could affect people, and at Level 2 why risks are harmful and what the consequences of unsafe behaviour can be. Evidence can be spoken, written, recorded or a case study. This is required by the assessment criteria.
Literacy: Planning and organising for different purposes, audiences and context, Clarity and vocabulary
Getting pupils ready
- Year 7
- Pupils write three sentences explaining why one online risk, such as fake friend requests, could hurt someone, using the word because.
- Year 8
- Pupils give a one minute talk to a partner explaining phishing, malware and cyberbullying, using a word bank of correct terms.
- Year 9
- Pupils write a case study explanation of a cyberbullying incident, covering the risk, why it was harmful and its consequences, in organised paragraphs.
Show the specification wording and the LNF statements
Where it is in the specification: Entry Level, learning outcomes 1 and 2, assessment criteria 1.2 and 2.3, page 5; Level 1 and Level 2, learning outcomes 1 and 2, assessment criteria 1.1, 1.2, 2.1 and 2.2, page 7
“Identify and explain different types of online risks and why they are harmful”
Progression step 3
I can write a comprehensive account of a topic, theme or viewpoint.
I can express issues and ideas clearly using area of learning and experience/discipline-specific vocabulary and examples.
Progression step 4
I can use summary, discussion of issues, detailed explanations and logic when covering a topic.
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
- The unit codes are S620E1, S620E2, S620E3, S620L1 and S620L2, and the overview lists "GLH 20" (Unit overview, page 3).
- Written work can be short: "extended written work is not required unless appropriate", and judgements should not focus "on spelling or presentation unless specifically assessed" (Sources of evidence, page 13).
- Evidence can be spoken or recorded, for example "Audio or video description of actions taken in scenario tasks" (Sources of evidence, page 13).
- Suggested assessment tasks "are not mandatory", and teachers may adapt them or devise their own (Skills for Life and Work specification, section 4.1, page 18).
- AI tools may be used only if acknowledged: "Copying or paraphrasing whole responses of AI-generated content" is malpractice (Skills for Life and Work specification, section 4.6, page 21).
Links with other qualifications
Online Safety sits closest to GCSE Digital Technology and GCSE Computer Science, which both teach data protection and cyber security threats such as phishing and malware; the pack also names the General Foundation Qualification in Digital Technology. Reading online texts critically for bias and misinformation links to GCSE English Language and Literature and GCSE Social Studies, and the wellbeing and reporting content links to GCSE Physical Education and Health. Within the Skills Suite the pack names Science and technology in everyday life, Digital film and media, Mental health and wellbeing, Personal safety, and Using IT in the workplace as closely related units.
Source: WJEC Online safety 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).