Skills for Life: Practical Gardening
Practical gardening is a 20 hour Skills for Life unit in which learners get to know plants, flowers and vegetables, prepare soil or containers, plant and care for them, and use sustainable and safe methods. It is one unit learners combine with others into a Skills for Life Award, Certificate or Diploma. Literacy sits in the criteria: following planting guidance, describing plants and their needs, recording observations of growth and, at Level 2, explaining choices and evaluating sustainable practices. Numeracy demand is low: measuring depth and spacing, watering amounts, tracking growth and planning a bed are practical and mostly suggested, and no criterion asks for calculation.
- 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 (know about different types of plants, flowers and vegetables, plant and grow them, care for and maintain plants, know about sustainable gardening and work safely), with separate 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 (understand the characteristics and growing requirements of plants, plan and carry out planting activities, care for and maintain plants to support healthy growth, understand sustainable gardening practices and work safely), with separate 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 Vocabulary, spelling, grammar
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Describing plants and their growing needs
Learners name common plants at Entry 1 and 2, describe basic needs of plants at Entry 3, describe a range of plants and their growing requirements at Level 1 and explain characteristics and compare growing requirements at Level 2, using words such as annual, perennial, roots and stems. This is required by the criteria.
Literacy: Vocabulary, spelling, grammar, Clarity and vocabulary
Getting pupils ready
- Year 7
- Pupils label the roots, stem, leaves and flower on a photo of a plant and write what each part does.
- Year 8
- Pupils write a short fact file on a herb and a vegetable, describing what light, water and soil each needs.
- Year 9
- Pupils write a comparison of an annual and a perennial plant, explaining how their growing needs and care differ.
Show the specification wording and the LNF statements
Where it is in the specification: Entry Level, learning outcome 1, assessment criteria 1.1 and 1.2, page 5; Level 1 and Level 2, learning outcome 1, assessment criteria 1.1 and 1.2, page 6; amplification of learning outcome 1, pages 7 and 8
“Describe a range of plants, flowers and vegetables and their growing requirements”
Progression step 3
I can use varied, appropriate and precise vocabulary including area of learning and experience/discipline-specific words for different purposes.
I can express issues and ideas clearly using area of learning and experience/discipline-specific vocabulary and examples.
Progression step 4
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.
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.
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Recording observations and writing care instructions
Level 1 learners record observations of plant growth or issues, and the amplification adds seed logs, schedules and simple growth records. The unit overview says learners develop literacy through recording observations, labelling plants and writing simple care instructions. Recording observations is required at Level 1; labels and care instructions are suggested.
Literacy: Planning and organising for different purposes, audiences and context, Vocabulary, spelling, grammar
Getting pupils ready
- Year 7
- Pupils write a dated sentence each week in a growth diary about how their sunflower seedling looks.
- Year 8
- Pupils write a numbered set of care instructions for a classroom plant so another class could look after it over half term.
- Year 9
- Pupils keep a log of a problem plant, such as yellowing leaves, recording what they saw, what they changed and what happened next.
Show the specification wording and the LNF statements
Where it is in the specification: Level 1 and Level 2, learning outcome 3, assessment criterion 3.2, page 6; amplification of learning outcomes 2 and 3, page 8; Unit overview, page 4
“Learners develop Literacy skills through recording observations, labelling plants and writing simple care instructions”
Progression step 3
I can use and adapt different structures within my writing, e.g. reporting an event, investigation or experiment.
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 adapt my writing style, choosing and using the best structures for different contexts and purposes, e.g. to successfully describe, explain, persuade, discuss.
I can organise and construct my writing effectively, connecting and developing my ideas for a range of different contexts.
Good to know
- Unit codes are "S622E1" to "S622L2", one code per level from Entry 1 to Level 2, and the unit is 20 guided learning hours (Unit overview, page 3).
- The pack itself names the literacy and numeracy: "Learners develop Literacy skills through recording observations, labelling plants and writing simple care instructions" and numeracy is applied "when measuring soil, spacing plants or tracking growth over time" (Unit overview, page 4).
- Evidence can be spoken or practical: "extended written work is not required unless appropriate" and spelling is not judged "unless specifically assessed" (Sources of evidence, page 10).
- Plural criteria mean at least two: "a plural reference within assessment criterion refers to a minimum of two" (pages 5 and 6).
- The unit needs growing space and kit: "small outdoor/indoor planting areas, basic tools (trowels, gloves, watering cans), and consumables (seeds, soil, compost)" (Resources required for delivery, page 11).
- Suggested assessment tasks "are not mandatory"; teachers may use, adapt or replace them (Skills for Life and Work specification, section 4.1, page 18).
- AI tools may be used only when "properly referenced", and misuse includes "Copying or paraphrasing whole responses of AI-generated content" (Skills for Life and Work specification, section 4.6, page 21).
Links with other qualifications
The pack names Community participation, Looking after others, Healthy lifestyle, Home management and maintenance, Mental health and wellbeing, Skills in the natural environment, Sustainability in action and Teamwork as units to deliver alongside Practical gardening. GCSE The Sciences and GCSE Integrated Science share describing plant structures and growth conditions and recording observations over time, and the pack names AS and A level Biology as a later link. GCSE Geography shares sustainability and fieldwork style recording, and GCSE Food and Nutrition shares growing vegetables and seasonal food.
Source: WJEC Practical gardening 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).