Skills for Life: Sustainability In Action
Sustainability in action (Unit SfL 25) 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. Learners find out about sustainability practices and, from Level 1, the three pillars of sustainability and relevant legislation, using local, national and at Level 2 international examples, then plan and take part in a sustainability activity. The centre sets and marks the assignment. Literacy carries the unit: reading about examples and legislation, describing or explaining principles, and contributing to a written plan. Numeracy is light: Pearson names measuring resources and estimating quantities, but no criterion requires calculation.
- 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: list, outline or identify everyday sustainability practices and take part in a simple sustainability activity, contributing to its planning at Entry 3. There are no mandatory evidence requirements; the centre sets and marks its own assignment (Pearson's Authorised Assignment Brief is optional), internally verified and checked by a Pearson Standards Verifier. Graded Pass or Fail. 20 guided learning hours.
- Level 1 and Level 2: One assessment criterion at each level: describe (Level 1) or explain (Level 2) the principles of sustainability using local and national examples, and at Level 2 international ones too, then plan and participate in a sustainability activity. Evidence is chosen by the centre, internally assessed by the centre and checked by a Pearson Standards Verifier. Graded Pass or Fail. 20 guided learning hours.
The literacy and numeracy skills in this qualification
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Describing and explaining principles of sustainability
Entry learners list, outline or identify sustainability practices and their purpose. Level 1 learners describe the principles of sustainability, including the three pillars, and Level 2 learners explain them across local, national and international contexts. This is required by the assessment criteria, in speech or writing.
Literacy: Clarity and vocabulary, Planning and organising for different purposes, audiences and context
Getting pupils ready
- Year 7
- Pupils sort picture cards of everyday actions into sustainable and unsustainable and say why for each, using the words reduce, reuse and recycle.
- Year 8
- Pupils write a paragraph describing the environmental, social and economic pillars of sustainability with one local example of each.
- Year 9
- Pupils give a two minute explanation of how one issue, such as food waste, looks locally, in Wales and in another country, using subject vocabulary.
Show the specification wording and the LNF statements
Where it is in the specification: Unit SfL 25, Assessment criteria, Entry 1 to Level 2, page 116; Essential information for assessment decisions, page 117
“Explain the principles of sustainability in local, national and international contexts and plan and participate in a sustainability activity.”
Progression step 3
I can express issues and ideas clearly using area of learning and experience/discipline-specific vocabulary and examples.
I can write a comprehensive account of a topic, theme or viewpoint.
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.
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Reading about sustainability examples and legislation
Level 1 learners identify and give information on the three pillars and appropriate legislation with local and national examples, and Level 2 learners show confident understanding across international contexts too. Learners have to read and select information from sources to do this; Pearson's Annexe C names research tasks as a literacy link.
Literacy: Understanding, response and analysis
Getting pupils ready
- Year 7
- Pupils read a short leaflet on Welsh recycling rates and pick out three key facts with a highlighter.
- Year 8
- Pupils read two articles on plastic waste, one about Wales and one about another country, and note the main idea of each in a table.
- Year 9
- Pupils read a child friendly summary of the Well-being of Future Generations (Wales) Act and summarise in their own words how it affects a local decision.
Show the specification wording and the LNF statements
Where it is in the specification: Unit SfL 25, Essential information for assessment decisions, Level 1 and Level 2, page 117; Annexe C, page 165
“identifying and providing information on the three pillars and appropriate legislation”
Progression step 3
I can show understanding of and use the main ideas and significant details in different texts on the same topic.
I can make use of reference/digital sources to select, summarise and synthesise information, referencing as appropriate.
Progression step 4
I can research a wide range of reference and digital sources to develop a full understanding of a topic or issue.
I can summarise, synthesise and analyse information to gain in-depth understanding, e.g. of causes, consequences, patterns, using different sources.
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Contributing to and writing a plan
Entry 3 learners contribute some ideas to planning a sustainability activity, Level 1 learners plan parts of it, and Level 2 learners plan it independently. This is required by the assessment criteria; Pearson's Annexe C names writing plans as a literacy link, and ideas are often shared in group discussion.
Literacy: Planning and organising for different purposes, audiences and context, Collaborative talk
Getting pupils ready
- Year 7
- Pupils suggest one idea each for a class litter pick in a group discussion and agree the three best ideas.
- Year 8
- Pupils write a short plan for a reuse stall, with headings for aim, jobs, equipment and date.
- Year 9
- Pupils draft a plan for a school energy saving campaign, discuss options with their group, agree on one and redraft the plan with clear steps.
Show the specification wording and the LNF statements
Where it is in the specification: Unit SfL 25, Assessment criteria, Entry 3 to Level 2, page 116; Essential information for assessment decisions, page 117; Annexe C, page 165
“They contribute some ideas to planning a sustainability activity”
Progression step 3
I can explore different ways to plan, draft and present my work appropriately.
I can contribute to group discussion in different roles, taking responsibility for completing the task well.
Progression step 4
I can select and use appropriate strategies to plan and develop my writing for different purposes and audiences.
I can recognise a range of options for action and reach agreement to achieve the aims of the group.
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Measuring and estimating resources for an activity
Pearson's Annexe C names measuring resources and estimating quantities as the numeracy link, for example estimating how many bags are needed for a litter pick or measuring waste collected. Planning and running the activity is required, but no criterion asks for measurement or calculation, so numeracy is suggested only.
Numeracy: Strategic competence, The number system
Getting pupils ready
- Year 7
- Pupils weigh the classroom recycling bin each day for a week and record the masses in a table.
- Year 8
- Pupils estimate how many bin bags and gloves a litter pick for 30 pupils needs, then compare their estimate with what was used.
- Year 9
- Pupils measure a dripping tap for one minute, scale it up to estimate the water wasted in a year and round their answer sensibly.
Show the specification wording and the LNF statements
Where it is in the specification: Unit SfL 25, Essential information for assessment decisions, Level 2, page 117; Annexe C, page 165
“plan and participate in a sustainability activity independently, selecting and using relevant skills and information”
Progression step 3
I can identify, measure or obtain required information to complete the task.
I can estimate by rounding to the nearest 10, 100, 1000 or whole number.
Progression step 4
I can identify, measure or obtain required information to complete the task.
I can make and justify estimates and approximations of calculations.
Good to know
- The unit is Unit SfL 25 and the unit summary lists it at 20 GLH ("SfL 25 Sustainability in action 20", Unit summary, page 5); it counts towards Skills for Life qualifications numbered C00/5443/4 to C00/5445/0 (Qualification titles, pages 3 to 4).
- A unit is achieved once, at one level: "Learners can only achieve each unit once, at a single level" (Rules of Combination, page 6).
- Written work is not compulsory: "there are no mandatory evidence requirements and centres can select the type of evidence" (Essential information for assessment decisions, page 117), and assignments "can include both practical and written tasks" (Assessment of units, page 9).
- Learners can be assessed in Welsh or English: "Learners can be assessed in Welsh or English" (Language of assessment, page 8).
- The compulsory teaching content is in a separate document: "This can be found in the T Teaching and Learning Support document for this unit" (Unit content, page 117). The stray "T" is a typing slip.
- AI may be used only if acknowledged: "the final submission must be in the learner's own words and reflect their own effort" (Requirements relating to permitted/prohibited resources, page 118).
- The specification is inconsistent on size: the unit summary gives 20 GLH, but worked Example 7 lists "Unit SfL 25 10" (Understanding the qualification grade, page 148).
Links with other qualifications
Describing the three pillars of sustainability and reading about legislation such as the Well-being of Future Generations Act, which Pearson's Annexe E names, reinforce GCSE Geography and GCSE Social Studies and the WJEC Foundation in Humanities; writing and explaining in organised paragraphs supports GCSE English Language and Literature. Within the WJEC Skills Suite it overlaps with Sustainable Economic Development and Skills in the Natural Environment. Compared with the WJEC Sustainability in Action unit, which asks learners to keep and review a record of sustainable actions over time, the Pearson unit puts more weight on describing principles and legislation and has no required record, so its numeracy is lighter.
Source: Pearson Entry Level 1 to Level 2 Skills for Life Award, Certificate and Diploma specification, Issue 1, August 2026, Unit SfL 25: Sustainability in action.