Skills for Life: Teamwork
Teamwork (Unit SfL 26) 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 learn the purpose of teamwork, team roles, skills and benefits, take part in a team activity, carry out a specific role from Level 1 and lead part of the activity at Level 2, then review how it went. The centre sets and marks the assignment. Literacy is central and mostly oral: listening and speaking in the team, leading and organising talk at Level 2, and describing or explaining teamwork and their own performance. Numeracy is light: timekeeping and resource roles are suggested, not required.
- Awarding body
- Pearson
- Level
- Entry Level 1 to Level 2
- Guided learning hours
- 20
- First taught
- September 2027
- Amount of literacy work
- High
- 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 teamworking skills, benefits and the purpose of teamwork, and demonstrate teamworking skills in a team activity, then say what went well and what did not. 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 purpose of teamwork, team roles, skills and benefits, and demonstrate a range of effective teamworking skills in a team activity while carrying out at least one specific role, with a leadership role at Level 2, then review performance and outcomes. Evidence is chosen by the centre, internally assessed and checked by a Pearson Standards Verifier. Graded Pass or Fail. 20 guided learning hours.
Skills that use Planning and organising for different purposes, audiences and context
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Explaining the purpose of teamwork, roles and benefits
Learners list, outline or identify teamworking skills and benefits at Entry level, describe the purpose of teamwork, team roles, skills and benefits at Level 1, and explain them at Level 2. This is required by the assessment criteria and can be spoken or written.
Literacy: Clarity and vocabulary, Planning and organising for different purposes, audiences and context
Getting pupils ready
- Year 7
- Pupils write three sentences on why teams need a leader, a timekeeper and a recorder, using the word because.
- Year 8
- Pupils describe the roles in a team they belong to, such as a sports team or band, and the benefit each role brings.
- Year 9
- Pupils write an organised explanation of the purpose of teamwork in a workplace, covering roles, skills and benefits with examples.
Show the specification wording and the LNF statements
Where it is in the specification: Unit SfL 26, Assessment criteria, Entry 1 to Level 2, page 120; Essential information for assessment decisions, pages 121 to 122
“Explain the purpose of teamwork, team roles, and a range of teamworking skills and benefits”
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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Reviewing performance and outcomes
At the end of the team activity Entry learners say what went well and what did not, adding areas for improvement from Entry 2. Level 1 learners describe their performance and the outcomes accurately, and Level 2 learners give a detailed explanation. This is required by the guidance at every level; Pearson's Annexe C suggests written or audio reviews.
Literacy: Planning and organising for different purposes, audiences and context, Purpose
Getting pupils ready
- Year 7
- Pupils fill in a two column sheet after a group task saying what went well and what did not.
- Year 8
- Pupils record a short audio review of their role in a team challenge and one thing they would change.
- Year 9
- Pupils write a detailed review of a team project explaining their own contribution, the team's outcome and two improvements with reasons.
Show the specification wording and the LNF statements
Where it is in the specification: Unit SfL 26, Essential information for assessment decisions, Entry 1 to Level 2, pages 121 to 122; Annexe C, page 165
“learners should be able to give a detailed explanation of their performance and the activities' outcomes”
Progression step 3
I can write about my thoughts, feelings and opinions, showing empathy and respect.
I can share, talk and write about my thoughts, feelings and opinions using a range of techniques to show impact.
Progression step 4
I can share, talk and write about my thoughts, feelings and opinions showing empathy and respect.
I can use summary, discussion of issues, detailed explanations and logic when covering a topic.
Good to know
- The unit is Unit SfL 26 and the unit summary lists it at 20 GLH ("SfL 26 Teamwork 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).
- Speaking and listening are assessed directly from Entry 1, where learners "demonstrate basic listening and speaking skills in simple team activities" (Essential information for assessment decisions, page 121); at Level 2 learners take "full responsibility for their communication" (Levels of supervision and support, page 122).
- Spoken work needs a record: "Examples of forms of evidence include observation records, witness testimony, and products of learners' work" and "achievement cannot be inferred from performance" (Assessment requirements, page 9).
- Learners can be assessed in Welsh or English: "Learners can be assessed in Welsh or English" (Language of assessment, page 8).
- 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 123).
- The supervision guidance has a copying error: both Entry 1 and Entry 2 say learners "require support but less than Entry Level 1" (Levels of supervision and support, page 122).
Links with other qualifications
The listening, collaborative talk and explaining in this unit reinforce the oracy in GCSE English Language and Literature and GCSE Cymraeg Language and Literature, and Pearson's mapping to the Health and Well-being statement on healthy relationships links it to GCSE Physical Education and Health. Explaining roles and responsibilities in a team supports GCSE Business and VCSE Retail and Customer Service, and within the WJEC Skills Suite it overlaps with Community Participation and Understanding Self and Others. Compared with the WJEC Teamwork unit, which also centres on group talk and review, the Pearson unit adds a leadership role at Level 2 and a performance review at every level, so Level 2 talk demands are higher.
Source: Pearson Entry Level 1 to Level 2 Skills for Life Award, Certificate and Diploma specification, Issue 1, August 2026, Unit SfL 26: Teamwork.