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Skills that use Strategic competence

1. Budgeting for materials and tools

   Assessed: In coursework (non-examination assessment, NEA)

   When identifying resources in Unit 2, learners take budget considerations for materials and tools into account as part of criterion 1.3. The unit mapping names this as the numeracy opportunity, but the specification sets no calculation or format, so the amount of number work depends on the brief.

   Numeracy: Financial literacy, Calculation, Strategic competence

   Getting pupils ready

   Year 7

   Pupils add up the cost of five art materials from a price list and check whether they stay within a £10 budget.

   Year 8

   Pupils compare the price of a nail polish in two sizes from different retailers and work out which is better value per millilitre.

   Year 9

   Pupils build a costed resource list for a design project, compare two suppliers and adjust their choices to stay within a set budget.

   Show the specification wording and the LNF statements

   Where it is in the specification: Unit 2 (UWCO2), LO1, criterion 1.3 Plan and organise the design plan, page 57; Section 11.1 unit mapping, page 74

   “Budget considerations for materials and tools”

   Progression step 3

   • I can manage money, compare costs from different retailers and determine what can be bought within a given budget.

   • I can realise that budgeting is important.

   • I can add and subtract numbers using whole numbers and decimals.

   Progression step 4

   • I can appreciate the basic principles of budgeting, saving (including understanding compound interest) and borrowing.

   • I can use efficient written methods to add and subtract numbers and decimals of any size, including a mixture of large and small numbers with differing numbers of decimal places.

   Progression step 5

   • I can identify, measure or obtain required information to complete the task.

   • I can prioritise and organise the relevant steps needed to complete the task or reach a solution.

2. Allocating time and working within a timeframe

   Assessed: In coursework (non-examination assessment, NEA)

   Learners set a time allocation for each task in their project plan, with deadlines and contingency, and later analyse whether their hair, make-up and nail techniques were completed within the expected timeframe. This is required by criteria 1.3 and 3.1, and the whole NEA must be completed in a maximum of 12 hours.

   Numeracy: Measurement, Strategic competence

   Getting pupils ready

   Year 7

   Pupils time how long it takes to complete each step of a three step practical task and record the times in minutes and seconds.

   Year 8

   Pupils plan a 60 minute practical lesson into timed stages, then compare their planned and actual times and work out the difference.

   Year 9

   Pupils plan a six lesson project with a time allowance for each stage and a contingency, then calculate how far ahead or behind they are at each checkpoint.

   Show the specification wording and the LNF statements

   Where it is in the specification: Unit 2 (UWCO2), LO1, criterion 1.3, page 57; LO3, criterion 3.1, page 70; Section 5.1, page 16

   “Time allocation for each task to ensure efficiency”

   Progression step 3

   • I can use and interpret calendars, timetables and schedules to plan events and activities, and make calculations as part of the planning journey.

   • I can time events in minutes and seconds, and order the results.

   Progression step 4

   • I can prioritise and organise the relevant steps needed to complete the task or reach a solution.

   • I can select, trial and evaluate a variety of possible approaches and break complex problems into a series of tasks.

   Progression step 5

   • I can prioritise and organise the relevant steps needed to complete the task or reach a solution.

3. Setting measurable SMART targets

   Assessed: In coursework (non-examination assessment, NEA)

   At the end of the NEA learners create an action plan with SMART targets for skill improvement, outlining steps, resources and timelines. Criterion 3.2 requires this, and the unit mapping gives the measurable part of SMART targets as a numeracy opportunity, although the number work involved is small.

   Numeracy: Strategic competence, Measurement

   Getting pupils ready

   Year 7

   Pupils set a target to improve a practical skill, such as finishing a plait in under five minutes, and record their time over three lessons.

   Year 8

   Pupils rewrite a vague target, such as get better at blending, as a SMART target with a number to measure and a date.

   Year 9

   Pupils write three SMART targets after a practical assessment, each with a measure, a deadline and the resources needed, and plot their progress on a simple chart.

   Show the specification wording and the LNF statements

   Where it is in the specification: Unit 2 (UWCO2), LO3, criterion 3.2 Evaluate the design concept, page 70; Section 11.1 unit mapping, page 74

   “Outline steps, resources, and timelines for achieving these goals”

   Progression step 3

   • I can identify, measure or obtain required information to complete the task.

   • I can use and interpret calendars, timetables and schedules to plan events and activities, and make calculations as part of the planning journey.

   Progression step 4

   • I can identify, measure or obtain required information to complete the task.

   Progression step 5

   • I can identify, measure or obtain required information to complete the task.

Source: VTCT Skills Level 1/2 VCSE Hair and Beauty Qualification Specification (product code CO2W1, qualification number C00/5368/8), version P2, 18/09/2026, approved by Qualifications Wales for first teaching September 2027 and first award summer 2029.