Portfolio

To achieve the key skills qualification or individual unit qualifications in Application of Number, Communication or Information and Communication Technology, candidates must pass an external assessment and produce portfolio evidence for each key skills unit.

As with the previous key skills specifications, candidates will continue to present a portfolio of evidence demonstrating that they can apply the skills in a range of contexts. The amount of evidence required is much reduced from the 2000 specifications. It will be assessed by the candidate's teacher, tutor, mentor, employer or training provider and should be submitted for internal verification before external quality assurance, eg standards moderation.

Download the publication developing and managing portfolios

View examples of completed portfolios from the QCA.

Competence not development

Portfolio evidence should meet the requirements of Part B of the Standards - What you must do. It should cover and be assessed against all the bullet points listed under 'evidence must show you can'.

Portfolios should be evidence of competence, not development or improvement, and should come after a process of teaching and learning, developing and practising the skills.

Only the required amount of evidence should be included. In other words, if two pieces of written work are required, the portfolio should not refer to four.

Tracking

The evidence may be in a separate portfolio, or may be tracked and cross-referenced from vocational work or coursework, so long as it meets the requirements and can be found by the external standards moderator. Therefore a tracking/log sheet must be completed. Awarding bodies have tracking and recording documents to assist centres in building portfolios to meet their requirements for quality assurance.

Assessment

Each piece of evidence should be assessed by the assessor, indicating how it has met the requirements, and giving clear feedback to the candidate. For evidence that is not paper based (such as discussions or IT operations) there should be assessor observation records or other 'hard' evidence to enable the re-marking of the activity by the Standard Moderator.

Before a claim is made for certification, the centre should ensure that it has undergone a process of internal verification/moderation and that all the necessary evidence is available and meets the standards.

Sources of evidence

Evidence may come from a variety of sources including:

• the candidate's main programme of study (such as GNVQ, A-level)
• enhancement/enrichment programmes (such as Young Enterprise, ASDAN awards, Diploma of Achievement, Duke of Edinburgh Awards)
• the candidate's paid employment (whether full or part time)
• other activities (for instance, charity work, activities in running a home, involvement with a club or society).

Candidates should take responsibility for the development of their own portfolio, but they will also need support from their teachers, employers or others to build a successful portfolio.

For further information visit the QCA website.