New for 2023, the Essential Digital Skills Qualification course: you will need to start with good basic skills. This is much faster paced than a normal beginner’s course as we cover a wide range of specialised topics.

These courses may be defined by either Gateway or Pearson exam boards – this means there are slight differences between the course content and assessment. The final certificate is the same

Key Details

• to  help obtain a job, or use in your workplace
• whilst volunteering, or for your hobbies
• 12-16 classes (single or double weekly classes )
• national certificate:
  • Entry 3
  • Level 1 with a final exam

Enrolment, Attendance & Assessment

• Any of our Beginners’ courses will prepare you for EDSQ
  • your tutor can refer you directly on to the course
• Interviews and assessments are required for new joiners
• Level 1+ english advisable (you will need to read and understand the coursework and exam instructions unaided)

A high level of attendance and commitment is required. The courses cover a wide range of content in a fairly short period of time. In addition to the classes there will be significant amount of homework, at least as much as work as you do in class.

Learners will be given the opportunity to practise their skills in a variety of contexts, prior to taking the assessments. Learners are required to pass an externally set, internally marked and external quality assured assessment. The assessment is fully online

Entry 3 is the lower level of the 2 courses

Content

1. Using devices and handling information
   basic understanding of hardware, software, operating systems and commonly used applications
   1. understanding simple configurations and fixes
2. Creating and editing
   edit documents before moving on to creating and editing other types of digital media
   1. word processing (wp)
   2. spreadsheets (ss)
   3. managing files & documents (fm)
3. Communicating
   demonstrate an understanding of electronic communications, such as email and video calls.
   1. email, setting up, sending and receiving
   2. video meetings (Zoom etc)
   3. sharing documents
4. Transacting
   complete and submit an online form, comply with digital verification checks, and purchase an item or service online
   1. browsing, web pages
   2. registering (logging in),
   3. passwords & security
   4. shopping
5. Using a computer and the internet safely and responsibly
   1. user safety
   2. hardware and software
   3. legal issues

Level 1 is the higher level of the 2 courses

Content

1. Using devices and handling information
   basic understanding of hardware, software, operating systems and commonly used applications
   1. understanding simple configurations and fixes
2. Creating and editing
   edit documents before moving on to creating and editing other types of digital media
   1. word processing (wp)
   2. spreadsheets (ss)
   3. presentations (ps)
   4. managing files & documents (fm)
3. Communicating
   demonstrate an understanding of electronic communications, such as email and video calls.
   1. email, setting up, sending and receiving
   2. video meetings (Zoom etc)
   3. sharing documents
4. Transacting
   complete and submit an online form, comply with digital verification checks, and purchase an item or service online
   1. browsing, web pages
   2. registering (logging in)
   3. passwords & security
   4. shopping
5. Using a computer and the internet safely and responsibly
   1. user safety
   2. hardware and software
   3. legal issues

Application

To be offered a place on the course, you will have to complete an online or face-to-face assessment. The team will contact you about this. No previous formal qualifications are required for entry to these qualifications. There is an initial diagnostic assessment as part of the application process

Students referred by their tutors may not need to attend

Registration / Assessment session will be:

1. information about the course, to make sure it is suitable for you
2. an informal assessment, either paper or online to make sure you are suitably prepared
   There are no right/ wrong answers
3. enrolment staff may be on hand to enrol you straightaway
   But you must enrol before the course starts

If we find you are not quite ready to start, we normally have beginner classes designed to prepare you for the EDSQ courses available for you

To join the class, you must apply directly to the learning centre – see the About page for each centre. We cannot enrol you, but get in touch if you have problems

Funding

You’re eligible for full funding under the entitlement if you:

• are a UK resident (for over 3 years)
• are aged over 19
• do not have the essential digital skills required to operate effectively in work and day to day life
  – this is assessed prior to the start of the course
• do not already have a prescribed digital skills qualification above level 1 (please ask about this)

1. Assessment

2. EDSQ(1) (Spring 2024, Wednesday Evenings)

Find out more about Langley

Please contact the college about your interest, or leave a comment below

1. EDSQ(1) (Autumn 2023, Wednesday Evenings)
2. EDSQ(1) (Spring / Summer 2023 – Thursday Evenings)

1. EDSQ(e3) (Spring 2024, Wednesdays & Fridays, lunchtimes)

Find out more about Hounslow

Please contact them about your interest, or leave a comment below

Learn Ealing have run EDSQ courses, but we are not involved

Find out more about Ealing

Please contact them about your interest, or leave a comment below