Wave 3 is coming. Sweet is ready for Skills Suite – are you?
From September 2027, Wales will see significant changes to the 14–16 qualifications offer as Wave 3 is introduced. Sweet is already preparing for the transition.
Skills Suite is a Pearson approved qualification, recognised in Wales. First teaching from September 2027.
Say hello to Skills for Life and Skills for Work.
We have developed a comprehensive range of learner content books that prepare learners for their final assessments within each unit. Our unique approach allows centres to be flexible in their delivery.
These include a wide range of practical, bite-sized workbooks that are accessible for learners from Entry Level to Level 2, covering areas such as:
Our workbooks are designed around the needs of real learners in Wales and mapped against the Four Purposes of the new Curriculum for Wales and the key cross-cutting themes. This provides you with the best and most efficient way to report on the Learner Entitlement Framework for Wider Learning Experiences.
Both qualifications are available in a range of sizes, and as Skills for Life, Skills for Work, or Skills for Life and Work in combination.
Sweet is about much more than workbooks.
Our aim is to help staff feel ready and confident to successfully deliver the new Skills Suite from September 2027. Sweet centres will have exclusive access to:
Materials built to support delivery, not just to sit alongside it.
Clear direction on what each unit asks for and how it is evidenced.
To evidence learner progress across the qualification.
So your team delivers and assesses consistently from the start.
With other centres running the same qualifications.
Recognising centre achievement and learner progression.
And a named IQA who knows your centre.
Continuous one-to-one support throughout delivery — not a helpdesk. We provide the level of personal support centres have come to expect from Sweet, including guidance, feedback and advice tailored to individual centres and learners.
Our aim is to make the transition as easy as possible, with the resources, systems and support already being put in place now so centres can move into September 2027 with confidence.
Where does Sweet sit within the new Learner Entitlement Indicators Framework?
Skills for Life and Skills for Work sit in pillar 3 — wider learning and experiences across the curriculum.
The Learner Entitlement Indicators Framework: overview
Qualifications in literacy and numeracy
Overview of entries across qualifications in:
- Cymraeg
- English
- mathematics and numeracy
- Proportions of learners entered across relevant qualifications in each subject area
Entries and outcomes for relevant qualifications in:
- Cymraeg
- English
- mathematics and numeracy
- Proportions of learners entered for each individual qualification
- Proportions of entries achieving across the grade ranges for each individual qualification*
Qualifications that are indicated as appropriate for most learners will appear by default. Otherwise reporting will depend on learners being entered in the school.
Qualifications to encourage breadth
Overview of entries across qualifications in:
- science
- Proportions of learners entered across relevant qualifications within the science subject area
Entries and outcomes for relevant qualifications in:
- science
- all other GCSE, VCSE and Foundation qualifications
- Proportions of learners entered for each individual qualification
- Proportions of entries achieving across the grade ranges for each individual qualification*
Science qualifications that are indicated as appropriate for most learners will appear by default. Otherwise reporting will depend on learners being entered in the school.
Wider learning and experiences across the curriculum
Entries and outcomes for:
- Personal Project
- Proportions of learners entered for each level Personal Project qualification
- Proportions achieving across the grade ranges for each level of the qualification*
Entries and outcomes for:
- Skills for Life
- Skills for Work
- Skills for Life and Work
- Proportions of learners entered for each level of each of the qualifications
- Proportions achieving an award for each level of each of the qualifications*
Information on the learning in relationships and sexuality education (RSE) and religion, values and ethics (RVE) that forms part of the school’s curriculum
Information on the wider curricular and learning opportunities and participation in these in the school
Reflections on learning and progress and post-16 planning
A. Learner effectiveness and engagement
Information on supporting learners in becoming increasingly effective at learning in the school
Information on approach to using Learner Voice and supporting wellbeing in the school
Attendance levels for Year 10 and Year 11
- Proportions of sessions attended for Year 10 and Year 11 learners
Persistent absence and absenteeism for Year 10 and Year 11
- Proportions of Year 10 and Year 11 learners that are persistently absent
- Proportions of Year 10 and Year 11 absence that is persistent absence
B. Post-16 planning
Information on post-16 and transition planning in the school
Destinations of past Year 11 learners
- Proportions of learners in education, employment, training or none of these
Year 11 learners with no qualifications
- Proportions of learners leaving Year 11 with no qualifications
* subject to sufficient numbers of entries in a school
Frequently asked questions
From September 2027, will Sweet still exist?
Sweet Education is not ceasing and will continue to be available for learners, offering Pearson BTEC qualifications.
What are the updates on PGW & WS qualifications?
The current PGW and WS qualifications will continue in Wales until 2028 with existing cohorts. The final registrations for WS and PGW in Wales will be 31/07/27. In England, these qualifications are still available until 2029.
Is Sweet going to be replacing any legacy qualifications?
Skills for Life and Skills for Work are a stand-alone suite of skills qualifications which will sit within Pillar 3 of the Learner Entitlement Indicators Framework. Skills for Life & Skills for Work will form part of the Wider Learning and experiences across the curriculum pillar in the Welsh curriculum.
Introduction to Skills for Life & Skills for Work
In Wales only, first teaching will start from September 2027 and first awarding will be Summer of 2029. Skills for Life & Skills for Work are a selection of units which provide opportunities for learners to demonstrate a broad range of skills to support them to navigate adult life, learning and work. Both qualifications will be available in a range of sizes as well as standalone or combination (e.g. Skills for Life, Skills for Work or Skills for Life and Work).
What will Sweet Education provide alongside the qualifications?
Sweet education will continue to provide the course in workbook format along with additional materials post registration, ongoing support, excellent customer service and a friendly contact with an allocated IQA. Pearson will be the partnered awarding body to award the gained Skills Suite qualification from Summer 2029.
Sweet is ready for Skills Suite — and we are ready to support you.