Essential Skills
Essential Skills qualifications can be really life-changing. They have helped people to:
Please find below important information in relation to the delivery of Essential Skills Qualifications.
Click here to download the Essential Skills Standards & Curriculum
Entry Level
Entry Level 1-3 Numeracy
The aim of this qualification is to improve the learners’ ability to understand, use, calculate and manipulate mathematical information and interpret results.
Below we have provided exemplar material that uses the 'Party' theme.
Entry Level 1-3 Literacy
The aim of this qualification is to improve the learners’ ability to: speak, listen and respond; read and comprehend and write to communicate.
Below we have provided exemplar material that uses the 'Giants Causeway' theme.
Level 1 and 2
New Suite of Digital ICT Essential Skills
Starting September 2025, the new and improved suite of Digital ICT Essential Skills will be available. See below for more information.
Entry 3
The objective of the OCN NI Entry Level 3 Certificate in Essential Skills – Digital ICT qualification includes the following five skills areas:
Level 1
The objective of the OCN NI Level 1 Certificate in Essential Skills – Digital ICT qualification includes the following five skills areas:
Level 2
The objective of the OCN NI Level 2 Certificate in Essential Skills – Digital ICT qualification includes the following five skills areas:
