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Developing the new suite of GCSEs and related qualifications is an extremely important task. These qualifications will be delivered across Wales and will help support the development of our learners, enabling them to progress in whatever path they choose to follow. As part of the development process, we are adopting a co-construct approach, where we will listen to the voices of education communities across the country. At ³Ô¹ÏºÚÁÏ, learners are at the heart of everything we do, and their views will help inform our development work, and so we are pleased to announce that we will be launching a new Learner Advisory Group this autumn.

We talk with Leah Maloney and Paul Evans, two of our Qualification Development Officers about why we value the views and opinions of learners, and the significant role our Learner Advisory Group will take in the development of our new qualifications.

Why is our Learner Advisory Group important?

At ³Ô¹ÏºÚÁÏ, we believe it’s crucial to listen to the voices of learners – for those who have taken our qualifications and those who will be following them in the coming years. They provide us with insight, and challenge our thinking, allowing us to consider different perspectives and to think what is important to them. By having open conversations with them, we can discuss how the qualifications are assessed, what they feel works and what changes  they feel will impact them.

In addition, we strongly believe it’s important that our qualifications are inclusive, and so we want to consider the opinions of learners from all backgrounds, to ensure the content resonates with them and is reflective of their lives.

How will our learners benefit from being a member of our Learner Advisory Group?

This is their opportunity to make a real change and influence the future of qualifications in Wales. They will be working alongside education professionals and learners from across Wales, who will share but also challenge their opinions. Through their discussions, they will consider different viewpoints and work together to come up with ideas and solutions.

Furthermore, they will put into practice a variety of skills including communication and problem-solving, skills which will look great on their CV when they look at future opportunities e.g. college, university or work.

What will take place at the Learner Advisory Group meetings?

Meetings will take place at least 3 times a year and will be a mixture of online and face-to-face meetings. These meetings will be led by our Qualification Development Team where our learners will discuss different aspects of the new qualifications, including topics such as subject content and assessment methods. This will give them an opportunity to consider our ideas and give their views and suggestions.

How will the learners feedback help develop the new qualifications?

Our team will consider their feedback and see where their ideas can be incorporated where appropriate. Our goal is to create a suite of inclusive, engaging and inspiring qualifications for the whole of Wales, from the content of the qualifications to the assessments. The views of our learners are an extremely important part of the development process.

For further information on our new qualifications for Wales and our Learner Advisory Group, please visit our dedicated webpage and follow our social media channels.