FAQs - Essential Digital Skills

The assessment for the qualification at both Entry level Three (3) and Level One (1) is split into two (2) assessment components:

• Knowledge-based multiple-choice question test
• Task-based practical assessment

Learners must attempt both assessment components before a result can be released.

The minimum age for this qualification is 16. A learner must be 16 years or older at the point of registration.

The pass marks are intended to ensure learners demonstrate a secure level of competence across all skill areas covered by the qualification.

Pass marks for Entry Level Three (3) and Level One (1) assessments vary per assessment version and are set following quality assurance and awarding activities.

Each Entry Level Three (3) assessment is designed to enable a minimally competent learner to achieve a pass mark of around 29 out of 44.

Each Level One (1) assessment is designed to enable a minimally competent learner to achieve a pass mark of around 35 out of 53.

However, the awarding process will determine specifically where the pass mark sits for each assessment version. Therefore, the pass mark may vary between assessments.

There is a compensatory approach to assessment within the qualification. The mark from both assessment components is combined into our overall mark.

Each component is not required to be individually passed. Therefore, weaker performance on one component can be offset by stronger performance in the other component.

Essential Digital Skills registrations will last for 2 years. If your learner is unlikely to achieve the qualification within a 2 year period, please contact the team on customerservices@openawards.org.uk or 0151 494 2072.

Following completion of marking and external quality assurance, learners’ results will be available to providers through the XAMS Assessment Platform. Approved provider markers mark the completed assessments.

Results will be available within 16 working days from the date both assessment component results have been submitted to Open Awards. On average, results are published within ten working days.

The only exception to these timescales are when we publish a new assessment version. These results are subject to a series of standardisation and awarding activities and, as such, results will be released in line with published windows.

Providers must ensure that there are no conflicts of interest between the invigilator and learners by checking in advance of the assessment.

An Essential Digital Skills subject tutor must not be involved in the invigilation of that subject, even if they have not taught those candidates (i.e., an Essential Digital Skills tutor must not invigilate any Essential Digital Skills assessment regardless of the level they teach).

Yes all assessments at each level must be taken under controlled assessment conditions. Further guidance can be found on The Portal.

Learners are permitted to resit an external assessment where they are not successful. Resit charges will apply. A provider can schedule a resit assessment in the XAMS Assessment Platform after a period of two weeks from the time that a learner’s result is published.

In the event of a resit learners must complete both assessment components (i.e., both knowledge test and practical task). They are not able to resit just one assessment component.

Open Awards only offers on-screen assessment through the XAMS Assessment Platform. Assessments are available on-demand and must be scheduled 2 hours before the assessment is due to take place.

Paper-based assessments are only available for the knowledge-test and as part of an approved reasonable adjustment.