WJEC
Encyclopedia
WJEC is an examination board
that provides examinations, assessment, professional development, educational resources, support for adults who wish to learn Welsh and access to youth arts activities. It traditionally serves Wales
but now also provides examinations throughout England
and Northern Ireland
.
, owned by the 22 local authorities in Wales and based in Cardiff
. A subsidiary company, WJEC CBAC Services Limited, provides specialist printing and publication services. WJEC is run by a Board of Directors and Trustees, with representatives drawn from the 22 local authorities in Wales.
, GCSE and AS/A Level, as well as Functional Skills
and Key Skills.
In 2007, after a three-year pilot, the Welsh Baccalaureate was introduced as part of their portfolio. This qualification is available to schools in Wales at Intermediate or Advanced levels, and is being piloted at Foundation level. The Welsh Baccalaureate offers a programme of study incorporating working with employers, community activities, individual investigations and key skills, as well as students’ GCSEs, GNVQs or A level studies.
They also provide a suite of examinations specifically designed for adults who wish to learn Welsh.
with their subject specialists and Chief or Principal Examiners. Day-long in-service training is provided at hotels and conference centres throughout England and Wales. WJEC also provides professional development courses for teachers of Welsh at primary and secondary level, and for those teaching subjects through the medium of Welsh. This service is available under the National Welsh INSET (In-Service Training) Programmes.
WJEC manages the National Grid for Learning
Cymru, which provides free online teaching resources in English and Welsh through its interactive website.
and National Youth Theatre of Wales. These are part of National Youth Arts Wales, supported by WJEC in partnership with the Welsh Amateur Music Federation.
Examination board
An examination board is an organisation that sets examinations and is responsible for marking them and distributing results. Examination boards have the power to award qualifications, such as SAT scores, to students...
that provides examinations, assessment, professional development, educational resources, support for adults who wish to learn Welsh and access to youth arts activities. It traditionally serves Wales
Wales
Wales is a country that is part of the United Kingdom and the island of Great Britain, bordered by England to its east and the Atlantic Ocean and Irish Sea to its west. It has a population of three million, and a total area of 20,779 km²...
but now also provides examinations throughout England
England
England is a country that is part of the United Kingdom. It shares land borders with Scotland to the north and Wales to the west; the Irish Sea is to the north west, the Celtic Sea to the south west, with the North Sea to the east and the English Channel to the south separating it from continental...
and Northern Ireland
Northern Ireland
Northern Ireland is one of the four countries of the United Kingdom. Situated in the north-east of the island of Ireland, it shares a border with the Republic of Ireland to the south and west...
.
History
WJEC was established in 1999 as a consortium of Welsh Local Education Authorities, replacing the Central Welsh Board. It is now a registered charity, and a company limited by guaranteeCompany limited by guarantee
In British and Irish company law, a private company limited by guarantee is an alternative type of corporation used primarily for non-profit organisations that require legal personality. A guarantee company does not usually have a share capital or shareholders, but instead has members who act as...
, owned by the 22 local authorities in Wales and based in Cardiff
Cardiff
Cardiff is the capital, largest city and most populous county of Wales and the 10th largest city in the United Kingdom. The city is Wales' chief commercial centre, the base for most national cultural and sporting institutions, the Welsh national media, and the seat of the National Assembly for...
. A subsidiary company, WJEC CBAC Services Limited, provides specialist printing and publication services. WJEC is run by a Board of Directors and Trustees, with representatives drawn from the 22 local authorities in Wales.
Qualifications
WJEC’s qualifications include traditional academic and work-related subjects at Entry LevelEntry Level
Entry Level is the lowest level in the National Qualifications Framework in England, Wales, and Northern Ireland. Qualifications at this level recognise basic knowledge and skills and the ability to apply learning in everyday situations under direct guidance or supervision...
, GCSE and AS/A Level, as well as Functional Skills
Functional Skills
Functional Skills are qualifications that have been developed by the UK Government as part of an initiative to improve the country's literacy, numeracy and ICT skills...
and Key Skills.
In 2007, after a three-year pilot, the Welsh Baccalaureate was introduced as part of their portfolio. This qualification is available to schools in Wales at Intermediate or Advanced levels, and is being piloted at Foundation level. The Welsh Baccalaureate offers a programme of study incorporating working with employers, community activities, individual investigations and key skills, as well as students’ GCSEs, GNVQs or A level studies.
They also provide a suite of examinations specifically designed for adults who wish to learn Welsh.
Professional development
WJEC runs a programme of professional developmentProfessional development
Professional development refers to skills and knowledge attained for both personal development and career advancement. Professional development encompasses all types of facilitated learning opportunities, ranging from college degrees to formal coursework, conferences and informal learning...
with their subject specialists and Chief or Principal Examiners. Day-long in-service training is provided at hotels and conference centres throughout England and Wales. WJEC also provides professional development courses for teachers of Welsh at primary and secondary level, and for those teaching subjects through the medium of Welsh. This service is available under the National Welsh INSET (In-Service Training) Programmes.
WJEC manages the National Grid for Learning
National Grid for Learning
The National Grid for Learning was a United Kingdom Government-funded gateway to educational resources on the Internet. It featured many individually selected links to resources and materials deemed to be of high quality...
Cymru, which provides free online teaching resources in English and Welsh through its interactive website.
National Youth Arts Wales
As part of an agreement between WJEC and local authorities in Wales, WJEC manages the National Youth Orchestra of WalesNational Youth Orchestra of Wales
The National Youth Orchestra of Wales , founded in 1945, has the distinction of being the first national youth orchestra in the world and is Europe’s longest-standing national youth orchestra....
and National Youth Theatre of Wales. These are part of National Youth Arts Wales, supported by WJEC in partnership with the Welsh Amateur Music Federation.