14 to 16 Learner Entitlement Indicators Framework

The 14 to 16 learner entitlement

The 14 to 16 learning guidance sets out the 14 to 16 learner entitlement, which emphasises a broad range of learning and opportunities for young people. This supports them as they:

• make progress towards the four purposes of the Curriculum for Wales
• approach the end of their statutory schooling
• take qualifications
• prepare for the next stage in their lives, whether that is further education, training or employment

The guidance specifies that schools should ensure all learners can demonstrate and communicate their learning, progress and achievements across all 4 components of the learner entitlement by the time they complete compulsory education at age 16. 

These 4 components are:

• reflections on learning and progress and post-16 planning
• qualifications in literacy and numeracy
• qualifications to encourage breadth
• wider learning and experiences across the curriculum

Each learner’s entitlement will consist of various learning, experiences and achievements across these components.

The Welsh Government is committed to all learners following stretching and ambitious qualifications in literacy, numeracy, and the sciences, but recognises the critical issues around wellbeing and readiness to learn, wider experiences and preparation for post-16. This is in line with international expert advice and good practice on education policy.

Schools should use information and evidence relating to the above to support their self-evaluation and improvement processes informed by the principles of progression.

The 14 to 16 Learner Entitlement Indicators Framework

The 14 to 16 Learner Entitlement Indicators Framework (the Framework) outlines what the Welsh Government will routinely publish about each school alongside what information we will ask schools to make available. This supports our aim of providing a more complete, balanced and transparent view of learners’ experiences and outcomes that directly reflect the 14 to 16 learner entitlement. 

Reflecting data and information from across the 4 components of the learner entitlement, the Framework will support 14 to 16 learning under the Curriculum for Wales and enhance public understanding of learners’ experiences in schools.

New reporting arrangements aligned with the Framework will be introduced for the first time with the summer 2027 outcomes, coinciding with the first cohort of 14 to 16 learners to complete Year 11 under the Curriculum for Wales.

Qualifications remain an important part of the picture alongside the wider elements of the learner entitlement. As reformed qualifications are being introduced in 3 waves, these new reporting arrangements will be phased in. Legacy qualifications will continue to be included in reporting until reformed versions become available (for example, new Foundation qualifications will not be available for first teaching until 2027 and first reported in 2029, legacy Entry Level qualifications will be included in reporting up until then). Where they are available, only reformed qualifications will be included in the reporting.

Qualifications data will be reported at the level of individual qualifications, including entries and outcomes data, with results presented across grade ranges where this is possible for the volume of entries within a school. Importantly, these will not rely on complex composite measures that combine multiple qualifications. Where possible, indicators will be shown with context and be broken down by specific learner characteristics.

Qualifications in literacy and numeracy

Overview of entries across qualifications in Cymraeg, English, mathematics and numeracy

These will be reported by the Welsh Government as proportions of learners entered across relevant qualifications in each subject area.

Relevant qualifications for the Cymraeg overview of entries are:

• GCSE Cymraeg Language and Literature (Double Award).
• GCSE Cymraeg Language and Literature (Single Award).
• Entry Level Foundation in Cymraeg.
• GCSE Core Cymraeg.
• Entry Level Foundation in Core Cymraeg.

Reporting of Cymraeg qualifications will be sensitive to school language medium category.

Relevant qualifications for the English overview of entries are:

• GCSE English Language and Literature (Double Award).
• GCSE English Language and Literature (Single Award).
• Entry Level or Level 1 Foundation English.

Relevant qualifications for the mathematics and numeracy overview of entries are:

• GCSE Mathematics and Numeracy (Double Award).
• Entry Level or Level 1 Foundation Mathematics and Numeracy.

Entries and outcomes for relevant qualifications in Cymraeg, English, mathematics and numeracy

These will be reported by the Welsh Government as:

• proportions of learners entered for each individual qualification
• proportions of entries achieving across the grade ranges for each individual qualification (where entry numbers are sufficient to remove risk of disclosure of individuals’ data)

Qualifications that are indicated as appropriate for most learners will appear by default. Otherwise reporting will depend on learners being entered in the school.

For Cymraeg, the following awards will be included:

• GCSE Cymraeg Language and Literature (Double Award).
• GCSE Cymraeg Language and Literature (Single Award).
• Entry Level Foundation Cymraeg.
• GCSE Core Cymraeg.
• Entry Level Foundation Core Cymraeg.
• Level 2 Award in Additional Core Cymraeg.

The GCSE Cymraeg Language and Literature (Double Award) will be reported by default in a Welsh-medium or bilingual school. The GCSE Core Cymraeg will be reported by default in an English-medium or bilingual school. All other awards listed above will be reported where a learner in the school’s cohort has been entered.

For English, the following awards will be included:

• GCSE English Language and Literature (Double Award).
• GCSE English Language and Literature (Single Award).
• Entry Level or Level 1 Foundation English.

The GCSE English Language and Literature (Double Award) will be reported by default. All other awards listed above will be reported where a learner in the school’s cohort has been entered.

For mathematics and numeracy, the following awards will be included:

• GCSE Mathematics and Numeracy (Double Award).
• Entry Level or Level 1 Foundation Mathematics and Numeracy.
• Level 2 Award in Additional Mathematics.

The GCSE Mathematics and Numeracy (Double Award) will be reported by default. All other awards listed above will be reported where a learner in the school’s cohort has been entered.

Qualifications to encourage breadth

Overview of entries across qualifications in science

These will be reported by the Welsh Government as proportions of learners entered across relevant qualifications in the science subject area.

Relevant qualifications for the science overview of entries are:

• GCSE The Sciences (Double Award).
• GCSE Biology, Chemistry and Physics in combination. (continued future inclusion subject to outcome of Qualifications Wales consultation).
• GCSE Integrated Science (Single Award).
• Entry Level or Level 1 Foundation The Sciences.

Entries and outcomes for relevant qualifications in science and all other GCSE, VCSE and Foundation qualifications

These will be reported by the Welsh Government as:

• proportions of learners entered for each individual qualification
• proportions of entries achieving across the grade ranges for each individual qualification (where entry numbers are sufficient to remove risk of disclosure of individuals’ data)

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.

For science, the following awards will be included:

• GCSE The Sciences (Double Award).
• GCSE Biology.
• GCSE Chemistry.
• GCSE Physics.
• GCSE Integrated Science (Single Award).
• Entry Level or Level 1 Foundation The Sciences.

At least 1 of GCSE The Sciences (Double Award) and all 3 separate GCSEs for Biology, Chemistry and Physics will be reported by default. All other awards listed above will be reported where a learner in the school’s cohort has been entered (future inclusion of GCSE Biology, Chemistry and Physics is subject to Qualifications Wales consultation).

Wider learning and experiences across the curriculum

Entries and outcomes for Personal Project

These will be reported by the Welsh Government as:

• proportions of learners entered for each level Personal Project qualification
• proportions of entries achieving across the grade ranges for each level Personal Project qualification (where entry numbers are sufficient to remove risk of disclosure of individuals’ data)

Entries and outcomes for Skills for Life, Skills for Work, and Skills for Life and Work

These will be reported by the Welsh Government as:

• proportions of learners entered for each level of each qualification
• proportions of entries achieving an award for each level of each qualification (where entry numbers are sufficient to remove risk of disclosure of individuals’ data)

The Skills Challenge Certificate and other legacy qualifications will be reported in this component while still available to pre-16 learners and prior to these new qualifications being introduced in the third wave of implementation.

Information on the learning in relationships and sexuality education (RSE) and religion, values and ethics (RVE) that forms part of the school’s curriculum 

Schools are asked to make information on the learning in RSE and RVE that forms part of the school’s curriculum available to the public.

Information on the wider curricular and learning opportunities and participation in the school

Schools are asked to make information on the wider curricular and learning opportunities and participation in the school available to the public.

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

Schools are asked to make information on supporting learners in becoming increasingly effective at learning in the school available to the public.

Information on the approach to using Learner Voice and supporting wellbeing in the school

Schools are asked to make information on the approach to using Learner Voice and supporting wellbeing in the school available to the public. 

Attendance levels for Year 10 and Year 11 learners 

These will be reported by the Welsh Government as:

• proportions of sessions attended for each year group

Persistent absence for Year 10 and Year 11 learners 

These will be reported by the Welsh Government as:

• proportions of learners in each year group that are persistently absent
• proportions of absence for each year group that is due to persistent absenteeism

B. Post-16 planning

Information on post-16 and transition planning in the school

Schools are asked to make information on post-16 and transition planning in the school available to the public.

Destinations of past Year 11 learners

These will be reported by the Welsh Government as:

• proportions of learners in education, employment, training or none of these

Year 11 learners with no qualifications

These will be reported by the Welsh Government as:

• proportions of learners leaving Year 11 with no qualifications

Development and continued refinement

Evidence and extensive engagement demonstrated that the reporting arrangements for end of Key Stage 4 outcomes under the legacy curriculum are not well suited to supporting 14 to 16 learning under the Curriculum for Wales.

As part of the public consultation in 2025, we sought views on a proposed 14 to 16 Learner Entitlement Indicators Framework to support 14 to 16 learning under the Curriculum for Wales and aid public understanding of how individual schools are delivering this through the availability of school-level data and information on a publicly accessible platform.

Following consideration of consultation responses and feedback gathered, we published a decision report. The report confirmed that the Framework will be implemented as a set of information designed to reflect the full breadth of the learner entitlement.

We are continuing to work closely with the education sector to refine future 14 to 16 indicators and reporting arrangements. We will also continue wider engagement across the system and with key partners, including parents, carers and the public. 

We are developing digital tools and systems that facilitate the reporting and use of data. This includes the mechanisms for delivering and using the All Wales Core Data Sets provided to schools and local authorities, as well as the public facing My Local School platform. We will also be looking at the design and content of the All Wales Core Data Sets to align with new reporting arrangements and incorporate additional features that would support schools and local authorities further with their self-evaluation and improvement activity.

We will ensure that schools and stakeholders are supported as we move to implementation of the new reporting arrangements.

Updates on the development of the Framework will be highlighted in the Dysg newsletter.