Community learning
and development

A group of young people, including 5 boys and 1 girl. The boys are talking to each other. They represent learning in the community, and the support that the SCQF offers in the field of CLD
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Learners Educators Employers Credit Rating
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Learners Educators Employers Credit Rating
Participants from the Health Issues in the Community course, which is on the SCQF, stand together in a group, smiling at the camera.

Helping Scotland
reach its potential

Community learning and development (CLD) is central to ensuring communities across Scotland reach their potential through lifelong learning.

The Scottish Credit and Qualifications Framework (SCQF) is an important tool for those in CLD as it shows qualifications with the same SCQF levels are valued equally. It also shows how individuals can progress in their learning as they navigate through the different SCQF levels.

CLD qualifications

There are many credit rated CLD qualifications, and these can be found on the SCQF Register. There are also lots of CLD qualifications that are not credit rated, and more information on these is available from the individual learning providers.

Our framework diagram below features a sample of SCQF credit rated learning programmes up to SCQF level 6 that are taught in the community. Some of these are available at multiple SCQF levels. For example, the Comedy & Confidence award is available at levels 3, 4 and 5.

A purple grid chart showing examples of Community Learning and Development (CLD) programmes mapped across SCQF levels 1 to 6. A vertical arrow on the left indicates increasing SCQF levels from 1 at the bottom to 6 at the top. Each row contains example awards at that level, including (from bottom to top): Level 1: Adult Learning and Transition Bronze Award; Cycling Award; Personal Achievement Award Level 2: Hi5 Award; ESOL for Scottish Life; Ready for Retail; Personal Development Award Level 3: Dynamic Youth; Adult Achievement programme; Young Enterprise Scotland Team Programme; Steps to Work Award Level 4: Climate Emergency Training; Confidence Award; Volunteering Award; Social & Emotional Development Level 5: Mental Health & Wellbeing; Adventure & Challenge Award; Participatory Democracy Certificate; Personal Finance Level 6: Youth Work PDA; Adult Learning in Scotland PDA; Higher ESOL; Gold Youth Achievement Award All programmes are labelled with their awarding organisations (e.g. Qualifications Scotland, Youth Scotland, Outward Bound, etc.).
A group of participants take part in activity, led by Anna Devitt as part of her Comedy and Confidence qualifications, which are on the SCQF

What is credit rating?

Credit rating is a process whereby a learning programme undergoes a rigorous process before being assigned an SCQF level and credit points and placed on the Framework. Having your learning programme placed on the SCQF is a quality mark and can help a learning programme be recognised not just in Scotland, but across the rest of the UK and Europe.

Interested in having your learning programme credit rated? Book into our free ‘Would You Credit It’ workshop, or contact us for more information.

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Glossary Term

Authority

Appears at Level 12 only where it is used in the phrase ‘demonstrate substantial authority’, reflecting a recognised high level and depth of expertise/expert knowledge and understanding, along with confidence. It does not mean ‘exercise authority over staff and resources’ etc, as that could clearly apply at earlier levels.

Glossary Term

Exercise

Used in connection with management and/or supervisory responsibility, denotes a requirement of a formal, substantive role.

Glossary Term

Directive

Applied to ‘supervision’, signifies a task or activity that is guided.

Glossary Term

Graphical Data

Encompasses maps, plans, diagrams, tables and graphs.

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Synthesis

Combine discrete elements into a coherent whole.

Glossary Term

Analysis

Examine in detail with a view to explanation and interpretation.

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Present

Set out, put forward, deliver information using a variety of mediums as appropriate.

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Hypothetical

Supposed, assumed for the sake of argument.

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Straightforward

Clear and uncomplicated activity, but not as demanding or systematic and therefore not as advanced as ‘routine’.

Glossary Term

Creativity

Often used in combination with ‘originality’. There is overlap in definition, but the defining characteristic of creativity appears to be imagination.

Glossary Term

Originality

Often used in combination with ‘creativity’. There is overlap in definition, but the defining characteristic of originality appears to be independence.

Glossary Term

Professional

Used throughout as an adjective and applied to terms including level, skills, techniques, practices, contexts, and issues where it bears broad interpretation as ‘behaving appropriately/doing things properly and well and to notions of accepted, (including externally) prescribed standards’, as well as narrow, relating to a specific occupation designated as a profession. In this latter sense, the term applies in all contexts including academic study, eg footnoting properly.

Glossary Term

Unfamiliar

New territory for an activity.

Glossary Term

Routine

Used as an adjective throughout and applied to terms including skills, tasks, elements, practices, contexts, methods and problems where it describes activity that is standard, usual, unvarying, customary, common.

Glossary Term

Everyday

Slightly more advanced and beyond personal but a known experience/activity encountered/applied regularly - less advanced than ‘familiar’.

Glossary Term

Familiar

Often encountered or experienced; common; something one has a good knowledge of - more advanced than ‘personal’ and ‘everyday’, not as advanced as ‘routine’.

Glossary Term

Personal

An experience relating only or primarily to the person – one would expect to start here then widen out into the rest of the world, so not as advanced as ‘familiar’.

Glossary Term

Critical

Fully informed, capable of supporting in-depth analysis and assessment.

Glossary Term

Discerning

Using judgement to recognise differences but not fully equipped/informed to analyse and discuss them in depth, so less advanced than critical.

Glossary Term

Awareness

Consciousness, including a background consciousness. Can be a starting point for further exploration.

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Appreciation

A sense, perception, a hold, fix or grasp of one or more of the various aspects of a subject/discipline/sector.

Glossary Term

Understanding

A thorough and firm grasp of a subject/discipline/sector or an element or elements of it, derived from education/study, experience and reasoning in appropriate combination. Can be defined as ‘know why’, as opposed to ‘know that’. More holistic knowledge of processes and contexts, so more advanced than appreciation and knowledge.

Glossary Term

Simple

Undemanding activity not necessarily part of a formal structure - not as advanced as ‘basic’.

Glossary Term

Knowledge

Facts, ideas, theories and concepts in a subject/discipline/sector acquired through experience and/or education – a surer grasp than appreciation so more advanced.

Glossary Term

Basic

Activity is early stepping stone on a structure or framework that can be built upon – more advanced than ‘simple’.