Professional Focus Paper
Practical Craft Skills
1.
Level: National 1
Who is this paper for and what is its purpose?
This paper is for staff who provide learning, teaching and support as learners work towards Practical Craft Skills
National 1.
Curriculum for Excellence is a unique opportunity to raise achievement and to ensure that all learners are better
prepared than they have been in the past for learning, life and work. This is because the new curriculum gives real
scope to build learning from 3 to 18 in a joined-up, seamless way. As a result, progression in learning can be much
stronger, with a clear focus on knowledge, understanding, skills, capabilities and attributes. These are delivered
through the experiences and outcomes of the 3–15 Broad General Education (BGE) and, at the senior phase,
through programmes that build directly on the BGE, leading to qualifications. Because of a strengthened focus on
the nature and quality of learning experiences and increased learner participation in every aspect of the learning,
teaching and assessment cycle, self-motivation is likely to be increased and learners consequently more engaged
and enthused. To ensure continuity and progression, qualifications at the senior phase have been designed to
embrace this unambiguous focus on high-quality learning.
Curriculum for Excellence has the flexibility to meet the needs of all learners in their local circumstances, enabling
each to achieve their very best. For example, some centres may take the opportunity to offer qualifications over two
years, whereas others may enable learners to work towards qualifications within one year. In both cases, the
advice in this paper is relevant to the learning and teaching approaches that learners will encounter. This paper is
intended to stimulate professional reflection and dialogue about learning. It highlights important features of learning
which are enhanced or different from previous arrangements at this SCQF level.
How will you plan for progression in learning and teaching, building on the BGE, to meet the needs of all learners?
2.
What’s new and what are the implications for learning and teaching?
At National 1, Practical Craft Skills consist of three units providing learners with relevant experiences to develop
skills for learning, life and work. The units are:
 Working with Craft Tools
 Making a Craftwork Item
 Working with Materials.
At National 1 the units are standalone, and to achieve a Practical Craft Skills unit at National 1 learners must be
able to achieve the outcome within the unit with the appropriate level of support and resources. At National 1
learning should be relevant to the learner’s everyday life, their overall learning programme and/or work and leisure.
PRACTICAL CRAFT SKILLS
The outcomes across the range of Practical Craft Skills units at National 1 and other areas of the curriculum may
be linked together to provide personalised achievement opportunities for all learners, for example:
 Practical Craft Skills: Working with Materials could link directly with Creative Arts: Working with Textiles,
Creative Arts: Creating Materials for Display and Creative Arts: Creating Materials for Performance
 Practical Crafts: Making a Craftwork Item could link directly to Personal Development: Taking Part in a Leisure
Time Activity and Food Preparation: Presenting Food
 all three Practical Craft Skills units could link with the Personal Achievement Award National 1 units Hobbies
and Interests, and Enterprise.
Progression for learners may be to other Practical Craft Skills National 1 units, Practical Craft Skills National 2
units, and to further study, employment and/or training. The nature of this progression will depend on the individual
needs of the learner.
What are the key aspects of Practical Craft Skills National 1?
Integrated approach to experiences and skills development
Practical Craft Skills units at National 1 build on the experiences and skills developed within the BGE. A range of
contexts, including within the local community, will broaden and extend learners’ experiences and enable them to
apply their skills across a range of curricular areas. Practical Craft Skills units give learners the opportunity to select
and use a number of different craft tools and common materials, for example scissors, glue guns, craft knives,
sewing machines, embellishers, textiles, clay, paint, cardboard, felt and papier mache. Activities could include
sorting and matching materials, measuring and marking out, following a template, design, instructions or
procedures, and using personal safety equipment. For some learners, with more complex needs, specific targets
may be set within their individualised educational programmes to ensure literacy and thinking skills are developed.
In planning experiences and skill development in Practical Craft Skills National 1 staff should also take account of
the targets set in other curricular areas, including literacy, numeracy, and health and wellbeing.
Wider range of evidence of learning
There is a clear focus on assessment as an integral part of learning and teaching. Staff will want to use their
interactions with learners to form judgments of how teaching and tasks are to be directed to meet learners’ needs.
At National 1 it is anticipated that most evidence for assessment purposes will be gathered on a naturally occurring
basis. A variety of assessment approaches should be used to allow a range of valid and reliable assessment
evidence to be gathered. Such approaches might include:
 observation of evidence demonstrated during an activity (using an observation checklist, visual recording,
photography or equivalent)
 oral questioning before, during and on completion of a task (recorded using audio-visual or audio recording or
using detailed written assessor notes)
 the centre’s own assessment tools
 learning and teaching activities that generate physical evidence for assessment
 identifying opportunities to record evidence within other curricular areas and/or other environments.
These examples of evidence could be used by learners and/or staff to build a portfolio to demonstrate progress
across the outcomes in the range of Practical Craft Skills units. Staff should develop criteria of success where the
focus is placed on small, well-defined steps in learning. In this way the learner with more complex needs is more
likely to achieve success and be able to progress within the level or on to the next level. Staff should ensure that
different approaches to assessment are matched to the individual learner’s needs, including accurate and regular
feedback, as appropriate. Where possible, learners should be at the centre of this process so they have a clear
PRACTICAL CRAFT SKILLS
understanding of what will be assessed and how it will be assessed. They should also be supported and involved in
selecting the assessment evidence that best demonstrates the knowledge, understanding, skills, capabilities and
attributes they have developed and demonstrated. Staff have the flexibility to manage the support requirements for
each learner. They may also keep informal records as part of the learning and teaching approaches to show how
the learner is progressing.
Hierarchy of units
Programmes of learning should be planned to encourage learners to aim for the highest level of achievement.
There is no mandatory content at Practical Craft Skills National 1 but the general aims of the units provide learners
with opportunities to:
 work with tools used in craftwork
 make a craftwork item for a given purpose using craft tools and common materials
 work with common materials used in craftwork.
This will help learners to develop and improve their skills in familiar and not so familiar settings and for a range of
purposes. These experiences, skills and knowledge will be developed further in National 2 and beyond, and across
National 1 units in other curricular areas. Careful planning of contexts will be required to ensure learners can move
within and between National 1 and National 2 units, as appropriate.
What are the key features of learning in Practical Craft Skills National 1?
Active learning
Learners will be expected to take an active role in the learning process, working individually and collaboratively to
develop skills. Learners may require individualised differentiation of tasks and activities to promote their
engagement in learning and to support their achievements at Practical Craft Skills National 1. Learners will require
varying degrees of support to enable them to achieve the outcomes and assessment standards. Some learners
may take part at an experiential or sensory level, where they require full support. Some may require frequent
direction and support to enable them to take part, while others may take part independently or with intermittent
support. For a few learners, with more complex additional support needs, where the outcomes in a Practical Craft
Skills National 1 unit may not be fully achievable, the experiences gained in Practical Craft Skills units will enhance
learning and may contribute to their success within other National 1 units. Using a variety of different
methodologies, active learning approaches and support models will ensure learning experiences meet the needs of
all learners.
Personalised learning and learning independently
At Practical Craft Skills National 1 learners have real opportunities to develop skills for learning, life and work in
ways that are stimulating, challenging, relevant and enjoyable. These opportunities may be related to their specific
needs, interests and choices, which in turn promote engagement. For example, learners can be supported to work
on following instructions and procedures as they undertake an activity they enjoy. This will develop skills and
knowledge through application within the practical activity, such as creating decorations like bunting, flags and
table centres for a centre event, party or celebration. Learners with complex needs will require varying degrees of
staff support for all or part of the tasks. Well-defined assessment tasks will determine the level of support an
individual learner may require at any given point within the learning and teaching environment. Learners should be
given the opportunity to use their normal mode of communication and have access to the appropriate resources
identified to support their learning, for example:
 working with tools and materials (pictorial representation of different tools, step-by-step audio/visual clues of the
routines for using tools safely, keeping the work area tidy, storing tools and materials)
PRACTICAL CRAFT SKILLS




access to adapted equipment and switches
voice output communication aids, signing and pictorial/symbol systems
an identified level of staff support to access, participate in and achieve tasks
an adapted environment.
How will you plan opportunities for learners to learn independently as appropriate?
How will you plan contexts to ensure there is progression without unnecessary repetition of content?
Responsibility for learning
The quality of the relationships of the range of staff supporting the learner and a clear understanding of individual
needs will enhance the learner’s ability to engage in and, as appropriate to individual needs, take responsibility for
their learning. Learners progress at different rates and will require different levels of support depending on the
task/activity to be undertaken. Staff should be aware of the types and range of supports required to enable the
learner to experience success and achievement with the least possible intervention. Personalised learning, with
clear links to previous learning, progress and achievement, ensures that learning, teaching and individual
educational programmes are tailored to the learners’ needs across the contexts for learning. Learners’ preferred
methods of communication and the increasing use of technology will play an important role in allowing learners to
take increased responsibility for learning.
Learners should be encouraged to monitor their own progress, where appropriate. Learners can be guided towards
building their own understanding of the learning process using a range of strategies. For those learners who are at
the earliest stages of reading and writing or who require positive behaviour support strategies the following could
be used:
 visual self-assessment (photographic, pictorial, graphic)
 oral, gestural and signing responses
 an achievement reward system (stickers, certificates).
How will you support learners to take responsibility for and plan their own learning?
What key areas will you communicate with learners to ensure they are making progress with the aims of the
course?
Collaborative learning
Learning and teaching approaches should encourage and develop collaborative working, including learning from
each other. When planning collaborative learning and teaching approaches staff will want to consider how
individual learners can be encouraged and supported to take on roles that provide appropriate challenge and also
meaningful opportunities to contribute to the group and to experience success. Many practical activity contexts
enable learners to work with a partner and in a group. Working collaboratively provides the relevant and real-life
contexts and situations that promote knowledge and understanding of life outside home and school.
Communication and thinking skills development is likely to be enhanced in activity contexts where learners are
encouraged to take on a range of roles and responsibilities, for example learners could work together to plan their
contribution to the school fair. This could include deciding on the items they will make, selecting the tools and
materials best suited for the job, sourcing the materials and setting up a timeline and production work schedule.
PRACTICAL CRAFT SKILLS
Learners can experience taking a lead in the planning process, working with a partner when making the items and
working with staff and other adults when participating in the fair. Working together and supporting each other in this
way will encourage learners to build positive relationships while demonstrating awareness and respect for others.
How might you develop collaborative approaches to learning and make effective use of technology?
Applying learning
For learners with complex needs, learning experiences linked to strengths, interests and choices will enable them
to develop practical skills and knowledge within the area of creative arts. Staff should ensure that tasks and
activities are clearly linked to outcomes, which in turn will allow learners to demonstrate their knowledge,
understanding, skills, capabilities and attributes, accompanied by whatever support model has been identified for
the individual. There will be learning opportunities which develop thinking skills as well as literacy and numeracy
skills across the Practical Craft Skills units. A central theme is to encourage learners to use their existing and
emerging skills in a range of contexts in the centre, at home and in the community. Opportunities for learners to
use and apply their practical craft skills across other curricular areas will help to ensure that their skills and usual
mode of communication are reinforced and transferrable. Working in partnership with parents/carers, staff can
ensure that learners can use and practise their skills in as natural a context as possible. For example, to mark a
special family event or celebration, learners could decorate a picture frame displaying a photograph they have
taken or art work they have created. Staff can support parents to create visual/verbal prompts to practise cutting
and fine motor skills using scissors and other tools as well as tidying up their work area when they have finished a
project. Learners will be able to apply their developing skills and knowledge to enrich their learning across all
aspects of the curriculum.
How can you ensure that learners can access opportunities to apply their learning in other curriculum areas?
3.
Qualification information
The SQA website provides you with the following documents:
 unit specification
 support notes
 unit assessment support packages.
Full information on arrangements for this qualification is available on the SQA website.
Further information on the developments in National units is available on SQA's National 1 unit web page:
www.sqa.org.uk/national1.
T +44 (0)141 282 5000 E enquiries@educationscotland.gov.uk W www.educationscotland.gov.uk
Education Scotland, Denholm House, Almondvale Business Park, Almondvale Way, Livingston EH54 6GA
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