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Essential Digital Skills

The NOCN Essential Digital Skills Qualifications are based on the Department for Education’s National Standards for Essential Digital Skills.

The standards at Entry Level 3 and Level 1 set out the digital skills needed for life and work across five skills areas:

  • Using devices and handling information
  • Creating and editing
  • Communicating
  • Transacting
  • Being safe and responsible online

Each of the skills areas is comprised of skills statements that represent distinct, independent skills.

The NOCN Essential Digital Skills Qualifications cover the full range of skills statements to give learners the sort of comprehensive learning experience which will enable them to participate in a digital society. The assessment is holistic and covers all skills areas.

The assessments are online, set by NOCN, and made available to learners on NOCN’s e-assessment platform. Assessments make use of our unique simulated environments which accurately replicate real-world conditions. Marking is simple using NOCN Quick Marker, our new onscreen, e-marking platform for markers to quickly view and allocate marks to learner evidence.

The qualifications are included in the national entitlement for digital skills and they are fully funded for eligible learners.

Why choose NOCN?

  • Realistic assessment – our assessments use real world contexts to allow learners to demonstrate their skills and knowledge
  • Comprehensive guidance documents and support videos for tutors and learners
  • Free sample assessments
  • Assessment online and on-demand
  • Remote Invigilation options available
  • Externally set assessments, which are marked online using our Quick Marker tool
  • Free initial assessment tool
  • Diagnostic assessment 
  • Interactive content for learners 
  • Full funding available
  • Quick results
  • Gain direct claims status and get results even faster
  • Progression opportunities to other qualifications in our digital suite (Entry to Level 3)

Download a list of some of our most commonly asked questions.

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