Qualifications in Wales

The QiW database is owned and managed by Qualifications Wales, the regulator of non-degree qualifications and the qualifications system in Wales.

QiW contains details of all qualifications that are approved or designated for teaching in Wales for learners aged under 19, excluding higher education.

Any qualifications that are approved or designated by Qualifications Wales will be eligible for funding by a Local Authority or by Welsh Government. This funding is for the education provider, not the learner.

Information held in QiW includes:

• qualification titles;
• qualification numbers;
• the Awarding Body that awards each qualification;
• qualification start and end dates;
• links to further qualification information;
• Welsh Government information including:
  • whether it counts as a choice for 14-19 Learning Pathways;
  • performance measures information;

QiW will enable you to:

• search for and view qualification records;
• save your searches;
• compare qualification information;
• export qualification data;
• save qualification data;
• print off qualification data;

School Performance Measures – Roles and Responsibilities

Please note that the Welsh Government sets policy on school performance measurement and decides on the allocation of contribution values of qualifications, performance points and the discount codes applied to individual qualifications. QiW hosts this information. If you have any queries on how qualifications contribute towards performance measures, including GCSE/A level equivalency values, performance points or discount codes, please contact ims@gov.wales.

Qualifications Wales Approval/Designation Number

QiW is an independent system that is not reliant on RITS/The Register. All qualifications in QiW will be allocated a unique identification code known as a Qualifications Wales Approval/Designation Number. Centres should use this number when making curriculum choices.

Please note: Qualifications that are ONLY available in Wales will ONLY have a QW Approval/Designation number.

National Qualifications

National qualifications are the new qualifications for 14 – 16 year olds in Wales. They will all be in place by September 2027 and will include qualifications from entry level to level 2, across a range of subjects.