Transferable skills subject interpretation for the Pearson Edexcel International GCSE in Accounting (9-1)

Transferable skills will help students cope with the different demands of degree study and provide a solid skills base that enables them to adapt and thrive in different environments across educational
stages; and ultimately into employment.

A good international education should enable students to start developing transferable skills as early as possible. Developing these transferable skills where they naturally occur as part of the International
GCSE curriculum can help build learner confidence and embed the importance of this well-rounded development. This builds the foundations to ensure students are ready for A-level and higher education.

Our approach to enhancing transferable skills in our International GCSEs ensures that it is not only the academic and cognitive skills that are developed, but those broader elements that universities highlight
as being essential for success. Skills such as self-directed study, independent research, self-awareness of own strengths and weaknesses and time-management are skills that students cannot learn from a
textbook but have to be developed through the teaching and learning experience that can be provided through an international curriculum.

To support the design of our qualifications, the Pearson Research Team selected and evaluated seven global 21st-century skills frameworks. Following on from this process, we identified the National
Research Council’s (NRC) framework as the most evidence-based and robust skills framework.

In the tables below, we have taken the NRC framework skills and provided an explicit definition of how each skill can be interpreted for this subject. This will enable teachers and learners to understand
examples of how they can develop each skill through the International GCSE in Accounting.

Intrapersonal skills Interpersonal skills Cognitive skills

Adaptability Ability to select and apply knowledge and Communication Able to communicate an accounting Critical thinking Using many different pieces of
understanding of accounting processes, process or technique (verbally or information from books of original
which is not prompted or provided to written) to peers and teachers and entry and ledger accounts and
accounting problems. answer questions from others. synthesising this information to
create and interpret financial
statements and make judgements.
Personal and Appreciate ethical issues in accounting. Collaboration Carrying out a peer review to provide Problem solving Apply accounting concepts to
social supportive feedback to another. accounting procedures.
responsibility

Continuous Planning and reflecting on own learning, Teamwork Working with other students in an Analysis Analyse and interpret data and
Learning setting goals and meeting them regularly accounting-based problem-solving drawing conclusions which are
exercise. consistent with evidence from the
books of account.
Intellectual Identifying a problem under own initiative, Co-operation Sharing own resources and own learning Reasoning/argumentation Evaluate information related to
interest and planning a solution and carrying this out. techniques with other students. accounting concepts and identities,
curiosity Cooperating in problem-solving
making judgements on the basis of
this information.

Work ethic/conscientiousness Interpersonal skills Using verbal and non-verbal Interpretation Select, organise and present
communication skills, including relevant information clearly and
numerical skills, in a dialogue about
logically using appropriate
accounting.
vocabulary, definitions and
conventions.
Initiative Using accounting knowledge, independently Empathy/perspective Understanding financial situations from Decision Making Evaluate data and trends, drawing
(without guided learning), to further own talking the perspective of multiple stakeholders conclusions, which are consistent
understanding. with evidence from accounting
sources. Suggest possible
improvements and further actions.
Self-direction Planning and carrying out accounting- based Negotiation Adaptive learning Learn about unifying patterns and
problem-solving under own direction. themes in the accounting context
 and use them in new and changing
situations.

Responsibility Taking responsibility for any errors or Leadership Executive function Use accounting and critical thinking
omissions in own work and creating a plan to skills based on the data available
improve. and within the relevant context.
Evaluate the effectiveness of a
business's financial situation in
terms of accuracy, validity and
reliability.
Perseverance Actively seeking new ways to continue and Leadership Leading others in a group activity to Creativity
improve own learning despite setbacks. effectively solve an accounting problem
Productivity Develop a fluency in technical language so Responsibility Taking responsibility for the outcomes of Creativity Apply existing knowledge of
sophisticated answers of depth are produced a team exercise, even if one is not solely accounting principles and procedures
in extended answers to accounting responsible for the output. to situations set in an unfamiliar
questions. context.
Self-regulation Developing and refining a strategy over time Assertive Chairing or leading a debate, allowing Innovation Using a novel strategy to apply
(metacognition, for applications of accounting, to different communication representations and directing the existing knowledge of accounting
forethought, contexts reflecting on the success or conversation to a conclusion. concepts in unaccustomed
reflection) otherwise of the strategy situations.

Ethics Producing output with a specific moral Self-presentation Presenting an accounting or financial
purpose for which one is accountable. problem or idea to an audience to seek
solutions.
Integrity Taking ownership for own work and willingly
responding to questions and challenges.
Positive Core Self Evaluation

Self- Planning and reviewing own work as a