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Workplace Literacy and Workplace Numeracy Series
Helping rank-and-file workers improve English listening, speaking reading, writing skills and better mathematical skills
Last updated 21 May 2025
What is Workplace Literacy and Numeracy (WPLN)?
Workplace Literacy (WPL) - improves your English literacy (Reading, Listening, Speaking and Writing)
Workplace Numeracy (WPN) - improves your Numeracy
There are eight language proficiency levels in the WPLN series. Before applying for WPLN training, you will have to go through an assessment to be placed into the right training level.
Overview of WPLN course types and their corresponding assessment modalities
Course Type | Modalities covered in the course | Modalities to be taken for assessment onwards |
WPL (Comprehensive) | Reading, Listening, Speaking, Writing | Reading, Listening, Speaking, Writing |
WPL (Writing) | Reading, Writing | Reading, Writing |
WPL (Conversational) | Reading, Listening, | Reading, Listening, |
WPN | Numeracy | Numeracy |
Training recommendation will be based on the selected WPL or WPN training pathway with relevant modalities for WPLN assessment.
The WPLN assessments are computer-based. For more details on the WPLN assessments, please visit British Council (Singapore) Limited’s website.
How does the WPLN Certification work?
The Candidate Report issued by British Council (Singapore) Limited will reflect the individual’s results for each component completed (Listening, Reading, Speaking, Writing, Core Grammar and Vocabulary, and Numeracy) in terms of a skill score (out of 50 points per skill).
The corresponding WPLN proficiency level will also be reported for each component, except for Core Grammar and Vocabulary.
Results are reported separately for each skill.
Individuals’ WPLN assessment results will be available through British Council (Singapore) Limited’s registration and payment system within 5 days of the assessments being completed.
WPLN Appointed Assessment Centre
British Council (Singapore) Limited is the appointed assessment centre for the WPLN assessments.
The main assessment venues are at:
British Council (Napier Road Centre) British Council (Paya Lebar) |
To register for the WPLN assessments, please visit British Council (Singapore) Limited’s website.
Who can take the assessment?
Minimum age:
16 years old
If you are taking the assessment in order to enter ITE's part-time Nitec and Higher Nitec courses, MOE has set a minimum age rule for female (18 years old) and male (20 years old - after serving National Service).
Basic Understanding of English Language
To write your name and your particulars without much difficulty
What are the types of assessment fees?
Singapore Citizens (SCs) and Singapore Permanent Residents (PRs) are eligible for assessment fee subsidy. This is not applicable for individuals who attempt the same component within the three months lockout period.
Overview of assessment fees
Assessment Component | Nett Fees excluding GST | ||
Singapore Citizens / Permanent Residents | Singapore Citizens | Foreigners | |
Reading | $12.00 | $4.00 | $40.00 |
Listening | |||
Speaking | |||
Writing | |||
Numeracy | |||
Enhanced funding support is available for Small and Medium Enterprises sending workers for assessment. There is no separate assessment fee for the Core Grammar and Vocabulary component.
Individuals who have not gone through or complete the WPLN training programme after pre-training assessment have to observe a three-month (90 days) lockout period between assessments. This guideline would not apply to those who have attended and completed the recommended WPLN training programme.