DCF Cymru Digital competence for Wales

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Foundation Expressive Arts

Foundation Expressive Arts is a 120 hour, all coursework qualification for learners aged 14 to 16 working at Entry Level and Level 1, covering Art and Design, Drama, Dance, Music, and Digital Media and Film. Learners study the work of others (Unit 1), create a piece from a WJEC stimulus with a reflective log (Unit 2) and produce or perform two pieces (Unit 3). Digital work is mostly a matter of choice: Unit 1 responses and the Unit 2 log can be audio, audio-visual, PowerPoint, annotated screenshots, blog or vlog, and learners who pick Digital Media and Film, or sound and lighting design in Drama, create and edit digital content. Appendix B maps Citizenship to Unit 1, Producing to Unit 2 and Interacting and Collaborating to Units 2 and 3.

Awarding body
WJEC
Level
Entry Level and Level 1
First taught
September 2027
Amount of digital work
Low
Specification
Open the specification
How this qualification is assessed
  • Unit 1: Discovering the work of others: Non-examination assessment (three reflective tasks on two works from two art forms), maximum 6 hours, 25%, 25 marks, set and marked by WJEC, no prescribed format, first assessed Summer 2028
  • Unit 2: Developing my own ideas: Non-examination assessment (practical piece in response to a WJEC stimulus and a reflective log), 25%, 25 marks, set by WJEC, marked by the centre and moderated by WJEC, first assessed Summer 2028
  • Unit 3: Showcasing my skills: Non-examination assessment (practical assessment, two pieces or performances from the same or different art forms), 50%, 40 marks, set by WJEC, marked by the centre and moderated by WJEC, first assessed Summer 2029

Skills that use Sourcing, searching and planning digital content

  1. Finding and crediting works from Wales and the world

    Assessed: In coursework (non-examination assessment, NEA)

    Learners explore expressive arts works from Wales and the wider world and select one piece in or inspired by Wales and one from outside Wales for Unit 1. Much of this research, and the suggested experience of professional work on screen, happens online, so learners need to search well and say where each work comes from. Appendix B maps the Citizenship strand to Unit 1.

    DCF: Sourcing, searching and planning digital content, Digital rights, licensing and ownership

    Getting pupils ready

    Year 7
    Pupils search a gallery or museum website for one Welsh artwork and write down its title, artist, date and web address under a picture of it.
    Year 8
    Pupils use a teacher made list of websites to find a song by a Welsh band and one from another country, and record a short reference list for both.
    Year 9
    Pupils find a professional dance or theatre clip online, check it is posted by the company or an official channel, and explain why they may use it in class but must not present it as their own.
    Show the specification wording and the DCF statements

    Where it is in the specification: Unit 1, Overview, page 10; Section 3.2, Unit 1, page 18; Opportunities for integration of learning experiences, page 16; Appendix B, page 30

    “Learners will explore a range of expressive arts works from Wales and the wider world.”
    Progression step 3

    • I can adjust keywords and search techniques to find relevant information.

    • I can begin to reference sources used in my work, and consider if content is reliable.

    • I can understand that copying the work of others and presenting it as my own is plagiarism.

    • I can cite sources when researching and explain the importance of this, e.g. create simple lists for the referencing of digital and offline sources.

    Progression step 4

    • I can evaluate the reliability of sources of information, justify my opinions and reasons for choices, and reference using appropriate methods.

    • I can understand copyright and can explain the legal and ethical dimensions of respecting creative work, e.g. exploring the ethical and legal ramifications of piracy and plagiarism and know that they are irresponsible and disrespectful, and I can apply my understanding of the rules and regulations to different scenarios.

    • I can act responsibly as creator and user of creative work, e.g. exploring decisions that creators make when exercising their creative rights and responsibilities, giving consideration to ethical, real-life issues.

  2. Creating and editing Digital Media and Film work

    Assessed: In coursework (non-examination assessment, NEA)

    Digital Media and Film is one of the five art forms learners can choose, described as creating and editing content with video, sound, graphics, animation and photography, with storyboarding and technical production skills. Learners who choose it make their Unit 2 piece or Unit 3 pieces digitally, and photography and digital art also appear under Art and Design.

    DCF: Sourcing, searching and planning digital content, Creating digital content

    Getting pupils ready

    Year 7
    Pupils plan a six frame storyboard on paper, then shoot the six photographs on a tablet and put them in order with captions in a slideshow app.
    Year 8
    Pupils film a 30 second scene in groups from a storyboard and edit it in a simple video editor, trimming clips and adding a title and one sound effect.
    Year 9
    Pupils plan, film and edit a one minute trailer for an imaginary horror or comedy film, choosing music, cuts and text to suit the genre.
    Show the specification wording and the DCF statements

    Where it is in the specification: Unit 1, Section 1.1.1, page 11; Units 2 and 3, Sections 2.1.2 and 3.1.2, pages 13 and 15; Appendix A, pages 26 and 28

    “creating and editing content using digital technology, such as video, sound, graphics”
    Progression step 3

    • I can independently create and plan work before beginning a digital task.

    • I can use a range of software to select, produce and edit a range of multimedia components for a purpose, such as:

      • text and images, e.g. format text (bold, underline, italics, highlight); insert and edit text boxes; columns; use refine tools (spellchecker, find and replace); word wrap; crop; alter size and shape; alter images; add effects; trim and split sound and video clips; transitions; onion skin
      • presentation, e.g. page orientation; animations; transitions; remove and alter images; use background; use action buttons to create hyperlink; embed objects.

    • I can use software tools to enhance the outcomes for specific audiences.

    Progression step 4

    • I can select and effectively use a variety of planning techniques.

    • I can select and use a variety of appropriate software, tools and techniques to create, modify and combine multimedia components for a range of audiences and purposes, such as:

      • text and images, e.g. explore and use effectively image manipulation techniques; explore and use appropriately the many aspects of document layout; use animation, video and audio effects such as echo, tempo, envelope, layering, frame rate, key frames
      • presentation, e.g. use design tools; adapt themes and colours to suit the purpose; create master templates.

Good to know

Links with other qualifications

There is no GCSE Expressive Arts; the specification says it gives "a broad basis for progression onto GCSE qualifications in the Expressive Arts area" (page 7). Its five art forms match GCSE Art and Design, GCSE Drama, GCSE Dance, GCSE Music and GCSE Digital Media and Film. The digital work here, such as filming and editing, sound and lighting cues, digital reflective logs and researching works online, is a first step towards the heavier digital content of GCSE Digital Media and Film and the sound design, music technology and multimedia logs in GCSE Drama, GCSE Music and GCSE Dance.

Source: WJEC Entry Level/Level 1 Foundation Expressive Arts specification, approved by Qualifications Wales, teaching from September 2027, for award from 2029 (© WJEC CBAC Ltd 2026).