Skills for Life: Equality, Diversity and Inclusion
Equality, Diversity and Inclusion is an Open Awards Skills for Life unit in which learners explore what makes people similar and different, act fairly and inclusively, and recognise and challenge unfairness and discrimination, reaching legislation, equity and protected characteristics at Level 1 and Level 2. It is 10 GLH at Entry 1 and Entry 2 and 20 GLH from Entry 3 to Level 2, assessed through provider-set tasks collected in a portfolio. Digital demand is low: no criterion requires digital work, and digital skills appear only as optional formats, such as a digital presentation or a social media post that challenges a bias.
- Awarding body
- Open Awards
- Level
- Entry Level 1 to Level 2
- Guided learning hours
- 20
- First taught
- September 2027
- Amount of digital work
- Low
- Specification
- Open the specification
How this unit is assessed
- Entry Level 1 (CBM051), 1 credit, 10 GLH: Three learning outcomes: identify what makes people similar and different and what makes them special, give examples of treating people fairly, take part in an inclusive activity and show how being included feels, recognise unfairness, show fairness with simple words or actions and demonstrate listening. Suggested tasks are matching, sorting, simple discussion, practical and observation tasks set and marked by the provider.
- Entry Level 2 (CBM052), 1 credit, 10 GLH: Identify ways people are diverse, state what equality means, recognise that fairness can differ, give examples of respect, take part as a supportive team member, say why inclusion matters, identify unfairness in a familiar setting, carry out an action to promote fairness and resolve a simple disagreement. Evidence is from identification, short and verbal responses, group and scenario tasks.
- Entry Level 3 (CBM053), 2 credits, 20 GLH: Give a definition of equality, identify at least three diversity characteristics, explain rights and responsibilities, give examples of how positive relationships are built, promote inclusion in a group activity, identify ways to celebrate diversity, identify discrimination, carry out a planned response to unfairness and express views on fairness. The suggested task table is a copy of the Entry Level 2 table.
- Level 1 (CBM054), 2 credits, 20 GLH: Describe equality and diversity, outline benefits of an inclusive environment, identify at least two pieces of equality legislation, give examples of maintaining positive relationships, demonstrate respectful communication, outline ways to celebrate diversity, identify discrimination in a scenario, create a plan to address unfairness and take part in an activity that challenges it. Tasks include written or oral, research or presentation, scenario, planning and group tasks.
- Level 2 (CBM055), 2 credits, 20 GLH: Define equality, diversity and inclusion, explain the purpose of anti-discrimination legislation, analyse equality against equity, analyse the protected characteristics, compare the impact of stereotyping and prejudice, produce a strategy for inclusion, describe forms of discrimination, assess a problem of unfairness and create a reasoned response to challenge discrimination. Tasks allow written, spoken, visual or digital formats, including posters, podcasts, video and digital presentations.
Skills that use Online behaviour and online bullying
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Challenging stereotypes and bias in online and media content
At Level 2 one suggested reasoned response to discrimination is a social media post with clear, factual reasoning to challenge a bias, and at Level 1 learners may contribute research to a presentation on tackling stereotypes in the media. The criteria require a reasoned response and an activity that challenges unfairness, but the online and media versions are examples only, so this is taught, not assessed.
DCF: Online behaviour and online bullying, Health and well-being
Getting pupils ready
- Year 7
- Pupils sort a set of made up online comments into kind, unkind and discriminatory, and say what makes the discriminatory ones unacceptable.
- Year 8
- Pupils look at 3 adverts or video thumbnails, spot a stereotype in one of them and explain how it could make some viewers feel.
- Year 9
- Pupils write a short, factual social media post that challenges a common stereotype, checking the facts they use and the tone before sharing it with the class only.
Show the specification wording and the DCF statements
Where it is in the specification: Level 1 AC 3.3, Indicative Content, page 27; Level 2 AC 2.2 and AC 3.3, Indicative Content, pages 30 and 31
“developing a social media post with clear, factual reasoning to challenge a bias”
Progression step 3
I can recognise language that could be deemed to be offensive (including racist, sexist, homophobic and transphobic language) in online activities.
I can demonstrate appropriate online behaviour and apply a range of strategies to protect myself and others from possible online dangers, bullying and inappropriate behaviour, e.g. turn off comments on digital media, reporting, block users.
Progression step 4
I can identify stereotypes and their impact in a range of media.
I can act appropriately online, keeping myself safe and behaving in a responsible manner.
Good to know
- Size depends on level: the unit specification gives Entry Level 1 (CBM051) and Entry Level 2 (CBM052) as "Credit Value: One (1)" and "Guided Learning Hours: 10" (Unit Content, pages 14 and 17), and Entry Level 3 to Level 2 (CBM053 to CBM055) as 2 credits and 20 GLH. The Level 1 Qualification Guide lists all five levels at 2 credits and 20 GLH (Qualification Units, page 17), so the two documents disagree for Entry 1 and Entry 2.
- Only one level counts towards a qualification: "with the exception of British Sign Language (BSL), units with the same title at different levels are barred for completion within the same qualification" (Qualification Guide, Qualification Units, page 16).
- Assessment is set by the school and every criterion must be met: the suite is "assessed through assessment tasks and activities designed by the provider" and "No partial award can be made if any assessment criteria is not met" (Assessment Approach, page 8).
- Evidence goes in a portfolio that "can be presented digitally (e.g., through an e-portfolio system) or as paper-based", and "Wherever possible, e-portfolios are encouraged" (Assessment Approach, page 8). Tasks need pre-course verification and are checked by internal and then Open Awards external quality assurance.
- Neither the unit specification nor the Level 1 Qualification Guide says anything about AI tools, so the school's own malpractice and authentication rules apply.
- Delivery staff "must be able to facilitate discussions on potentially sensitive topics (e.g., discrimination, prejudice, identity) in a safe, inclusive and respectful manner" and understand safeguarding (Staffing Resources, page 6).
- Equipment is basic: "access to a computer or laptop for delivery of digital content where appropriate" (Physical Resources, page 7). No criterion needs a device.
- Open Awards lists "Cross-curricular Skills Literacy and Digital" for every level (Unit Content, pages 16, 19, 23, 28 and 32), but the digital link sits in suggested formats such as "posters, presentations, podcasts, video or other" multimodal work at Level 2 (Assessment Approach, page 13), not in the criteria.
- The Entry Level 3 assessment task table repeats the Entry Level 2 table word for word (pages 10 and 11), so it does not reflect the Entry Level 3 criteria on discrimination, rights and celebrating diversity.
Links with other qualifications
The Pearson Equality, diversity and inclusion unit covers similar ground in 10 GLH with digital demand also low, while the Open Awards version is twice that size from Entry 3 and goes further into the Equality Act 2010, protected characteristics and equity at Level 2. The work on stereotypes, prejudice and legislation supports GCSE Religious Studies and the Humanities, and Open Awards maps it to the Humanities statement that human societies are complex and diverse. The unit sits well beside the Open Awards Skills for Life units Healthy Relationships, Community Participation and Democracy in Action, and the Digital Competence Framework strand on online behaviour gives a natural home for the work on offensive language and stereotypes in the media.
Source: Open Awards Skills for Life Unit Specification, Equality, Diversity and Inclusion, Entry Level 1 to Level 2.