Skills for Life: Equality, Diversity and Inclusion
Equality, diversity and inclusion is one 10 hour Pearson unit that learners combine with others into a Pearson Skills for Life or Skills for Work Award, Certificate or Diploma, at any level from Entry 1 to Level 2. Learners give examples of equality, diversity and inclusion, describe or explain why they matter in settings such as school, work and the community, and take part in, plan or deliver an inclusion activity. The centre sets and marks the assessment. Digital demand is low: no criterion needs a computer. Digital work sits in suggested online research, digital presentations and recording the inclusion activity, plus the rule that sources and AI use must be acknowledged.
- Awarding body
- Pearson
- Level
- Entry Level 1 to Level 2
- Guided learning hours
- 10
- First taught
- September 2027
- Amount of digital work
- Low
- Specification
- Open the specification
How this unit is assessed
- Entry Level (Entry 1, Entry 2, Entry 3): One assessment criterion at each of Entry 1, Entry 2 and Entry 3: list, outline or identify everyday examples of equality, diversity and inclusion and take part in a simple inclusion activity. There are no mandatory evidence requirements. Evidence is internally assessed by the centre, using the Pearson Authorised Assignment Brief or its own assignment, and quality assured through Pearson standards verification. 10 guided learning hours, graded Pass or Fail.
- Level 1 and Level 2: One assessment criterion at each of Level 1 and Level 2: describe (Level 1) or explain (Level 2) equality, diversity and inclusion in at least two or three settings, and contribute to planning an inclusion activity (Level 1) or plan and deliver one independently (Level 2). There are no mandatory evidence requirements. Evidence is internally assessed by the centre and quality assured through Pearson standards verification. 10 guided learning hours, graded Pass or Fail.
Skills that use Evaluating and improving digital content
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Presenting ideas about inclusion digitally
Learners may present their examples, descriptions or explanations, or their plan for an inclusion activity, as a digital presentation or poster. Annexe C lists presentations as a digital link, but the criteria accept any form of evidence, so the digital product is a suggested format rather than a requirement.
DCF: Creating digital content, Evaluating and improving digital content
Getting pupils ready
- Year 7
- Pupils make a one slide poster in Adobe Express showing three ways their form group includes new pupils, with an image and a short caption for each.
- Year 8
- Pupils build a short slide deck explaining what equality, diversity and inclusion mean, choosing images and layouts that suit a Year 6 audience.
- Year 9
- Pupils present a digital plan for a lunchtime inclusion activity and explain why they chose the layout, fonts and images for a school assembly.
Show the specification wording and the DCF statements
Where it is in the specification: Unit SfL 7, Essential information for assessment decisions, page 39; Annexe C, SfL 7 row, page 161
“ICT for research, presentations, recording”
Progression step 3
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 ensure my output is appropriate for specific purposes.
Progression step 4
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.
I can justify the reasons for choices and explain the advantages and disadvantages of the different digital outputs I create.
Good to know
- The unit is Unit SfL 7 and the unit summary lists it at "10" guided learning hours, half the 20 hours of the WJEC unit of the same name (Unit summary, page 5).
- A learner achieves the unit once at one level: "Learners can only achieve each unit once, at a single level" (Rules of Combination, page 6), so a school cannot bank Entry 3 and then resit at Level 1.
- Every level requires a practical inclusion activity, from "participate in a simple inclusion activity" at Entry 1 to planning and delivering one independently at Level 2 (Essential information for assessment decisions, pages 38 to 39), so plan time and people for it.
- The specification gives no unit content: content "can be found in the Teaching and Learning Support document for this unit" and "is compulsory except when 'e.g.' is given" (Unit content, page 39), so schools need that separate document.
- Evidence is open: "there are no mandatory evidence requirements and centres can select the type of evidence" (Essential information for assessment decisions, page 39), but "achievement cannot be inferred from performance" (Internal assessment, page 9), so the activity needs a record such as an observation record or photographs.
- AI is allowed only if acknowledged: "A learner will have committed malpractice if they use AI tools without acknowledging them" (Requirements relating to permitted/prohibited resources, page 40).
- The Authorised Assignment Brief is optional: "AABs are not mandatory" and centres can adapt it or write their own (How to use this document, page 1).
- The unit page says its cross-cutting themes evidence "can be found in Annexe E" (page 41), but Annexe E has no row for SfL 7; it lists SfL 1 to 5 and then jumps to SfL 18 (Annexe E, pages 170 to 172).
Links with other qualifications
The WJEC Skills Suite has its own Equality, diversity and inclusion unit, which is twice the size at 20 guided learning hours, has four learning outcomes with separate criteria, and requires learners to cover rights, discrimination and, at Level 2, legislation; the Pearson unit has one broad criterion per level and puts more weight on taking part in, planning and delivering an inclusion activity. Both link with GCSE Social Studies on identity, rights and diversity, and with GCSE Religious Studies on discrimination and prejudice. Within the WJEC Skills Suite the closest units are Fairness and inclusion in the workplace, Values for life, Understanding self and others and Community participation. The digital research and presentation work is general and builds on GCSE Digital Technology skills without overlapping its content.
Source: Pearson Entry Level 1 to Level 2 Skills for Life Award, Certificate and Diploma Qualifications specification, Issue 1, August 2026, Unit SfL 7: Equality, diversity and inclusion.