What is the difference between the Award and Extended Award in Skills to Underpin English?

The Extended Award requires more guided learning hours (GLH) than the Award. For Entry 1, the Award is typically 60 GLH, while the Extended Award is 120 GLH. This means the Extended Award covers more content and allows for deeper practice. Both qualifications assess the same skills, but the Extended Award includes additional tasks or longer assessments. For example, you might write two sentences instead of one, or read a slightly longer text.

Do I need to pass a test to get this qualification?

No, there is no external exam. The qualification is internally assessed by your teacher through tasks completed in class. These tasks are then moderated by OCR to ensure standards are met. Assessments are practical, like reading a short text aloud or writing a simple note. You'll know what to do in advance, and your teacher will support you throughout.

Can I use a dictionary or spellchecker in the assessment?

Yes, you can use a dictionary or spellchecker if it is part of your normal classroom practice. However, you should be able to read and write without heavy reliance on them. The assessor will note if you use aids, but it won't disadvantage you as long as you demonstrate the required skills independently.

How is speaking and listening assessed?

Speaking and listening is assessed through everyday activities, such as answering questions about yourself, giving a simple instruction, or participating in a short conversation. You might be recorded or observed by your teacher. The key is to communicate clearly, even if you make mistakes. For example, saying 'I go shop' is acceptable if the meaning is clear.

What happens if I don't pass a task?

You can retake tasks as many times as needed within the course. The qualification is designed to be flexible, so you can build skills at your own pace. Your teacher will give feedback and help you improve before reassessment. The goal is to ensure you achieve the standard, not to catch you out.

Will this qualification help me get a job?

Yes, it shows employers that you have basic English skills needed for many entry-level jobs, such as retail, hospitality, or cleaning. It also demonstrates your ability to follow instructions and communicate with colleagues and customers. For further study, it prepares you for Entry 2 or functional skills qualifications, which are widely recognised.

Speak to provide information

CAMBRIDGE OCR

vocational

This subtopic develops learners' functional speaking skills to convey information clearly and appropriately in everyday contexts. At Entry Level 1, emphasis is on speaking audibly, forming simple polite requests, asking purposeful questions, and using emphatic tone to distinguish facts from opinions, enabling effective basic interaction in social, educational, and workplace settings.

Learning Outcomes

Assessment Guidance

Key Skills

Key Terms

Assessment Criteria

Assessment criteria

OCR Entry Level Cambridge Extended Award in Skills to Underpin English (Entry 1) (QCF)

Topic Overview

The OCR Entry Level Cambridge Extended Award in Skills to Underpin English (Entry 1) (QCF) is designed for students who are building foundational English skills. This qualification focuses on developing basic reading, writing, speaking, and listening abilities in everyday contexts. It is part of the Foundations for Learning suite, which provides a stepping stone for further study or employment. Students will learn to recognise letters, read simple words and phrases, write basic sentences, and communicate in familiar situations. This award is ideal for those who need extra support to gain confidence in English before moving to higher levels.

The course covers three main areas: reading, writing, and speaking and listening. In reading, students practise decoding simple texts, understanding key words, and following short instructions. Writing tasks include forming letters correctly, spelling common words, and composing short sentences. Speaking and listening activities involve responding to questions, giving basic information, and participating in simple conversations. Each skill is assessed through practical tasks, such as reading a short notice, writing a list, or asking for help. The qualification is internally assessed and externally moderated, ensuring that students demonstrate their abilities in real-world scenarios.

This qualification matters because it equips students with essential communication skills for daily life and future learning. For example, being able to read a bus timetable or write a shopping list builds independence. It also prepares students for the next stage, such as OCR Entry Level Certificate in English (Entry 2) or functional skills qualifications. By mastering these basics, students gain the confidence to engage more fully in education, work, and society. The Extended Award requires more hours of study than the Award, allowing for deeper practice and consolidation of skills.

Key Concepts

Core ideas you must understand for this topic

→Phonics and decoding: Understanding the relationship between letters and sounds to read simple words like 'cat' or 'shop'.
→Basic sentence structure: Using capital letters, full stops, and simple conjunctions (e.g., 'and') to write clear sentences.
→Everyday vocabulary: Recognising and using common words related to personal information, time, food, and directions.
→Listening for key information: Identifying main points in short spoken instructions or announcements.
→Speaking clearly: Pronouncing words correctly and using appropriate tone and volume in simple exchanges.

Learning Objectives

What you need to know and understand

Be able to speak to be heard, Be able to make requests politely, Be able to ask questions for a specific purpose, Be able to use tone of voice to give clarity to statements of facts

Assessment Criteria

Key criteria assessors look for in your portfolio

Award credit for demonstrating the ability to speak at a volume and pace that is consistently audible to a familiar listener in a quiet environment.
Look for clear evidence of polite phrasing when making requests, such as the appropriate use of 'please' and 'thank you' or a respectful intonation.
Assess whether the learner can articulate a question that is directly linked to obtaining a specific piece of information, avoiding vague or unfocused wording.
Credit should be given when the learner's tone naturally rises and falls to emphasize key factual points, distinguishing statements from questions or exclamations.

Assessment Guidance

Guidance for achieving higher grades

💡In assessments, ensure you face the assessor or audience and slightly exaggerate your clear pronunciation and volume—this demonstrates you are consciously making yourself heard, a key pass requirement.
💡When practising polite requests, use a mental checklist: add 'please', use a slightly softened voice, and follow up with 'thank you' once the request is fulfilled; assessors will explicitly look for this combination.
💡For the questioning element, prepare scaffolded examples where you start with 'What', 'Where', or 'Who' to keep your question focused, as this avoids the common pitfall of aimless questioning and shows purposeful intent.
💡To show effective use of tone for factual statements, record yourself reading a short list of facts and then play it back, checking that your voice sounds decisive and steady, with a slight drop at the end of each sentence to mirror confident information giving.
💡Practise reading aloud daily to build fluency and confidence. Even 5 minutes a day with a simple book or sign can improve word recognition.
💡For writing tasks, always check your work for capital letters at the start of sentences and full stops at the end. This simple step can earn you marks.
💡In speaking and listening assessments, don't be afraid to ask the examiner to repeat a question if you didn't hear it clearly. It shows you are engaging with the task.

Common Mistakes

Common errors to avoid in your coursework

Learners often confuse the use of rising intonation for questions with a rising tone that makes statements sound uncertain, undermining the clarity of factual information.
A common error is making requests as commands due to omitting polite markers like 'please' or using an overly abrupt tone, which fails to meet the politeness criterion.
Asking questions that are too broad or do not directly relate to the information needed, leading to irrelevant or unsatisfactory responses.
Speaking so quietly or mumbling that the listener struggles to hear, often due to lack of confidence rather than inability, which prevents the speaking-to-be-heard objective being met.
Misconception: Spelling must be perfect in all tasks. Correction: While spelling is important, the focus is on communicating meaning. Phonetic attempts are accepted as long as the word is recognisable.
Misconception: You must speak in full sentences. Correction: In Entry 1, short phrases or single words are acceptable if they convey the message clearly, e.g., 'Milk, please' instead of 'I would like some milk.'
Misconception: Reading means understanding every word. Correction: At this level, understanding the gist of a short text is sufficient. Use context clues like pictures or familiar words to guess meaning.

Frequently Asked Questions

Common questions students ask about this topic

Before You Start

Prior knowledge that will help with this topic

•No formal prerequisites, but familiarity with the alphabet and basic phonics is helpful.
•Experience with simple listening activities, such as following one-step instructions, can ease the transition.

Key Terminology

Essential terms to know

Be able to speak to be heard, Be able to make requests politely, Be able to ask questions for a specific purpose, Be able to use tone of voice to give clarity to statements of facts

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Speak to provide information

Assessment criteria

Topic Overview

Key Concepts

Learning Objectives

Assessment Criteria

Assessment Guidance

Common Mistakes

Frequently Asked Questions

Before You Start

Key Terminology

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