Communicating with Art — Open Awards Vocational Foundations for Learning

The Open Awards Entry Level Award in Skills for Further Learning and Employment (Entry 1) (RQF) is a foundational qualification designed to help you build essential skills for education, work, and daily life. It covers key areas such as communication, numeracy, personal development, and employability, providing a stepping stone to further study or employment. This qualification is ideal if you are starting your learning journey or need to develop confidence in basic skills.

Throughout the course, you will engage with practical tasks that develop your ability to follow instructions, work with others, and manage simple tasks independently. The focus is on real-world applications, such as reading signs, handling money, or preparing for a job interview. By the end, you will have a portfolio of evidence demonstrating your progress in these areas.

This award fits within the wider subject of Foundations for Learning, which aims to equip learners with the core competencies needed for lifelong learning. It is particularly valuable for those who may have struggled in traditional academic settings, as it emphasizes hands-on, supportive learning. Success here can lead to higher-level qualifications, such as Entry Level 2 or 3, or vocational courses.

• →Communication: Understanding and using basic spoken and written English, including following simple instructions and expressing needs.
• →Numeracy: Applying basic number skills to everyday situations, such as counting, simple addition, and telling time.
• →Personal Development: Building self-confidence, setting personal goals, and managing emotions in learning or work settings.
• →Employability: Developing skills like punctuality, teamwork, and following health and safety rules in a workplace context.
• →Independent Living: Handling everyday tasks such as shopping, using public transport, or managing personal hygiene.

• Award credit for correctly naming at least three basic shapes (e.g., circle, square, triangle) and three primary colours (e.g., red, blue, yellow) when shown visual stimuli.
• Award credit for using simple descriptive words (e.g., 'big', 'red', 'round') to talk about own artwork, with minimal prompting.
• Award credit for following at least two-step instructions during a group art activity, such as 'cut out the circle and glue it on the paper'.
• Award credit for responding to a farewell or closing statement with an appropriate verbal or non-verbal response, such as saying 'goodbye' or waving.

• 💡Practice identifying shapes and colours in everyday objects to build confidence.
• 💡Use simple sentence starters like 'My picture has...' to help describe artwork.
• 💡During group activities, repeat instructions back to the teacher or peer to confirm understanding.
• 💡Always acknowledge a farewell with a smile, wave, or verbal response to show good social skills.
• 💡Tip 1: Keep a clear record of your work. Organise your portfolio with dated evidence and simple explanations of what you did. This helps assessors see your progress easily.
• 💡Tip 2: Ask for feedback regularly. Your tutor can tell you if you are on the right track. Use their comments to improve before submitting final evidence.
• 💡Tip 3: Relate tasks to your own experiences. For example, when learning about money, talk about how you budget for a treat. This makes evidence more personal and authentic.

• Confusing similar shapes (e.g., square and rectangle) or colours (e.g., blue and purple) when identifying them.
• Using non-descriptive language (e.g., 'this thing') when describing artwork instead of naming colours, shapes, or materials.
• Not listening carefully to instructions and starting the task before the full instruction is given.
• Failing to respond to a farewell or closing statement, or responding inappropriately (e.g., ignoring the speaker).
• Misconception: This qualification is only for people who cannot do anything. Correction: It is for anyone who wants to build a strong foundation; many successful people start here and progress to higher levels.
• Misconception: You need to pass exams to get the award. Correction: Assessment is through a portfolio of evidence, not formal exams. You demonstrate skills through practical tasks and observations.
• Misconception: The skills learned are not useful in real life. Correction: Every skill is directly linked to everyday activities, such as reading a bus timetable or counting change, making them highly practical.

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