Functional Skills Update

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Functional Skills Update

• July 2006

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A Snapshot Of Reform Ambition

• Framework
• Credit
• Specialised Diplomas at Levels 1, 2 and 3
• Foundation Learning Tier (bottomless entry and
  level 1)
• Vocational Qualifications Reform
• And underpinning all of this
• Functional Skills

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Functional Skills - Background

• Pressure from employers to ensure that both
  young people and adults are able to fully
  function in English, maths and ICT basic skills
  has led to the functionality agenda being a key
  initiative in both the 14-19 Education and Skills
  White paper and the second Skills White Paper
• Functional Skills underpins the reform agenda.

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Leitch Review of Skills Interim ReportSkills
in the UK the long-term challenge

• Our nations skills are not world class. We run
  the risk that this will undermine the UKs
  long-term prosperity. We have many important
  strengths But we have considerable weaknesses.
  More than one third of adults do not hold the
  equivalent of a basic school-leaving
  qualification. Almost half of adults are not
  functionally numerate and one sixth are not
  functionally literate Improving our schools
  will not solve these problems. Today over 70 per
  cent of our 2020 workforce has already completed
  their compulsory education.

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Functional Skills - Purpose

• Replace existing key and basic skills with a new
  set of qualifications suitable for both young
  people and adults
• Represent an efficient way of assessing learners
  in the skills they need for work and life, which
  can be taken on demand
• Link to GCSEs in maths, English and ICT, so
  noone can achieve an A-C without achieving the
  functional element
• Form part of Specialised Diplomas

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Functional Skills - Current Position

• Draft Standards agreed, but likely to be revised
  after trialling or piloting. Expected
  finalisation as early as spring 2007
• Standards from Entry 1 to Level 2
• Decisions on assessment and delivery of
  functional skills still under discussion
• Decisions on structure of Functional Skills in
  relation to other qualifications still being
  discussed
• Agreed with QCA that awarding bodies will trial a
  range of assessment methods (and associated
  standards) with selected centres later this year
  all subjects, all levels, all contexts

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Functional Skills Time Line

• Sept 2006 Limited trialling of Standards and
  assessment methods with GSCE, Key and basic
  skills learners
• Sept 2007 Certificated piloting of Functional
  Skills qualifications in English and ICT
• Sept 2008 Functional Skills will be included in
  Specialised Diplomas
• Sept 2009 Functional skills for English and ICT
  contributing to GCSE grade and certificated as
  stand alone qualifications
• Sept 2010 Functional skills for maths
  contributing to GCSE grade and certificated as
  stand alone qualifications
• 2010 Probable phasing out of existing key skills
  and adult literacy and numeracy qualifications

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Standards

• Draft Standards available now, for use in
  awarding body assessment trials starting later
  this year
• Standards on QCA web-site
• Available from Entry 1 to Level 2
• Higher levels will be looked at from the autumn
• Standards mapped to the national curriculum
• All qualifications for functional skills will be
  based on these standards

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Functional Skills Unit Titles

• English
• Speaking and listening
• Reading
• Writing
• Maths
• Making sense of situations and representing them
• Processing and analysing the mathematics
• Interpreting and communicating the results of
  analysis
• ICT
• Use ICT systems
• Find, select and communicate information
• Develop and present information

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Progression

• Hoped that
• Learners will progress from an initial level at
  pre-16 (at Entry, Level 1 or 2). Level 2 remains
  the target achievement for all learners, but
  expected that progression above that level will
  be seen as desirable
• GLH of 30-40 were originally suggested for full
  time learners hotly debated and under review

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What We Dont Know About Functional Skills

• Whether assessment methods will be consistent
  across all Functional Skills, levels and
  candidates could be a different assessment
  method for apprentices for example
• How the Functional Skills will be funded and
  attributed to the attainment tables
• Size of FS units (e.g. 30 GLH, 3 credits )?
• What will happen to ESOL?
• The proportion that Functional Skills will make
  up of the GCSE (or of the Specialised Diplomas)
  ... half is suggested

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How Does A Centre Get Involved?

• First trials will focus on using assessments to
  test the Standards and are targeted at a
  cross-section of centres small scale trial with
  no certification centres will be invited to get
  involved
• Piloting will begin in September 2007
• Gateway Process favours collaborative bids which
  include Functional Skills
• Edexcel will hold events throughout 2006/7 to
  disseminate information on getting involved in
  pilots
• Information will be available on Edexcel website
  as soon as it is available

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Testing and Trialling Some Detail

• QCA is working with awarding bodies to test and
  trial
• All subjects
• At all levels (entry to level 2)
• With all constituencies
• A range of assessment methodologies including
• Tests nationally or locally devised
• Tasks - e-assessment, practical activities, etc
• Portfolio - preferably e-portfolio

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Testing And Trialling Criteria

• Assessment should measure skills levels and
  provide evidence of mastery
• No additional assessment burden
• Cost effective
• Usable
• Practical
• Plausible for parents and employers
• Uses technology effectively
• Seeks to address all constituencies with one
  assessment for each subject
• (subject assessments should be fit for purpose so
  may be different)

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What Has Edexcel Been Doing?

• Working actively with QCA and DfES to consider
  possible assessment and delivery methods to suit
  the needs of all learners who are likely to need
  functional skills qualifications
• Considering how influential on-screen assessment
  might be and implications for centres
• Investigating ways in which we can best support
  centres
• Supporting the active delivery of ALAN on-screen
  qualifications as a potential forerunner of
  functional skills

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How Do I Keep Updated?

• Visit the Edexcel website www.edexcel.org.uk
• Get on the Edexcel policy watch mailing list
• Contact your RDM or regional office
• Visit the functional skills pages of the QCA
  website www.qca.org.uk/functionalskills/