Functional Skills Pilots April 2007

2 What are Functional Skills? A key initiative in both the Education and Skills White Paper and the second Skills White Paper in response to pressure from employers A set of standards that establish a benchmark of ‘mastery’ in English, maths and ICT that all learners should achieve Available from Entry 1 to Level 2

3 How the standards will be used Functional skills will be: embedded GCSEs in maths, English and ICT so that learners can not achieve an grade C without achieving the functional element (known as the hurdle) stand alone qualifications which will be externally set and marked by awarding bodies – eventually replacing key skills and adult literacy and numeracy part of the specialised Diplomas.

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5 Current position Final decisions on assessment of functional skills still being made at QCA Finalised standards due mid May National pilots will commence in September 2007 Approx 1000 centres will take part in the pilots Each awarding body will be offering different functional skills qualifications to ensure that there is coverage across levels and subjects

6 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

7 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 it is expected that progression above that level will be seen as desirable GLH of around 50, this is still under review

8 Time line April 2007: Edexcel start collecting expressions of interest from interested centres May 2007: awarding bodies receive finalised standards and assessment design information from QCA June 2007: successful pilot centres notified Sept 2007: first teaching for standalone pilots and GCSE English pilot June 2008: first assessment opportunity Sept 2008: Functional skills will be included in the Diplomas Sept 2010 functional skills for maths, English and ICT as a hurdle to achieving GCSE grade C 2010 phasing out starts of existing key skills and adult literacy and numeracy qualifications

9 Which centres will be in the pilot? Each consortium should have nominated 4 centres to be part of the Functional Skills Pilots It is likely that centres with a 1 or 2 in the gateway will be selected to offer Functional Skills in the first year of the pilot More centres will be invited to join in 2008 and 2009

10 What about centres that are not through the Gateway? We will be keeping you updated about ways to be involved on our website ‘BTECalaureate’ Committed to supporting centres offering Adult Literacy and Numeracy as a preparation of Functional Skills Anticipated that we can expand the pilots for 2008 and 2009 to centres not in the Gateway

11 Which stand alone qualifications will Edexcel be offering? Likely to offer Level 1 & 2 in maths, English and ICT Will be either 1 test or 1 set of tasks per qualification (except English with a speaking and listening component) Tests likely to be mins long Tasks could be longer but will be done in one ‘sitting’ Everything will be marked by Edexcel, there will be no internal assessment and no portfolio No information about planned assessment models available yet until QCA ratify our plans Entry level planned for 2008

12 What about GCSEs? Edexcel is offering GCSE English with Functional Skills Level 1 & 2 Functional Skills will be nested as a unit within the qualification Centres will be able to see how the hurdle will work for their learners prior to it being activated for the C grade We are keeping an eye on developments in maths and ICT and preparing the new GCSEs for 2010

13 Information expected soon…. What exactly is meant by ‘mastery’? It’s likely to be a percentage pass rate but we don’t know how high yet How will the functional skills will be funded and attributed to the attainment tables? If load banded, funding will remain for adults The proportion that functional skills hurdle will make up of the GCSE? - 50% is suggested How many and which centres will be in our pilot?

14 How do I get involved? Visit the Functional Skills section of the Edexcel website We are updating this daily Visit the functional skills pages of the QCA website