1. An introduction to functional skills
New qualifications
New ways of working
The functional skills qualifications are currently being piloted for a third and final year. Full roll out of the qualifications will start from September 2010.
This presentation is designed to ensure that exams office staff are well informed and therefore well prepared.
October 2009

2. 14–19 reforms
The reforms establish five main pathways for young people.
1. GCSEs and A levels will continue, offering greater variety and contemporary relevance.
2. The Diploma introduces a new range of subjects which combine practical and theoretical learning.
3. There will be more opportunities for apprenticeships after 16.
4. Employment with accredited training will ensure school-leavers at 16 continue to learn within the education system.
5. Foundation Learning will provide progression opportunities for young people not yet ready for level 2 qualifications. Once fully implemented by 2013, these pathways will allow young people to choose or change paths at the end of key stage 3, and at 16, 17 and 18.
Functional skills are at the heart of the educational reforms for 14–19 year olds. They feature within each of the five qualification and training routes – as listed on the above slide.
The aims of the 14–19 reforms are to:
make learning a more engaging experience for young people by giving them a wider choice
increase participation in formal education at age 17 by 15 per cent over a 10-year period. 2

3. Defining functional skills
Functional skills are core elements of English, mathematics and ICT that provide an individual with essential knowledge, skills and understanding that will enable them to operate confidently, effectively and independently in life and work.
Functional skills are fundamental to gaining the most from life, learning and work. 3

4. What are functional skills qualifications?
Functional skills qualifications in English, mathematics and ICT are available at Entry 1, Entry 2 and Entry 3, level 1 and level 2.
The skills criteria for functional skills qualifications specify assessment outcomes for qualifications at each level in terms of skill standards, coverage and range.
Each of the three skills has a set of performance standards based on three key areas:
Mathematics
Representing – selecting the mathematics and information required to model a situation
Analysing – processing and using mathematics
Interpreting and communicating the results of the analysis
Each qualification is separate and assessed independently.
Functional skills are widely recognised as a platform to further achievement and have a variety of applications, for example:
English level 1 – a student moving to a new flat is able to contact and inform the bank of a change of address appropriately either in person, over the telephone, or in writing
English level 2 – as part of a classroom project a student is able to assemble a range of evidence from websites and books to support a point of view, and to seek further material, if needed, to form the basis for a report
mathematics level 1 – a retail worker is able to perform a mental calculation to determine the approximate value of the goods a customer has bought and use this understanding to identify discrepancies and check that totals generated by a cash register or scanner are correct
ICT level 2 – students are able to create and use a simple questionnaire to obtain views on healthy eating and input the data into a spreadsheet. They can analyse the information, create representative charts and compose a presentation on their findings for a science class.
The key milestone for functional skills is level 2, which is seen as the minimum requirement for functioning in life, learning and work. 4

5. What are functional skills qualifications?
continued
ICT
Use of ICT systems
Finding and selecting information
Developing, presenting and communicating information
English
Speaking and listening
Reading
Writing 5

6. Connections to functional skills
Apprenticeships
Core
Curriculum
for literacy
and
numeracy
Content of
functional
skills
...in line with the
demands of:
Foundation
Learning
Key Skills
The
National
Curriculum
GCSE
Introduced to support raised attainment, functional skills are vital for schools, colleges and adult providers in many different contexts.
Success in functional skills will be a good measure that the individual has the skills that will help him or her succeed and progress in education, training, work and life.
If the individual does not achieve level 2 functionality while at school, they will have other opportunities at college, within an apprenticeship, or in an adult course on day release from work to achieve functional skills qualifications.
Diploma 6 6

7. How do functional skills sit with key skills and Skills for Life?
Functional skills qualifications will replace existing key skills qualifications. Key skills qualifications will remain until at least (certification until 2012).
The Skills for Life qualifications will remain until 2012 for registration and 2014 for certification.
A decision on whether functional skills qualifications will replace Skills for Life qualifications will be subject to the outcome of the functional skills pilot.
Functional skills will replace key skills from 2010, although key skills will still be available for new candidates for registration until at least August 2010 and will be awarded until 2012.
Functional skills are already part of the Qualifications and Credit Framework and have been allocated a credit value of 5 at all three levels. They will be accredited onto the National Qualifications Framework (NQF), for full rollout from September 2010.
They can be found on the National Database of Accredited Qualifications (NDAQ) website at 7

8. Functional skills – the pilot
The functional skills pilot began on 3 September 2007 and involves:
11 awarding bodies
over 3,000 centres 8

9. Functional skills – the pilot
continued
Assessments developed by the awarding bodies include a range of approaches based on a common set of principles, in accordance with the functional skills standards. The awarding bodies are:
AQA
Ascentis
ASDAN
City & Guilds
Edexcel
EDI
NCFE
NOCN
OCR
VTCT
WJEC 9 9

10. Functional skills assessments
The assessments are:
designed to measure the competent application of skills within real-life scenarios
task-based, or task- and test-based
usually externally set but may provide for internal task-based assessments
subject to rigorous quality assurance arrangements awarded on a pass or fail basis. Therefore a marginal fail at level 2 does not result in a pass at level 1. Students must be entered at the right level.
There is no set timetable for taking assessments. Assessments will run at different dates in the year depending on the awarding body. Centres should check with their awarding body to get accurate information. 10

11. Certification
Where performance is sufficient to meet the level requirements, a pass certificate is awarded.
Certificates are titled by skill and level achieved, for example, ‘Functional skills qualification in English at level 1’.
Qualifications in English clearly indicate which units have been achieved.
Functional skills are free-standing qualifications and, as such, each subject will be certificated separately, even if part of a Diploma award. 11

12. Access to assessments
A range of access arrangements are available for functional skills assessments.
See JCQ’s Access Arrangements, Reasonable Adjustments and Special Consideration , located on the JCQ website, for more information.
Exemptions and certificate indications may apply for some learners.
Consult awarding body guidance for more information.
Some access arrangements for external assessments require an application to the awarding body. 12

13. Functional skills equivalence table
Functional skills level
Functional skills performance points
Functional skills equivalences
Skills for Life (adult literacy and numeracy)
Key skills
GCSE
NVQ level
Level 2 23
A*-C
Level 1
12.5
D-G
Entry 3 7
Entry 2 6
Entry 1 5
Every year the Department for Children, Schools and Families (DCSF) publishes the School and college achievement and attainment tables (SCAAT). The table provides information on the achievements and attainment of students in each school.
SCAAT points are designed to provide an indication of the degree of successful attainment for a qualification in relation to other qualifications within the existing national frameworks. In addition to SCAAT points, qualifications also count towards the threshold at levels 1, 2 and 3. The figures for each qualification’s contribution to these thresholds can be found on the National Database of Accredited Qualifications (NDAQ) website at
Students will gain attainment points for both GCSE and functional skills. For example:
• if a student passes level 2 functional skills in English, mathematics and ICT, they gain points equivalent to 1.5 GCSEs.
• if the same student also completes GCSEs in English, mathematics and ICT, the student will then have a total points equivalent of 4.5 GCSE passes (that's 3 GCSE passes, plus 1.5 GCSE equivalent points for passing the functional skills qualifications).
A pass of grade A*-C in any other GCSE subject, even a short course subject, will get the student to the qualification threshold of 5.
If a student is assessed in functional skills and key skills or functional skills and adult literacy and adult numeracy the points will discount each other. 13

14. Functional skills and GCSEs
The new GCSEs in English, mathematics and ICT for first teaching from September will have considerable functional skills content in learning and assessment. However, the awarding of functional skills qualifications remains separate from GCSEs.
To achieve functional skills qualifications, students must be entered for and pass the functional skills assessments.
There will be recognition of the achievement of standalone functional skills qualifications in English and mathematics through the new School Report Card.
Functional skills content was introduced into the key stage 3 curriculum in September 2008.
Functional skills content will be introduced into the key stage 4 curriculum from September 2010.
On 2 April 2009 the DCSF removed the planned requirement for level 2 functional skills for the award of a GCSE A*-C in English, mathematics and ICT. The letter announcing the decision makes clear that functional skills remain ‘at the heart of changes’: they will need to be taught and assessed for all, even if not separately tested for all.
For the other ‘pathways’ (Diplomas, apprenticeships and Foundation Learning) the requirement for the separate functional skills assessment remains.
The School Report Card will include recognition of English and mathematics functional skills qualifications achievement, but not ICT functional skills achievement. 14

15. Foundation Learning and progression pathways
Functional skills in Foundation Learning
Foundation Learning is the name given to education provision at Entry level and level 1, and to the qualifications given within the Qualifications and Credit Framework.
Functional skills qualifications are a compulsory part of Foundation Learning programmes.
It is intended that by there will be clear progression routes taking students through Entry level and level 1 to a range of appropriate destinations.
Qualifications and Credit Framework
14–19 reforms
A Level
GCSE
Diploma
Apprenticeship
Vocational qualifications reform
Secondary
curriculum
Foundation Learning is a part of the wider and vocational qualifications (VQ) reform programme. It aims to improve the skills of students working below level 2, aged 14 and over, through developing high-quality credit-based qualifications at Entry level and level 1 in the Qualifications and Credit Framework (QCF). For further information about QCF, visit the QCDA website at
Through personalised learning programmes based on progression pathways, Foundation Learning reform will increase students' participation, achievement and progression.
The programme has moved from development in 2005/07 to implementation with select providers trialing implementation during 2008/09. Wider scale phased implementation will occur in 2009/10.
Full implementation of Foundation Learning will be complete by 2010.
For year olds, Foundation Learning will form one of the four national suites of provision to which a student is entitled to. This is described in the DCSF document Delivering Reforms.
Functional skills
Foundation Learning and progression pathways 15 15

16. The Diploma and functional skills
The Diploma has three mandatory components:
principal learning
additional and specialist learning
generic learning.
Functional skills is a mandatory part of generic learning. Students are required to achieve all three functional skills:
at level 1 for Diplomas at level 1
at level 2 for Diplomas at levels 2 and 3.
Functional skills are a mandatory part of 14–19 Diplomas. This is to ensure that young people secure the right foundation of English, mathematics and ICT skills needed for progression into employment.
Diplomas require students to gain functional skills in English, mathematics and ICT:
at level 1 for the Foundation Diploma.
at level 2 for Higher and Advanced Diplomas.
Functional skills are part of the generic learning component of the Diploma, but students will have opportunities to develop and apply functional skills across the Diploma curriculum. Awarding bodies will provide guidance on the full range of opportunities for developing and applying functional skills. This will help centres to integrate functional skills and help students to plan and review their achievements.
Grading of a Diploma is based on the principal learning and the project. The following qualifications and other achievements must also be completed successfully for a Diploma to be awarded:
functional skills (Pass for each functional skills qualification - English, mathematics and ICT - at a level appropriate for the Diploma)
A minimum requirement (of guided learning hours) of additional and specialist learning achieved at or above the level of the Diploma
Personal, learning and thinking skills (completed)
At least 10 days' work experience (completed) 16 16

17. Prior achievement and the Diploma
Any qualifications achieved before a Diploma learner account is opened may be seen as prior achievements and could contribute towards the Diploma.
Many students starting on level 3 courses may already have level 2 functional skills. If these qualifications do not show in the student’s learner account, you should request them via the prior achievement route.
Students are able to include qualifications taken from as far back as January 2005 as part of their Diploma. Qualifications achieved before the learner account is opened in the Diploma aggregation service are known as prior achievement.
To apply for prior achievement, centres need to complete and return a Prior achievement form to the relevant component awarding body. This form allows for an application for one student with up to two previously achieved qualifications to be claimed. The Prior achievement form is available within the QCDA functional skills toolkit and can also be downloaded from the QCDA website.
The Prior achievement form, which can be completed by the student or the centre, is normally sent to the component awarding body, by the centre where the student is enrolled, even if this is not the centre where the qualifications were taken. It can also be sent by the centre where the qualifications were taken.
The Prior achievement form should be sent as soon as possible after a learner account has been opened in the Diploma aggregation service. It is good practice to review the learner accounts in May in order to ensure that any prior achievement results that need to be credited are there before any June series results are issued.
You should complete as many of the details as possible. For general qualifications (for example, GCSE, GCEs, etc), please include a candidate number, centre number and unique candidate identifier. For vocational qualifications (including functional skills), please include the centre number and registration number or certificate number. It is essential that the student’s unique learner number (ULN) is provided.
If the form has been completed correctly, the prior achievement results will appear in the learner account within 10 working days of receipt. 17

18. Functional skills lessons learned
Functional skills issues reported during QCDA visits to centres in 2009:
The number of assessment opportunities offered differ between awarding bodies. Depending on which awarding body has been selected, some students only had one exam session.
Functional skills is a tough hurdle for many students and can be difficult to achieve in one year alongside a full Diploma programme.
Problems were encountered by centres on the administration of ICT exams. They felt that a lack of understanding of what technical support would be required on the day, and a general unfamiliarity with the test material, contributed to a very low success rate. One centre has attempted to address these issues by contacting the awarding body to establish what technical and other support is needed to run the exam, and by providing more tuition to staff and students on the assessment.
One centre reported that the teacher had overlooked the practical ICT assessment and that if this had not been internally checked it would have been too late for the student to achieve a Diploma in one year.
These are some common functional skills issues reported during QCDA visits to 27 centres that were planning on claiming a final Diploma in summer 2009, that is, in one year. 18

19. Key dates
September 2007
Start of three-year certificated pilot of functional English, mathematics and ICT in over 1,000 centres in the first year, growing to 3,000 centres by year 3.
September 2008
All three functional skills become a mandatory part of the first Diplomas.
End of August 2010
Last registration for the communication, application of number and ICT key skills.
September 2010
Functional skills qualifications available nationally
First teaching of revised GCSEs in English, mathematics and ICT (for examination in 2012).
End of August 2012
Last certification for the communication, application of number and ICT key skills. 19

20. Resources and support for centres
Functional skills will prove to be a fun but comprehensive qualification for students. Equally they will further test the administration and management skills of exams office staff. QCDA is confident you will rise to meet this challenge and has created the functional skills toolkit to help you.
To download other resources from the toolkit, visit:
Additional resources and support for centres
Support for leaders, managers and practitioners, is available at
Further information about functional skills within the Diploma visit
For further information about functional skills from QCDA visit 20