1. Functional Skills Reform Programme Consultation January – July 2016
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Functional Skills Reform Programme Consultation January – July 2016

2. The Programme Functional Skills Reform Programme
20/06/2011
The Programme
Functional Skills Reform Programme
Based on research conducted in 2015.
Involves a consultation programme designed to achieve an updated set of standards underpinning Functional Skills qualifications and revised subject content (criteria).
The aim is to find out exactly which maths and English skills employers require.
The Foundation’s programme to reform Functional Skills is based on research conducted in 2015 and will be taken forward in a number of phases over the next three years.
Involves a consultation programme designed to achieve an updated set of standards and qualifications recognised and valued by employers.
The aim is to find out exactly which maths and English skills employers require.
The consultation will also seek the views of the post-16 education and training sector.

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Why?
Functional Skills standards and qualifications have been in existence for many years and, although employers and learners are generally pleased with them, a number of potential weaknesses were highlighted by the 2015 research.
The Foundation’s review ‘Making maths and English work for all’ (MMEW) found that Functional Skills were not broken, but that work could be done to improve their relevance and content, as well as improve their recognition and credibility in the labour market.  
Functional Skills standards and qualifications have been in existence for many years and, although employers and learners are generally pleased with them, a number of potential weaknesses were highlighted by the 2015 research.
The Foundation’s review ‘Making maths and English work for all’ (MMEW) found that Functional Skills were not broken, but that work could be done to improve their relevance and content, as well as improve their recognition and credibility in the labour market.

4. Method The work is organised as a wide-ranging consultation using:
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Method
The work is organised as a wide-ranging consultation using:
Online surveys for employers and stakeholders/practitioners
In-depth telephone interviews
Focus Groups
Workshops

5. The consultation process
Input from the Working Group and Expert Advisory Group
Led by Pye Tait Consulting:
STAGE 1 – Preparation and initial desk research, setting up stakeholder and employer engagement through various networks and specialists
30th Nov 2015 – on-going
STAGE 2 – Consultation “evidence base” (online, telephone and face-to-face) - emphasis on employers; with early views from stakeholders, technical experts, practitioners and learners
14th Jan – 7th Apr 2016
STAGE 3 – Analysis and first draft revisions to the National Adult Literacy and Numeracy Standards (NALNS)
11th Apr – 13th May 2016
STAGE 4 – Consultation “confirmation” - follow-up conversations with employers to validate NALNS revisions, and greater depth discussions on the qualifications with sector, technical experts and learners
Mid May – Mid July 2016
STAGE 5 – Analysis and production of final NALNS and research report with policy recommendations
Mid July – Late Aug 2016

6. Timings Consultation January to July 2016.
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Timings
Consultation January to July 2016.
Findings report from the consultation will be presented to the Foundation in August 2016.
employers,
professional and industry bodies,
employer representative bodies,
unions,
teaching and training practitioners,
FE colleges,
private training providers,
offender learning organisations,
adult learning organisations,
subject specialists,
awarding organisations, and
post-16 learners.

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Outcomes
Revised standards underpinning Functional Skills qualifications
Subject Content (Criteria) for revised Functional Skills qualifications
A report with policy recommendations to include:
what levels of Functional Skills are needed for life and work;
the breadth of skills that the new qualifications should include;
the number of guided learning hours needed to successfully achieve FS for learners on technical and professional programmes of study, including apprenticeships.
These collated findings will be used to recommend improvements.

8. Focus of today’s discussion
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Focus of today’s discussion
Purpose and audience for Functional Skills qualifications
What is the role of Functional Skills qualifications?
What should be their purpose?
Who should be the audience?
Skills standards
Do you think the standards are fit for purpose?
Should digital skills be explicitly recognised and specified in the standards and qualifications?

9. Focus of today’s discussion
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Focus of today’s discussion
Qualification levels
Is the division of Functional Skills qualifications into five levels still fit for purpose?
Are the individual qualifications doing what they should at each level?
Should the Entry Level qualifications be ‘de-coupled’ from Levels 1-2?
Qualification structure
Is the structure of the qualifications fit for purpose (for English three units; for maths one assessment of three themes)?
Is the size of the qualifications (45 glh) appropriate?

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How to get involved
Visit for further details of the consultation and how to get involved
Scan the QR code to access the consultation page on your phone
On Twitter you can follow #fsreform or Tweet using the hashtag to spread the word
If you have any questions or comments you can contact us directly on or