Functional Skills Training

Day 1

11th September 2007

We are

• Tessa Ford Maths Consultant

• Lindsey Thomas English Consultant

• Jane Everton 14-19 Consultant

• Andrew Dumas ICT Consultant

Our Role

Secondary National Strategy and Quality Improvement Agency have the responsibility for delivering Functional Skills Training to pilot centres.

Functional Skills Pilot

• To Pilot

– Draft Standards

– Planning and delivering FS

– Assessment

The pilot

• 1000 centres. • Diploma Gateway centres, plus centres

recruited by awarding bodies.• Range of settings – schools, colleges,

adult learning, work-based, prisons, etc.• Functional skills with GCSE, stand-alone,

and (from 2008) in the Specialised Diplomas.

Aims of Sessions

• To give you a chance to:– Understand the draft standards in English, maths

and ICT– Appreciate the reasons for the introduction of FS

and what it is hoped to achieve– Recognise the links between the three functional

skills– Consider ways to deliver them and start planning

for delivery– Identify implications for management/organisation

in school

Audience

• SLT, teachers of English, Maths, and ICT

• Pilot Centres:

specialised diploma consortia and exam board pilot centres

• Interested schools

• Potentially, prison service, work place learning, etc

Outline of Days

• Day 1 – mostly subject groups – getting to know the standards

• Day 2 – focus on planning for delivery in centres

ProgrammeDay 1

Session Title

1

9.30 – 11.00

Introduction - background, drivers for the introduction of functional skills, and overview of the sessions

Coffee

2

11.15-12.45

Subject Groups- looking at the draft standards and progression through themDigital Switchover – applying the draft standards to a scenario

Lunch

3

13.45-15.30

Building Skills – teaching functional skills at KS4The Learner’s Perspective - exploring the interrelationships between the three functional skills

Main features of 14-19 reform

• Retention of GCSE and A level• Strengthened core - functional skills• Strengthened key stage 3• New Specialised Diplomas• Age 16 no longer a fixed point• Flexibility• Personalisation

The need for change

The Skills Agenda

14 - 19 Education and Skills white paper

February 2005

The skills white paper ‘Getting on in business getting on at work’ March 2005

The Leitch review of skills report November 2006

20:20 Vision - the Gilbert Review

Higher Standards, Better Schools for All white paperOctober 2005

Post 16 participation

rates

The need for change

Inflexibility and confusion

Dissatisfied employers

Value and currency of qualifications

Burden of assessment

Lack of stretch

Reasons for change

Drivers for change – local impact

Post-16 participation

rates

Every Child Matters

Inflexibility and confusion

Dissatisfied employers

Value and currency of

qualifications

Burden of assessment

Lack of stretch

Functional skills: the basics

• Functional skills are:

– applied skills

– transferable

– relevant to all contexts.

Functional skills: the basics

• There are three functional skills: English, mathematics, ICT.

• They are for all learners.• They are a core component of the reform of 14–19

education and training.• QCA has developed draft standards at Entry Levels 1,

2 and 3, and Levels 1 and 2. Level 3 is in development.

• Part of the drive to rationalise the number of qualifications available and to ensure standards.

Defining functionality

‘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.’

QCA October 2005

What makes functional skills different?

• Focus on the delivery of transferable, practical, applied skills underpinned by knowledge and understanding

• Emphasis on competence• Provide a platform for employability and success in

life• An enabling agenda• Part of mainstream provision 14-16• Enhancing current GCSE provision

Subject Content

EnglishSpeaking and listeningReading Writing

MathsMaking sense of situations and representing themProcessing and analysing the mathematicsInterpreting and communicating the results of analysis

ICTUse ICT systemsFind, select and communicate informationDevelop and present information

Functional skills

Will be:

incorporated into revised GCSEs

a mandatory component of Specialised Diplomas

valid as stand-alone qualifications – there will be points for this

Functional skills: the basics

• The draft standards draw on the National Curriculum, GCSEs, key skills, and Skills for Life.

• At Level 1, they are being embedded into the Key Stage 3 revised programmes of study from September 2008.

• Functional skills will be qualifications and will therefore be independently assessed.

The standards

• The standards define what the learner must be able to do at each level.

• QCA and the awarding bodies will develop assessment methodologies, specifications and qualifications.

• Currently there are no schemes of work or specifications.

• No candidates in the pilot will have a GCSE qualification withheld because they have not reached the required standard in functional skills.

Timescales

• Three-year pilots of English, mathematics and ICT start in September 2007.

• All three functional skills piloted within first tranche of Diplomas from September 2008.

• All three functional skills available nationally from September 2010.

• From September 2010 students will need to get level 2 in ICT, English or Maths FS to get a GCSE C+ in that subject.

• Functional skills will replace Key Skills and Skills for Life, probably in 2010, last certification 2012.

14-19 education and skills implementation plan

‘Passing these functional skills qualifications will be a requirement for achieving a C or better in GCSE, English, maths or ICT. Young people will therefore have to master the functional skills in order to achieve a new Diploma or an apprenticeship.’

Timeline for Diplomas

2008 • First 5 Diplomas available (Construction, Creative and

Media, Engineering, ICT, Society, Health and Development)

2009• Next 5 Diplomas available (Land Based, Hair and Beauty,

Business Administration and Finance, Manufacturing, Hospitality and Catering)

2010• Final 4 Diplomas available (Public Services, Sport and

Leisure, Retail, Travel and Tourism)

Structure of the new Diplomas

• Principal learning – sector related skills and knowledge, mixture of GCSEs, A levels and vocational qualifications. At least 50% focus on developing practical skills used in workplace.

• Generic learning – functional skills, personal, learning and thinking skills (PLTS)

• Additional/specialist learning – range of additional, appropriate options endorsed by employers

Assessment

• Is being piloted by schools taking part in the exam boards pilot.

• One school already involved.

• Information will be available in the session later this term. (19th November)

• Day 3 will also include guidance:• about delivering FS• for SLT about implementation

Role of the pilot centres

• A genuine pilot:– developing over three years– informing the national roll-out in 2010– determining how functional skills will be taught and

assessed– providing examples of good practice to share with

other centres– demonstrating collaborative working – ensuring that accessibility issues are thoroughly

considered.

Benefits of Collaboration

• Collaboration Benefits

Drivers and Background

• Jane Everton

The vision-what are we going to achieve?

• Accessible and relevant content to all learners• The offer of a single cumulative ladder of achievement

and progression (including young people and adults)• A curriculum that reflects the needs of learners, teachers,

HEIs and employers• A streamlined approach to skills teaching and

development• Up-skilling across all sectors• A strengthened workforce

Objectives for subject groups

• To provide participants with the opportunity to gain an understanding of the draft standards intheir subject area.

• To enable participants to differentiate between Entry Level 3 and Levels 1 and 2, and to identify progression.

Subject Groups

• English Brown

• Maths Blue

• ICT ICT Suite

Some implications for teaching and learning

• How can we ensure that:– learners understand that they are learning skills

that they will use and apply in a variety of contexts?

– learners understand that these skills are usually used in combination?

– learners learn to select the skills they need for a particular task?

Skills development

• A learner– does not necessarily know a skill exists unless it is

explicitly named and identified– does not necessarily learn a skill unless it is taught– does not necessarily acquire a skill unless given

the opportunity to use it– cannot necessarily transfer a skill unless given

other opportunities where the skill is explicitly identified.