Transcript Slide 1

Functional Skills Update
(England)
April 2007
Can you answer these questions?
A coat costs £80
The coat is in a sale with 25% off
What is the new cost of the coat?
In the following sentence which word is spelt
incorrectly?
‘be careful, the kettel is hot.’
2
What are Functional Skills?
• A key initiative in both the 14-19 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
Qualification development and
reform
Functional Skills (FS) are part of an extensive educational reform
programme which includes the following:
•
•
•
•
•
•
Specialised Diplomas
Foundation Learning Tier (FLT)
Existing 14 – 19 qualifications
Key Stage 3 revision
Modernisation of the exam process
Vocational qualifications reform
The aim is for a more rationalised curriculum offering learners
stimulating qualifications with appropriate, when ready
assessment.
4
How the standards will be used
• replace existing key and basic skills with new standalone qualifications, suitable for both young people and
adults
• link to GCSEs in maths, English and ICT so that no–one
can achieve an A*-C without achieving the functional
element
• represent an efficient way of assessing learners in the
skills they need for work and life, which can be taken
on demand
• form part of the specialised Diplomas and
apprenticeships
• link to vocational programmes
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
• Stand-alone qualifications initially will be set and
marked by awarding bodies
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 pre16 (at Entry, Level 1 or 2). Level 2 remains the
target achievement for all learners 14-19 (note
that the Leitch ‘adult’ target for FS is Entry 3 for
maths and Level 1 for English)
• Progression above that level will be seen as
desirable
• GLH of around 50; 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
Who can pilot?
• Successful Diploma Gateway centres who have been
nominated to run Functional Skills pilots – about 800
centres
• 200 ‘other’ centres; likely to be post 16 or ‘adult’ from
the full range of sectors
• Opportunities for other pilot centres likely (especially
from 2008); still in discussion with the regulator
• These ‘1,000’ centres are across all nine awarding
bodies/awarding body consortia involved in the pilots
• QCA suggests 20-30 learners per centre so 20,000-30,000
learners might be expected in 2007-8
10
What about centres not through the
Gateway or selected in ‘other’
category?
• 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
11
Assessment
Over-riding principles of assessment are that FS should be:
• available on-demand
• easy to administer/manageable
• prove ability
• cover the standards
• cost effective
• Credible to key stakeholders, particularly
universities and employers
and
The assessment method does not need to follow the same
model for all levels, all subjects
12
National benchmarks and targets for
functional skills
• 14-19
• Level 2 in English, maths and ICT
• Adults (Leitch agenda)
• Level 1 English
• Entry 3 maths
• ICT – no target
13
Models of assessment for the
pilot phase
• Model 1. Functional skills as a stand alone
qualification
• Model 2. Functional skills as a paper within the
GCSE which does not contribute to the GCSE
grade. This paper can also be used to certificate
as a stand alone qualification
• Model 3. As model 2, but the marks from the FS
contribute to the GCSE grade
14
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 60-90 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
15
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
16
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?
17
What is Edexcel doing?
• Supporting centres with ALAN qualifications
• Working with Local Authorities and centres to
look at models of delivery and assessment
• Preparing case studies and supporting materials
to share best practice
• Disseminating information, as available (website,
Insights, links with other web sites)
18
How can centres prepare?
• Work in and extend partnership and collaboration with
LA, consortium partners, employers where appropriate.
• Be pro-active. Audit readiness. Build capacity
• Start to engage key stakeholders i.e. SMT, colleagues,
learners, parents, employers etc
• Plan access and progression, harness strengths, seek
out resources and support i.e. NSS, QIA, AB, DfES etc.
• Utilise network opportunities & share good practice
• Deliver ALAN as part of the GCSE
• Consider embedding key skills delivery and assessment
as part of vocational programmes
19
Prepare staff
• Use training opportunities to support CPD for
staff to think through how they might deliver
functional skills
• Use of Results Plus Analysis and Results Plus Skills
to raise current achievement and prepare for
future success
• Use ALAN to prepare for on-demand assessment
20
Expression of Interest
• Edexcel intend to offer Functional Skills Pilot
Qualifications in English, Maths and ICT at Levels
1 and 2 from September 2007.
• We are inviting expressions of interest from
centres wishing to participate in the Edexcel
Functional Skills Pilots. The form can be found on
the Functional Skills website:
http://developments.edexcel.org.uk/fs/interest/
• Selection of centres to participate in the Pilots is
subject to discussions with QCA
21
/
How do I keep updated?
• Visit the Edexcel functional skills web pages
http://developments.edexcel.org.uk/fs/
• Register with Edexcel Policy Watch mailing list
and email alerts
• Look on the QCA functional skills website
www.qca.org.uk/15891.html
• Look on the QIA website
• Contact your Edexcel regional office or
curriculum development manager (if known)
22