Overview of presentation

1
Overview of presentation

• This briefing has been prepared for those
  interested in the development of functional
  skills.
• Information on these slides was produced in
  January 2007
• Subsequent updates should be taken into account
  when using this information
• Information is correct until the outcomes of the
  trials are known
• Briefing/awareness-raising (not training)
• Expected length of session is 60 minutes
• Briefing is not contextualised

2
Functional skills
Briefing March 8th 2007, South London
Partnership, Lorna Hunte Jackson
3
Overview

• The need for change - the vision
• What are functional skills?
• Who is developing them?
• How will they be implemented?
• Timelines
• Considerations
• Workforce development support

4
The need for change
14 - 19 Education and Skills white paper
February 2005
The skills white paper Getting on in business
getting on at work March 2005
The Skills Agenda
Higher Standards, Better Schools for All white
paper October 2005
The Leitch review of skills report
November 2006
2020 Vision - the Gilbert Review
5
Reasons for change
6
The vision-what are we going to achieve?

• Up-skilling across all sectors
• A streamlined approach to skills
• A strengthened workforce
• The offer of a single cumulative ladder of
  achievement and progression (including young
  people and adults)
• Accessible and relevant content to all candidates
  Coherent progression routes
• Reflect the needs of learners, teachers, HEIs and
  employers

7
Main features of 14-19 reform

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

8
The skills agenda and functional skills

• Central to the delivery of the 14-19 and Skills
  strategies
• Crucial to the personal development of all
  learners aged 14 and above
• Have a central role across all sectors
• Fundamental to tackling the skills gap in England

9
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

10
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

11
Content

• In line with the demands of
• GCSEs in English, maths and ICT
• The National Curriculum
• Skills for Life
• The key skills of Communication, Application of
  Number and ICT

12
Functional skills

• Will be
• Incorporated into revised GCSEs
• A mandatory component of the new Diplomas
• Valid as stand-alone qualifications

13
Functional skills

• Will be available at
• Entry level (1-3)
• Level One
• Level Two
• Level Three (in development)

14
Who is involved in the development? 1.

• DfES working groups
• Design of qualification (QCA)
• Workforce development (FSSP)
• Communication and stakeholder engagement (DfES,
  FSSP)
• Awarding bodies

15
Who is involved in the development? 2.

• CEL and NCSL - Preparation for school, college
  and training provider managers
• TDA and LLUK standards for ITT and QTLS
• QIA and SSAT preparation of materials and
  support for specialised Diplomas
• QIA (LSN) and SNS - preparation of materials and
  support for functional skills
• Diploma Development Partnerships (DDP)
• Awarding bodies

16
Who is involved in the development? 3.

• QCA
• Development of draft standards
• Consultation on draft standards
• Coordinate trials on the standards and possible
  assessment approaches with awarding bodies

17
What makes functional skills different?

• Focus on the delivery of transferable, practical,
  applied skills underpinned by knowledge and
  understanding
• Competence not compensation
• Provide a platform for employability and success
  in life
• An enabling agenda
• Part of mainstream provision 14-16
• Enhancing current GCSE provision

18
Draft standards for functional skills

• Designed by QCA in consultation with relevant
  organisations.
• They
• Set out the expected knowledge, understanding and
  skills as well as their scope and level of demand
• Are not detailed curricula or schemes of work
• Do not set out models of assessment

19
In the case of English the functional skills
standards aim to ensure that

• Individuals are confident and capable when using
  the skills of speaking, listening, reading and
  writing
• In life and work individuals will be able to read
  and understand information and instructions
• They will be able to make an oral presentation or
  report, contribute to discussions and use speech
  to work in teams and to agree actions.

20
In the case of functional maths the standards aim
to ensure that

• Individuals have sufficient understanding of a
  range of mathematical concepts and are able to
  use them
• Individuals will have the confidence and
  capability to use maths to solve problems
• In life and work individuals will develop the
  analytical and reasoning skills to draw
  conclusions, identify errors and validate and
  interpret results.
• Process skills

21
In the case of functional ICT the standards aim
to ensure that

• Individuals are confident and capable when using
  ICT systems and tools to meet a variety of needs
• Individuals will be able to use ICT to find,
  select and bring together information and use ICT
  to develop, interpret and exchange information
• In life and work individuals will be able to
  apply ICT safely.

22
Assessment

• QCA are currently trialling the standards and
  possible assessment approaches with providers and
  are working in collaboration with awarding
  bodies.

23
(No Transcript)
24
Functional skills and the new Diploma

• 14 lines of learning, reflecting occupational
  sectors by 2013
• Employer- influenced
• Must include functional maths, English and ICT (
  ICT assessed at Level 1 for Level 1 specialised
  Diplomas, at Level 2 for Level 2 and Level 3
  specialised diplomas)
• Combine specialised learning and relevant GCSEs
  and A levels
• Must be equivalent to at least 5 GCSEs at Level 2

25
Timeline for Diplomas

• 2008
• First 5 Diplomas available (construction,
  creative and media, engineering, Society, Health
  and Development and ICT)
• 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)

26
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

27
Structure of the new Diplomas

• In addition they must include
• Learning in a workplace minimum 10 days work
  experience
• A project learners will have the freedom to
  design a project relating to any aspect of their
  design

28
Diplomas

• Relationship between personal, learning and
  thinking skills and the wider key skills

29
Functional skills and Skills for Life/ key skills

• Candidates can register for key skills and SfL
  qualifications until at least 2010 thus allowing
  achievement up to 2012
• National support continues for key skills until
  2008
• QIA has commissioned CfBT to lead the Skills for
  Life Improvement Programme (SfLIP)

30
What advice would we give to key skills and
Skills for Life centres 1.

• Dont give up on current practice
• Almost 1.5 million key skills qualifications have
  been awarded up to September 2005, with 544,000
  awards achieved from October 2004 to September
  2005
• 839,000 adults have achieved literacy, numeracy
  and language qualifications since 2001 (Getting
  on in business, getting on at work, March 2005)
• Wider key skills are now included in these
  figures and are proving popular
• Initial Advice and Guidance (IAG) is crucial for
  learners
• Employer engagement

31
What other advice would we give? 2.

• Transfer current effective practice
• Embed/ integrate key skills and Skills for Life
• Continue with whole organisation approach to
  delivery
• Continue with good practice in teaching and
  learning and assessment
• Collaborative teaching specialists and
  supporting staff
• Build on existing models within apprenticeship
  frameworks

32
What other advice would we give? 3.

• Keep informed about
• Outcomes of the trials
• Development of the qualifications
• Progress of the pilots
• Developments in assessment methodologies
• Development of the draft standards

33
Challenges

• Assessment
• Awareness raising
• Curriculum planning
• Impact on achievement
• Teaching and learning
• Timescales
• Volume of learners
• Workforce development

34
Functional Skills Support Programme
A programme jointly managed by Secondary National
Strategy (SNS) and Quality Improvement Agency
(QIA) on behalf of Department for Education and
Skills (DfES)
35
Functional Skills Support Programme
(FSSP)

• The FSSP will work with organisations in the
  pilot centres and will provide
• Materials and resources
• Training and networks
• A website
• A CPD package

36
Possible CPD package for pilots

• The overall training and support package will
  consist of
• 4 days face-to-face training online resources and
  CPD materials. These 4 days will be a compulsory
  element thereafter each consortia/centre will
  draw down the support it needs.
• Local consultancy
• Networking
• The development of hubs of local best practice.

37
Equivalent between levels
test plus portfolio for assessment
38
Further information and support

• For website information handout 4