functional skills - everything you wanted to know and were afraid to ask - paul phillips, gurro
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Functional Skills - everything you wanted to know and
were afraid to ask
2
What are they?• English, Mathematics and ICT
– Entry Level 1 – 3 (part of Foundation Learning)– Level 1 – equivalent to GCSE D-G– Level 2 – equivalent to GCSE A*-C and worth half a
GCSE pass in each subject• An intrinsic part of GCSE from Sept 2010 45%-
55%• A must pass element of Diplomas &
Apprenticeships• Replace Key Skills, ALAN, Skills for Life > 2010
Functional Skills
It is essential to think of learners becoming functional with English,
maths and ICT, rather than thinking that there is a vital body of knowledge,
known as Functional Skills.QCA
Why Functional SkillsAre “Different”
• Competence not compensation • “Security”• Immersive contexts• Knowing what skills are being taught/used
What are they worth?
Maths English ICT Note
Level 1 12.5 pts 12.5 pts 12.5 pts Each qualification is 10% towards pass threshold
Level 2 23 pts 23 pts 23 pts Equivalent to 1.5 A*-C GCSE passes
Functional Skills Grading• FS are simply marked as pass or fail• A marginal fail at level 2 DOES NOT result
in an award of a Level 1 pass. Each test is completely separate
• Students have to be entered at the right level
• Eventually students will take tests “when they are ready”, probably when on screen testing is with us
Themes and Contexts• Realistic and relevant • Often similar themes or contexts for level 1
and 2, but with different questions• Key objective is transferability of skills, so
assessment is not in subject area of Diploma
• More initial reading than GCSE is required to “set the scene”, but reading age will be kept low
Assessment Formats• NOT only multiple choice, but ...
– Different question types• Gap fill, multi select, matching, edit, error spot• Tasks• Free text• And much more ...
– In different assessment formats– From different assessment bodies– And changing all the time
Passing Functional Skills
• Students need lots of help as failure rates based on Sample and first Assessments of FS are very high indeed
• FS is not about “teaching to the test”• It is about mastering the skills and process
7 common excuses
They are too hardI don’t have to do them yet
The final specifications are not outIf I can’t see an exam paper I can’t teach
They’ll never happenDon’t have to do them
We only do performance tables
7 common answers
They are too hard – they are rigorous and students need to master the skills to pass, it demands practice and good teaching
I don’t have to do them yet – from 2010 every GCSE student does them and already year 7, apprentices, diplomas, foundation learning do them
The final specifications are not out – if we waited for change to stop, we’d never start doing anything at all
If I can’t see an exam paper I can’t teach – you can’t teach to the test, that’s one of the “rules” of functional skills
They’ll never happen - they will
Don’t have to do them – you do!
Performance Tables - being replaced by the School Report Card
SummaryFunctional skills =• New thinking• Practice practice practice
– In familiar and unfamilar contexts• Different assessment
– Competence not compensation– Mastery
Guroo is the UK’s leading independent resource for
Functional Skills
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