Functional Skills

A new UK Government took office on 11 May. As a result the content of this leaflet may not reflect current Government policy. All statutory guidance and legislation referred to continues to reflect the current legal position unless indicated otherwise

Introduction

1. The National Curriculum requires all schools to teach the full programmes of study for English, mathematics, science and ICT to all pupils at key stage 4. These core subjects have a vital role to play in the preparation of young people for life and work in the 21st century. Many of the previous government’s plans for the future of the 11 to 19 curriculum have focused on this role. (The new coalition government has expressed a preference for a different core to the National Curriculum, such as English, mathematics, science and history.)

1. At the same time a number of schools that have diversified the optional curriculum at key stage 4 have begun to look at ways in which they can adapt the core curriculum to respond to the need for more personalised learning which demonstrates that every child matters. It is not compulsory for learners to study for GCSEs in the core subjects. A range of other approved qualifications enable schools to meet the requirements of the national curriculum in core subjects. However performance tables create a pressure on schools to enter as many pupils for GCSEs in subjects that contribute to the head line column.

Functional skills

1. The 14–19 Education and Skills WhitePaper (2/2005)introduced the concept of functional skills inEnglish, mathematics and ICT to addressemployers’ concerns that young peopleand adults are not achieving a firmgrounding in the ‘basics’ of employability. The White Paper defined functionalEnglish and mathematics as ‘the Englishand maths that people need toparticipate in everyday life, including inthe workplace’. In addition, the WhitePaper said ‘the modern world andeconomy requires all young people to becompetent in the use of ICT’. Functional skills have been:

• incorporated into revised GCSEs;
• incorporated into the new 14 to 19 Diplomas;
• developed as stand-alone qualifications.

1. QCDAhave developed the functional skillsqualifications tobe available for all 14 to 19 year olds bySeptember 2010. The qualifications areoffered at Entry level and levels one and two. They are aligned toNational Curriculum levels of attainmentor other similar existingqualificationsand will be comparable in demand across all three subjects. The previous government reconsidered the proposal that in order to pass future GCSEs in English, maths or ICT candidates will have to pass the relevant functional skills test for the subject.

1. The development timeline involved a three-year pilot for functional English,ICT and mathematics, all starting in September 2008 including thefirst tranche of 14 to 19 Diploma providers. In September 2010three functional skills tests will be available nationally. The 14 to 19 White paper proposed that the changes to maths should include the addition of financial literacy to the GCSE qualification.

Content of the functional skills

1. English

• Speaking and listening - i.e. participate in discussions and make contributions and presentations.
• Reading – i.e. read, understand and compare texts and use them to gather information, ideas etc.
• Writing – i.e. write documents, using formats and styles suitable for purpose, and communicate ideas effectively.

1. Maths

• The preparation for financial capability.

• Making sense of situations and representing them.
• Processing and analysing the mathematics.
• Interpreting and communicating the results of an analysis.
• Quantity – i.e. representations of numbers, calculations, estimation, approximation measuring, conversions etc.
• Space and shape – i.e. properties of 2D and 3D shapes, describing location and movement, transforming shapes and positions and estimating and determining lengths angles areas, volumes etc.
• Change and relationship – proportional reasoning, formulae and graphic representation etc.
• Uncertainty – i.e. discrete or continuous data, statistical measures and numerical estimates of risk and uncertainty.

1. ICT In December 2006 QCDA suggested to ministers that the ICT test should be optional and should include -

• Use ICT systems – i.e. select, interact and use ICT systems independently to meet needs; follow and understand the need for safety and security practices and manage information storage efficiently.

• Find select and communicate information – i.e. a variety of sources for a complex task; access, search for and develop ICT based information and evaluate its fitness for purpose etc.
• Develop and present information – i.e. enter, organise, develop format and bring together information to suit content and purpose etc.

Changes to science

1. The revised programme of study for science at key stage4 came into effect in September 2006. New GCSEs in science were also introduced based upon the new programme of study. At the same time disapplication from science at key stage 4 through Section 363 of the 1996 Education Act was abolished. Science teachers at key stages 3 and4 should now be seeking contexts and examples of the applications of science in the world today, including applications in the workplace.

Changes at Key Stage 3

1. Revisions to the programmes of study at Key Stage 3 and 4 led QCDA to propose a change in the way subjects are constructed. As well as being slimmed down in size, from 2009 QCA proposed that subjects should be seen in terms of (a) their aims; (b) the skills they develop and (c) how they contribute to the aims of Every Child Matters and the personal development of learners. These changes have opened up opportunities for teachers of core to use more examples and contexts from everyday life to achieve the objectives of their subjects. This could lead to a wider use of work-related and enterprise contexts by teacher at key stage 3 in more schools than at present. (See also JA34 and JA35.)

Other changes to core subjects

1. The previous governmentannounced their proposals to change the role of course work in GCSE examinations. From September 2009, existing coursework tasks and assessments have been replaced by what is being called ‘controlled assessments’. The guiding principle of the new coursework arrangements is that unsupervised coursework assessments no longer contributes towards final GCSE grades. In mathematics there is also a shift of focus in assessment from recall of prescribed content to process skills and problem solving

1. The changes to performance tables at 16+ in 2005 have made non-GCSE qualifications more attractive to headteachers than before. This is especially significant for ICT and science where there is now a wide range of non-GCSE qualifications that enable schools to teach the programmes of study. (See page 4.) As GCSEs results in maths and English are included in the headline column pressure is still on schools to enter most pupils for the GCSEs in those subjects. The new government has indicated it will review the status of some qualifications in annual performance tables.

Diversity in core subjects

1. Many schools are currently seeking to ensure that their curriculum enables personalised learning that meets the needs interestsand aspirations of all learners. In some of those schools teachers in the core subjects have begun to look at ways in which they can adapt their subjects to further meet those needs. On the back page there is one example of such an approach.

See also JA33- Functional skills in core subjects

John Allen July2010

This model was developed before the introduction of the new 14 to 19 Diplomas

1