functional skills training day 1 11 th september 2007
TRANSCRIPT
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.