Latest news on Functional Skills
Q: How do I become a marker of functional skills?
A: There is an online application to become an Edexcel Assessment Associate that will become live next week. This is available from the 2nd March at http://www.edexcel.com/i-am-a/aa/aa-recruitment/Pages/home.aspx
Q: Are some schools using this as an end of Year 9 assessment – could it be used in this way and completed over 1 year?
A: It has been evident from analysis of entries and results data for Level 2 Functional skills that Year 9 learners were often inappropriately entered. Low achievement rates and analysis of scripts suggest that most Year 9 learners did not have the necessary functional experiences that encompass the essential element of the assessment of Functional skills.
Q: Could we have the web address for the 2010 past paper?
A: http://www.edexcel.com/quals/func-skills/ict/Pages/Documents.aspx
Q: Is there a way for centres to test the exam procedure/set up with a test run ?
A: You can use one of the past papers as a mock exam if you wish.
Q: How are functional skills graded? Are letter grades A* A B C etc used?
A: All Functional Skills are graded as pass / fail.
Q: Not clear about the internally assessed centre document. Does any other evidence have to be provided to prove the candidates have these skills?
A: No, currently the centre only needs to inform Edexcel if learners have passed or failed the witness statement.
Q: What is the recommended number of hours for Level 1?
A: The GLH is 30-45 and this is the same for Level 2.
Q: will it be compulsory for ALL students to take Functional skills Level 2 in ICT even if they are not taking a GCSE in ICT?
A: As you may be aware the proposed hurdle that students must pass level 2 in Functional mathematics, English and ICT qualifications in order to achieve a grade C or above in GCSE mathematics, English and ICT from 2010 has been removed. Schools Minister Jim Knight has said that "We accept that we should not make a link between the functional skills assessments and the GCSE". However ministers are keen that students continue with functional skills assessments "so that they can demonstrate success in learning these vital skills." Further information can be found on the Ofqual website at http://www.ofqual.org.uk/2252.aspx, and details on our current developments for GCSE 2010 here http://www.edexcel.com/quals/gcse/gcse10/Pages/default.aspx.
Q: How can I access the witness statement for the May sitting?
A: This is available in the ICE document here:
http://www.edexcel.com/quals/func-skills/Pages/key-documents.aspx
Q: Could you give us and indication of the pass rates for both level 1 and level 2 in 2008?
A: Please note that as this is an awarded qualification, the pass marks can change. Pass mark is shown out of total mark (Different for subjects/levels).
Subjects | Maths | English | ICT |
Level 1 | 29/60 | 20/32 | 46/70 |
Level 2 | 33/60 | 27/40 | 46/70 |
Q: Can students re-take as many times as they want?
A: Yes.
Q: Are there any books available for functional skills ICT level 2?
A: Resources are available for free on Edexcel website:
http://www.edexcel.com/quals/func-skills/ict/Pages/resources.aspx
Q: Do you have any sample papers with data files?
A: The data files for January 2009 and SAMs are available on the website at http://www.edexcel.com/quals/func-skills/ict/Pages/Documents.aspx
Q: Am I right to assume that functional skills is simply graded pass or fail and individual gradings (i.e. A, B, C etc) do not apply?
A: Yes, Functional ICT, as with English and Maths, is a pass / fail assessment.
Q: What are the chances for those tests to be online as oppose to printing them out in near future?
A: We are looking into the possibility of having these tests online in the future but, for the next few series, the assessments will remain in their current format.
Q: Are students graded purely on their performance in the exam or do the skills that are signed off contribute to their mark?
A: No, candidates MUST pass the witness statement and the task to gain a certificate.
Q: Is FS only compulsory for students completing a GCSE (or equivalent) qualification or for ALL candidates?
A: NO. However, it is envisaged that FS is compulsory for learners studying Diploma.
Q: Is there sample teaching schemes of work and lesson plans that we can use to deliver functional skills or do we have to create our own?
A: You are recommended to approach LSIS and LSN for support in this area.
Q: Will you be sending us the question papers or do they have to be printed at the centre?
A: The question papers are distributed to centres on the basis that they have made on-time entries. The deadline for summer 2009 was 21st March.
Q: Are candidates allowed to re-sit on the same day? Will the re-sit be on the same paper?
A: Candidates CANNOT re-sit in the same assessment window. Candidates may sit the assessment only ONCE, as with any other external assessment. As the assessments are externally marked, centres should not be aware which candidates passed or failed.
Q: Can you provide some extra information about the Internally Assessed Tasks - what's required?
A: information on this can be found in our ICE document at:
http://www.edexcel.com/quals/func-skills/Pages/key-documents.aspx
Q: If we don't have to send in the completed skills sheets confirming students have completed those skills, then how can they contribute to the overall mark?
A: the witness statement is marked with 1 = pass and 0 = fail and candidates have to meet all the requirements to gain a pass.
Q: If the learner fails the functional skills assessment does that mean no GCSE?
A: Not anymore. The requirement was that in order to achieve A*-C at GCSE the learner must achieve Level 2 functional skills will kick in for awards in 2012 (ie for two year GCSE courses that begin teaching in 2010) Technical details of how functional skills results will work alongside GCSE results are being developed along with the new GCSEs and will be available when new GCSE specifications are published in the Autumn term 2009. This will include the grade that will be obtained by candidates who do not pass functional skills, and the arrangements for awarding A*-C to those who subsequently achieve level 2 functional skills.
Q: How will functional skills be delivered alongside GCSE?
A: Although assessment of functional skills will be through a stand-alone test, at school level, that is the tip of a wider set of reforms that see functional skills incorporated into KS3 and KS4 programmes of study and more functional and applied approaches being reflected in the English, maths and ICT GCSE and teaching and learning during KS3 and KS4.
Teaching and learning of functional skills can be through a range of models; these range from discrete lessons to fully embedding into the teaching and learning of the relevant GCSE, Diploma principal learning and other curriculum subjects. In the long term, as far as possible, teaching and learning in school should be integrated and should not require additional teaching time. The functional skills standards have been incorporated into the National Curriculum programmes of study accordingly.
But that will not suit all learners and capacity for centres to deliver in an integrated way may only develop over the first few years – hence the range of models that are explored. More information on the models is available as part of the guidance on the Excellence Gateway: http://excellence.qia.org.uk/functionalskills
Q: Why isn’t the functional skill assessment incorporated in GCSE?
A: We believe it is important that young people have specific recognition of their functional skills, both for themselves and for moving on to further learning and work. Trialling showed that it wasn’t possible technically to get both a discrete assessment of functional skills attainment and a broad GCSE assessment out of the same exam without losing some of the content that is important to GCSE.