Functional Skills reform

17 Apr 2018 12:55 PM

Blog posted by: David Redden, External Quality Assurance Officer, Monday 16 April 2018.

Functional Skills qualifications are changing and as an active member of the FAB Functional Skills Working Group, we want to keep you up to date with the latest developments.

Consultation on the reform gives an opportunity to have an input on the future Functional Skills qualifications to help ensure they fit your learners’ needs.

The reform has gone through many consultations and updates through the past year or two and this technical consultation will be the last one before Awarding Organisations (AOs) submit their proposals for the new qualifications. 

The technical consultation hopes to build on current decisions as well as gather feedback on the the detailed conditions, requirements and guidance being proposed for the new Functional Skills qualifications in English and mathematics.

Qfqual in interested in gathering feedback on topics such as;

• the approach to assessment
• the design rules for the assessments
• subject-specific features for English and mathematics
• setting and maintaining standards
• transitional arrangements between new and old FSQs
• the proposed rules and guidance
• the impact of regulatory decisions
• the subject content
• assessment timings, criteria and weightings
• monitoring arrangements
• grading types.

The consultation is live now and will close on 11 May 2018 at 17:00, you can take part by visiting the government’s website.

The new subject content is also available to view for English and Mathematics.

Current timescales for the new qualifications are that they will be accessible from March 2019 with the first teachings of these qualifications taking place in September 2019.