INTRODUCTION
Delivering Functional Skills for all
and the aim is that as many young people as
possible will develop their Functional Skills
to Level 2 and take a standalone qualification
to demonstrate what they have achieved.
Looking at the other qualification
pathways, Functional Skills are a mandatory
part of the Diploma qualifications and will
replace Key Skills within all Apprenticeship
frameworks from September 2010.
Foundation Learning includes Functional
Skills as one of the three strands of all
progression pathway programmes.
The providers involved in the pilot have taken
a wide range of approaches in order to embed
Functional Skills into the curriculum. Although
some are delivering Functional Skills as
discrete lessons, many are teaching them across
whole programmes of study. In mathematics
lessons, for example, students might learn about
calculating distance using scale – a skill that
they will then be able to apply in geography.
Mr Hall continued: “Functional Skills
shouldn’t be seen as another curriculum
subject or as a separate element of English,
mathematics and ICT. They should be seen
as skills which are delivered across the
whole curriculum and therefore provide
opportunities for teaching staff to work
together to ensure young people have a
seamless and comprehensive learning
experience.”
Feedback shows that the students who have
been involved in the Functional Skills pilot
are “very positive” about their introduction
into the curriculum. They particularly like the
fact that Functional Skills are different from
“traditional” English, mathematics and ICT
learning.
Interestingly, the pilot has shown that high-
achieving GCSE students do not necessarily
find Functional Skills easy and still benefit
from the chance to apply the skills they have
grasp of the basics, as well as knowledge and Skills were crucial in enabling their young learned in real-life situations.
skills specific to their jobs. The teaching and people to become independent thinkers and As more and more providers prepare to
learning of Functional Skills encourages and learners (see page 9), while Diploma students offer Functional Skills, a wide range of
develops what young people need to succeed at Hanham High School near Bristol said support is available for teachers, leaders and
in the workplace and everyday life. They also they were benefiting hugely from learning managers.
provide a good basis for those going on to how to use mathematics, English and ICT “in The National Strategies and the Learning
further and higher education.” the real world” (see page 13). and Skills Improvement Service have
Functional Skills were first introduced in From September 2010, Functional designed and developed the Functional Skills
2007 when the QCDA began a three-year Skills will feature within each of the four Support Programme (FSSP) for schools and
pilot programme to develop Functional Skills qualification pathways for 14 to 19-year-olds post-16 education and training centres. It
qualifications that would be suitable for – GCSEs, Diplomas, Apprenticeships, and includes everything from developing applied
learners “in all settings and at all levels”. Foundation Learning. They will be a key part learning to adopting a whole-centre approach
More than 3,000 centres, including of the secondary curriculum, as well as being to implementation (see pages 15 and 16 for
schools, colleges, work-based learning available as qualifications for adults. links to these and other resources).
centres, adult community learning centres, Over the coming pages, this supplement
and secure-estates, have been involved in breaks down the four pathways, looking at
piloting these new qualifications. how Functional Skills fit within each and
Supplement contents
featuring case studies of real providers in
Functional Skills in action
FoundationLearning: Pages 4-6
action. For GCSE, the new requirements
GCSEs: Pages 7-9
This supplement features a range of case mean that students will not have to pass a
studies that show how providers have separate Functional Skills qualification in
Apprenticeships: Pages 10-11
implemented Functional Skills into teaching order to gain a grade C or above in English,
Diplomas: Pages 12-14
and learning and have developed best practice mathematics and ICT GCSE. PreparingforSeptember: Page 15
in delivering them. Turton High School in Functional Skills have been embedded
Resourcesandsupport:  Page 16
’
Bolton, for instance, decided that Functional into the new GCSE criteria for these subjects
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