Functional Skills Qualification

The Functional Skills Qualification is a frequently required component of post-16 education in England. The aim of Functional Skills is to encourage learners to develop and demonstrate their skills as well as learn how to select and apply skills in ways that are appropriate to their particular context in English, mathematics, ICT and digital skills. They provide a foundation for progression into employment or further technical education and develop skills for everyday life. Functional Skills are generally available in sixth form colleges, further education colleges, and tertiary colleges.^[1]

Functional Skills qualifications provide reliable evidence of a student’s achievements against demanding content that is relevant to the workplace. They need to provide assessment of students’ underpinning knowledge as well as their ability to apply this in different contexts.^[2]

• English Entry Level

Functional Skills English qualifications at these levels indicate that students should be able to speak, listen, communicate, read and write with increasing clarity, accuracy and effectiveness at each level. They should be able to listen, understand and respond to verbal communication in a range of familiar contexts; acquire an understanding of everyday words and their uses and effects, and apply this understanding in different contexts; read with accuracy straightforward texts encountered in everyday life and work, and develop confidence to read more widely; and write straightforward texts and documents with clarity and effectiveness, and demonstrate a sound grasp of spelling, punctuation and grammar.

• English Level 1 and 2

Functional Skills English qualifications at these levels indicate that students should be able to speak, listen, communicate, read and write clearly, accurately, confidently and with effectiveness. They should be able to listen, understand and make relevant contributions to discussions with others in a range of contexts; apply their understanding of language to adapt delivery and content to suit audience and purpose; read a range of different text types confidently and fluently, applying their knowledge and understanding of texts to their own writing; write texts of varying complexity, with accuracy, effectiveness, and correct spelling, punctuation and grammar; and understand the situations when, and audiences for which, planning, drafting and using formal language are important, and when they are less important.

• Mathematics Entry Level

Functional Skills Mathematics specifications should enable the student to gain confidence and fluency in and a positive attitude towards, and to develop behaviours such as persistence and logical thinking as they apply mathematical tools and approaches. Functional Skills mathematics qualifications at these levels should enable students to become confident in their use of fundamental mathematical knowledge and skills; indicate that students can demonstrate their understanding by applying their knowledge and skills to solve simple mathematical problems or carry out simple tasks.

• Mathematics Level 1 and 2

Achievement of the qualification demonstrates a sound grasp of mathematical skills at the appropriate level and the ability to apply mathematical thinking effectively to solve problems successfully in the workplace and in other real life situations. Functional Skills mathematics qualifications at these levels should indicate that students can demonstrate their ability in mathematical skills and their ability to apply these, through appropriate reasoning and decision making, to solve realistic problems of increasing complexity; introduce students to new areas of life and work so that they are exposed to concepts and problems which may be of value in later life; and enable students to develop an appreciation of the role played by mathematics in the world of work and in life.

• Digital Skills Entry Level

Digital FSQs enable students to gain confidence and fluency in their use of digital knowledge and skills, and develop a positive attitude towards the use of digital skills; enable students to develop an appreciation of the importance of digital skills in the workplace and in life. At this level, digital FSQs should: enable students to increase their confidence and fluency in their use of digital knowledge and skills, and develop a positive attitude towards the use of digital skills; enable students to demonstrate their knowledge and skills by applying these to complete tasks and activities; introduce students to areas of life and work which may be new or unfamiliar, and tasks and activities that they may encounter in future; enable students to develop an appreciation of the importance of digital skills in the workplace and in life generally; and provide a basis for further study, work and life

• Digital Skills Level 1 and Level 2

Digital FSQs enable students to initiate and participate in digital and online activities safely in the workplace and in other real-life contexts. At this level, digital FSQs should enable students to increase their confidence and fluency in their use of digital knowledge and skills, and develop a positive attitude towards the use of digital skills; enable students to demonstrate their knowledge and skills by applying these to complete tasks and activities; introduce students to areas of life and work which may be new or unfamiliar, and tasks and activities that they may encounter in future; enable students to develop an appreciation of the importance of digital skills in the workplace and in life; provide a basis for further study, work and life.

Digital FSQs will provide reliable evidence of a student’s achievements against content that is relevant to the workplace and real life; provide assessment of a student’s knowledge and skills as well as their ability to apply these in different contexts; and provide a foundation for progression into employment or further education and develop skills for everyday life.