270,000 STUDENTS LEAVE SCHOOL WITH LOW LEVELS OF MATHS OR ENGLISH OR BOTH EACH YEAR

SOURCE OFSTED 2014

An interesting Ofsted comment

“It’s not about preparing learners simply for exams but much more important to develop

work related skills”

Taken from Karen Adriaanse/AELP Webinar presentation Sept 2014

How well do we understand policy?Correct Incorrect Not Sure

All learners with a grade D GCSE have to re-sit until they passApprentices with a grade D GCSE must do GCSE as a condition of fundingFirst exams for the new 2015 specification are in May 2017 with two assessment windows per yearFinal assessments for the new 2015 specification GCSE will be immediately available on-line and on-demand

How well do we understand policy?Correct Incorrect Not Sure

All learners with a grade D GCSE have to re-sit until they pass

52% 30% 18%

Apprentices with a grade D GCSE must do GCSE as a condition of funding

37% 22% 41%

First exams for the new 2015 specification are in May 2017 with two assessment windows per year

37% 12% 51%

Final assessments for the new 2015 specification GCSE will be immediately available on-line and on-demand

33% 5% 63%

Policy

Nick Boles on Functional Skills

• Nick Boles speech extract about maths and English https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QCDJs1yVlGU&feature=youtu.be

• Nick Boles FENews video on Functional Skills

http://www.fenews.co.uk/fe-video/skills-minister-nick-boles-on-employer-contributions-functional-skills-and-careers-advice

Nick Boles Quotes

• “I have asked Ofqual to look at Functional Skills (now 7 years old) to ensure the brand has value that everyone understands and can respect.”

• “For those without GCSE passes, they need new ways to gain mastery of English and maths … and Functional Skills is the best way to do it”

• “It isn’t going to work to make students take more classes that are basically the same … I am very keen to make Functional Skills consistent, valuable, understood and to command respect alongside GCSE.”

Ofsted

Ofsted areas for improvement (English)

• Learners progress not monitored well enough• Too many learners still put on Level 1, even if

they have a grade D at GSCE• Use of initial assessment is especially weak• Integration of English into vocational teaching

and the teaching of reading is weak• Grammatical errors are not always corrected

Ofsted areas for improvement (maths)

• Learners progress not monitored well enough• Use of initial assessment is generally good, but

information is not well used• Too much provision is classroom based• Weaker provision tends to focus too much

teaching technical skills without underpinning concepts and learners understanding

Ofsted areas identified as good

• The overwhelming majority achieve Functional Skills

• Support to develop apprentices is highly effective

• Learners understand why they need good English and maths

2014 Annual Functional Skills SurveyEarly results based on 150 responses

2014 Functional Skills Survey early findings

2014 Functional Skills Survey early findings

Help Nick Boles choose a new name – just for fun

Fun only - New name early resultsBased on 60 responsesFunctional Skills 6.4Skills for Life 5.3Essential Skills 5.3Skills for Work 4.3Working Skills 3.6Vocational Skills 3.5Everyday Skills 3.4Work Skills 3.2Practical Skills 2.9Crucial Skills 2.3Useful Skills 2.2Relevant Skills 2.1

Selected other comments• English and maths skills Then you would have

English and maths GCSE and English and maths skills - more egalitarian.

• Call it Language and Maths. It could be a GCSE when combined.

• Essential Everyday Life Skills (EELS)• Problem solving skills• Foundation Skills• Progression Skills• Vital Skills• Maths and English CE (Certificate of Education)• Stop changing the name! Functional Skills has

built on ABE, Basic Skills, Key Skills and Skills for Life. Now just leave it at that.

Based on a score of 0-10 – average 3.7

Useful Links• Free GCSE Screener http://gcsescreener.co.uk/ • Nick Boles AELP full speech https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LSdddUTDDDg • Nick Boles speech extract about maths and English https://

www.youtube.com/watch?v=QCDJs1yVlGU&feature=youtu.be • Nick Boles FENews video on Functional Skills http://

www.fenews.co.uk/fe-video/skills-minister-nick-boles-on-employer-contributions-functional-skills-and-careers-advice

• 2014 Functional Skills Annual Survey https://www.surveymonkey.com/r/7VHBC9J• Help Nick Boles choose a new name for Functional Skills (Fun) https://

www.surveymonkey.com/r/9PZGLTC • Kirstie Donnelly (UK C&G Managing Director) talks about GCSE and Functional

Skills FENews video https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SijcUr0iHCg

Left intentionally blank

“Perhaps the most important business event to affect the post-16 maths and English sector”

October 23rd 2014

“Perhaps the most important business event to affect the post-16 maths and English sector”

ForSkills and Guroo

• Combined development teams• Combined management teams• Combined content and resources• Combined support and knowledge• Combined standardisation data

ForSkills and Guroowhere 1+1 really does make more than 2!

Supporting the sector – Free GCSE ScreenerBrought to you, completely free of charge, with the direct support of ForSkills and

Guroo – the new force in post-16 e-learningAvailable free and now – simply goto http://gcsescreener.co.uk