Functional skills
Crucial to the success of our reforms is the Government’s commitment to ensure that all young people and adults, whatever their learning route, should be equipped with the skills to fulfil their potential and enjoy ongoing success in learning, work and life.
We are making it a priority to reform both the curriculum and qualifications – for young people themselves, for employers and for us all. Functional Skills are a key element to these reforms, bringing a sharper focus on the basics so that young people and adults can apply what they have learned, in the context of their daily life.
Key to success
Functional skills will help develop important skills – like communication, team working, presentation, and problem solving. They are a key to success. They open doors to learning, to life and to work. They are a platform on which to build employability skills and the gateway to future well-being and prosperity. We all need them – they make a difference to our lives. Without them we are less likely to succeed.
Functional skills are common to all our lives. They help make sense of daily life, from working out which deal is best value, to writing an application letter or getting the best out of a computer software package. They are about using English, maths and ICT in everyday situations.
They are essential for:
- getting the most from education and training
- personal development of all young people and adults
- developing employability skills
- tackling England’s skills gap
Functional skills will be available as free-standing qualifications for young people and adults and are an integral part of the Diploma, Apprenticeships and Foundation Learning. Functional skills have already been incorporated into the new Key Stage 3 Programme of Study, and will be embedded within the revised Key Stage 4 Programme of Study for first teaching from Spetember 2010.
There are over 3,000 centres currently involved in piloting the three Functional Skills qualifications in English, mathematics and ICT in readiness for national roll-out from September 2010.
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Nuts and Bolts guide: Functional Skills
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