Reforming Functional Skills Qualifications - Update and Insights

Phil Carr, Associate Director, shares outcomes and insights on the reform process of Functional Skills Qualifications. The context, themes, roles, and regulatory approach are outlined, highlighting the importance of enhancing assessment design, comparability of standards, and stakeholder confidence. Emphasis is placed on valuing FSQ by learners and employers, while seeking improvements for flexibility and fast results. The regulatory approach focuses on strengthening FSQ regulation to ensure effectiveness and alignment with policy objectives.

• Functional Skills Qualifications
• Reform
• Assessment Design
• Stakeholder Confidence
• Skills Development

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1. Reforming Functional Skills Qualifications Phil Carr Associate Director, Standards for Design and Development of Vocational & Technical Qualifications February 2017

2. Outcomes from today Update on the reform process and where we are in it Explore what works well in current qualifications and what could be improved Tell us if there s anything we ve missed Tell us what s worrying you about reform and what we/you can do about it

3. Context High stakes gateway qualifications; enable entry to employment and learning High volume 1.3 million certifications each year Available at five levels in each of English, maths and ICT Relatively large number of AOs offering them (currently 15) Varied cohort OLASS, army personnel, LLDD, Apprentices, ESOL, job seekers

4. Themes FS are valued by learners - Employability - Confidence - Self worth There is room for improvement Flexibility and fast results are highly valued by all FS are widely recognised and valued by employers

5. Roles and remit DfE responsible for: Overall policy (and purpose) for qualification Curriculum including subject content Ofqual responsible for: Assessment Standards including comparability Ofqual regulations give effect to the DfE policy, purpose and subject content

6. Our regulatory approach (1) Overall We will seek to carry forward existing FSQ features where they are effective and in line with our regulatory approach But we will also seek to strengthen FSQ regulation in terms of: Assessment design/structure Comparability of standards Stakeholder confidence

7. Our regulatory approach (2) Assessment design/structure Balance between demonstrating skills and applying them? Degree of emphasis on range of skills? Length of assessment? Assessment type/method? Differentiation at the pass mark? Accessibility for those with learning difficulties or disabilities?

8. Our regulatory approach (3) Comparability of standards Why is it important? What do we mean? Between different AOs? Between different years? Between assessment windows for a particular AO? What are the trade-offs? Assessment flexibility Assessment awarding

9. Our regulatory approach (4) Stakeholder confidence Considering information we will require from AOs about their qualification design and approach Designing an upfront evaluation process to consider reformed FSQs before they go to market which will be bespoke Conscious of the need to give AOs time to develop and centres time to prepare building this in as much as possible

10. Overall process and roles (Ofqual) Conditions and guidance (DfE) Subject content Detailed rules and guidance on them Formal consultation on these documents Overall qualification policy and purpose Formal consultation on subject content (AOs/Ofqual) Development and upfront evaluation Qualification that reflects published rules Assurance through bespoke FSQ process (Ofqual) Assessment policy Approach to regulating assessment and standards Formal consultation on assessment policy

11. Transition arrangements We think it s important to Protect learners taking existing/old versions Allow resits on old versions for fairness but secure smooth and equitable transition for learners and providers AND move to new qualifications for new learners as soon as available So considerations are When are enrolments? How long to complete the qualification? Approach to retakes? Ofqual has a role but so do others (SFA, DfE etc) as well as AOs

12. Thank you Please send comments or feedback to FunctionalSkillsReform@Ofqual.gov.uk