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Functional Skills
FUNCTIONAL SKILLS PROGRAM AT TITAN EDUCATION TRUST
Functional skills are important because they provide the skills, knowledge and understanding for young people and adults to progress in work, education and life.
It relates to transferring to learner’s ability to solve problems to real-life contexts.
Functional skills are the fundamental English, Maths and ICT skills to aid their working and personal lives. People can study for these qualifications alongside their GCSE program of studies with high degree of success.
WHAT ARE FUNCTIONAL SKILLS?
These assessments/qualifications are practical skills in English, Maths and ICT for all learners aged 14 and above. It is equivalent to GCSE grades at different levels and they are widely accepted in all UK colleges or further educational training providers.
In line with our trust values we allow our students to do Functional skills so as to ensure that individual will garnered essential knowledge, skills and understanding that will enable them to operate confidently, effectively and independently in life and work.
Functional Skills (FS) Qualification
At present we offer FS Level 1 Mathematics and English to all year 11 students and Level 2 to those who have been successful at level 1 and are capable to achieve a pass in both discipline.
Functional Skills enable learners to:
- Apply their knowledge and understanding to everyday life
- Engage competently and confidently with others
- Solve problems in both familiar and unfamiliar situations
- Develop personally and professionally as positively citizens who can actively contribute to society
Who are functional skills for?
Functional skills are available to all learners from Key Stage 4, whatever learning pathway they are taking. Skills taught helps students to participate and progress in education, training and employment.
Functional skills help to broaden the range of aptitudes, attitudes and behaviours that will enable students to make a positive contribution to the communities in which they live and work.
Learner’s performance is measured on a pass/fail basis. At present the trust have a success rate of above 85% at Level 1 and 70% at Level 2.
HOW IS PERFORMANCE ASSESSED across the trust?
Initial assessments find out student’s individual strengths and learning needs. This help us to make sure that any learning is at the right level, and tackles the right skill areas that are needed to guaranteed success.
Learning mentors and tutors will focus on helping students to develop the skills they will need in real life contexts and problem solving in Mathematics and English.
Students have an understanding that many workplace or home requires competency in English and Mathematics.
Final assessments can be either on paper or using a computer. Assessment will be about showing how you can apply your skills and problem solve in realistic situations.
Each subject area has a set of performance standards based on three areas.
In Mathematics:
Representing: Making sense of a situation and representing it mathematically
Analysing: Processing and using maths
Interpreting: Interpreting and communicating the results of analysis
In English:
Speaking and listening: Making an oral presentation or report
Reading: Reading and understanding information and instructions
Writing: Writing accurately so that meaning is clear
We are currently looking at providing students with an extra FS course (ICT) so the criteria for ICT, assessment is based on:
Use of ICT systems
Finding and selecting information
Developing, presenting and communicating information
