Functional skills
Functional skills are practical skills in English, information and communication technology (ICT) and mathematics, that allow individuals to work confidently, effectively and independently within real life contexts.
The criteria for functional skills are available via the OFQUAL website linked to below.
Functional skills assessments are available from entry level to level 2 in all three subject areas through a variety of awarding organisations.
Functional skills assessments must:
• provide realistic contexts, scenarios and problems
• specify tasks that are relevant to the context
• require applications of knowledge, skills and understanding for a purpose
• require problem solving
• assess process skills and the outcome of their application in different contexts.
Planning & teaching functional skills
The approach to planning the teaching of functional skills should focus on applied learning, providing opportunities within a useful and relevant context; personal finance education is one such context and some examples of how this might be achieved for each subject area are shown below:
In English students would be expected to use the skills of speaking, listening and communicating, reading and writing to:
- investigate financial services product adverts for their use of bias/persuasive language
- hold discussions or debates about financial issues such as fair trade or world poverty
- analyse and complete financial product application forms, e.g. opening a bank account
- use role play/drama to investigate domestic financial problems, e.g. debt or redundancy
- explore how characters in a set reading text engage with financial issues
In ICT students would be expected to use ICT systems, find and select information and develop, present and communicate information to:
- understand how to make purchases on the internet safely and securely
- engage with online financial systems, e.g. internet banking
- be aware of how to access financial help and advice from reliable online sources
- use ICT applications to maintain financial records
- track fluctuations in shares or foreign currency
In Mathematics students would be expected to use the skills of representing, analysing and interpreting to:
- calculate take home pay after tax and other deductions are taken into account
- investigate value for money in making purchases, e.g. a holiday
- understand how probability affects insurance premiums
- plan and cost an event, e.g. a party
- process numerical information on bills, receipts, financial statements, etc.
Detailed information about functional skills in English, Mathematics and ICT can be found at the links below.
