Functional Skills could be set for a return to government favour with Skills Minister Nick Boles having revealed plans to make the qualifications “legitimate, valid, respected and admired”.

The qualifications, which aim to equip learners with basic skills in English, maths and ICT, have increasingly been seen as mere “stepping stones” toward GCSEs by some, including former Skills Minister Matthew Hancock.

They were even due to be removed as a requirement for apprentices in favour of GCSEs from 2017.

But Mr Boles described Functional Skills as “important” when he appeared at an FE Week fringe event at Conservative Party Conference, and pledged to work with Ofqual on improving elements of the qualification, including the branding.
The change in rhetoric has been welcomed by Functional Skills expert Roger Francis, who said his comments represented a “major policy change”.

When reminded of previous government attempts to get colleges to offer “GCSE or nothing,” Mr Boles said: “Well, now I am saying it’s both.”

He added: “We need to work on making Functional Skills a legitimate, valid, respected, admired currency for people who have a slightly different way their brain is wired. It’s probably as simple as that.

“The specific practical step is that I have asked Ofqual in my first meeting with them to do a formal review of Functional Skills, to look at what’s in them, what they think of them, but also to give us some advice on the branding of them.”

Mr Francis, business development director at Creative Learning Partners, said: “The government was previously very keen to have a single ‘gold-standard’ qualification and they sawGCSEs as that standard and simply saw Function Skills as a ‘stepping-stone’ towards GCSEs.

“Most of us in the vocational sector view them as being the equivalent gold standard for the work-based learning sector.

“If they are changing their minds that is a major policy change and is very welcome.”

Mr Boles re-emphasised government policy which dictates that those who get a D grade in GCSE English or maths must re-sit the qualification, but added: “If you’ve done worse than that, maybe what it’s telling us is that the whole way a GCSE is constructed is just never really going to sell it to this person.

“That’s why Functional Skills are so important.”

David Hughes, chief executive of the National Institute of Adult Continuing Education (Niace), said the minister’s recognition of Functional Skills was “great news”.

He added: “Functional Skills play a vital role in helping people to get ready for, and progress in, work, much more so than a GCSE does.

“If we are going to break the intergenerational cycle of low literacy and numeracy and if we are going to equip adults with the essential digital skills for the future, then we must give learners the opportunity to improve their skills in ways that work best for them.

“We are keen to support the minister in making sure that Functional Skills qualifications are rigorous, well-taught and better respected.”

Charlotte Bosworth, director of skills and employment at OCR, said: “I am really pleased with Nick Boles’s announcement that Functional Skills is likely to continue to be recognised as a valuable maths and English qualification for post-16 learners.

“I feel this provides a more appropriate assessment approach for learners studying alongside a vocational or technical programme.”

Pictured: skills minister Nick Boles at the FE Week and OCR Conservative Party conference fringe. Credit: Ben Page

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12 Comments

  1. Congratulations to Freddie and the team for this exclusive scoop. It’s great news and I am sure will be broadly welcomed. Moreover, it fully vindicates the vigorous campaign which many of us across the sector have been conducting for the last 12 months to reverse the previous policy. I suspect that Michael Gove’s removal from the seat of power has been the trigger for less intransigence and a more pragmatic and flexible approach.

    I am particularly pleased that rather than simply passively reinstating Functional Skills alongside GCSEs, Nick Boles wants to actively promote the qualifications. Whilst those companies who currently run Apprenticeship programmes fully understand the value of Functional Skills, the majority of employers remain blissfully unaware of their existence.

    A campaign both to improve the rigour of the qualifications and to actively promote thewir benefits will therefore be very welcome.

  2. Country Bumpkin

    “for people who have a slightly different way their brain is wired. It’s probably as simple as that.” What a well considered and well thought out comment. If this is indeed an accurate quote, I’d say the sector is in trouble….. & time will tell how much Functional skills are valued in relation to GCSE’s by the funding rates.

  3. Richard Gilbert

    Anyone who is actively involved in promoting functional skills and being on the sharp end of delivery can do nothing but welcome this. The confidence that people gain alone is worth it alone. Good one.

  4. Richard Gilbert

    Anyone who is actively involved in promoting functional skills and being on the sharp end of delivery can do nothing but welcome this. The confidence that people gain alone is worth it. Good one.

  5. Like Roger, I am a long term Functional Skills supporter believing that it’s the best qualification route for practical purposes. So good to see this confirmation, now let’s see more schools take up this route for those unlikely to stand a chance of getting A*-C (or 9-5) GCSE. After all, why wait for two further years before giving this particular group of learners the chance for real success? Jonathan Wells

  6. Ros LucS

    I think common sense has prevailed at last. When working with providers introducing how Functional skills can be used as one way of ensuring employment and work-related awareness becomes embedded in the curriculum.

    Being involved with many learners from Year 10 – 12 who have achieved C at GCSE it soon becomes apparent that there are gaps in their ability to link and use much of their prior learning to what is required in the workplace or at university without doing something about Functional Skills.

    Enlightened FEs and 6th Forms have begun to recognise the value of FS for increasing motivation and developing learning as success at each level creates the self-esteem to continue making progress, especially when linked with possible future goals.

    Also, I reiterate what I have always believed, prior and since completing an MA in Vocational Education & Training, with Alison Wolf tutoring an assessment module. That is, in order to close the gap between Academic and Vocational Education, which has been on the political agenda as early as 1976, we must now combine some STEM subject vocational education with general education for all Year 10 up and why not, as many Primary schools do now, include some generic business/economics and political awareness as well, so that all learners have opportunities to become more involved with how the world functions outside school.

    This should apply to the private and state sector to ensure all learners have wider opportunities and to continue links between private and state sector schools and colleges.

    Our bright youngsters would then, be able to make even more informed decisions about their future opportunities. We might also, eventually be able to vote for politicians who know more about how the economy operates and affects everyone.

    Let’s hope that Mr Boles will talk to the people who know what kind of changes will really help to motivate all our bright learners and not just those who have greater choices.

  7. Frances Hill

    Functional Skills makes so much more sense to learners in vocational settings. They cover real scenarios that help in everyday life. Some potential good news at last!