Functional skills qualifications will remain available “for some students” as ministers introduce new stepping-stone English and maths qualifications for GCSE resit students.
The Department for Education has launched a consultation on new level 1 English and maths qualifications for 16 to 19 year olds that leave school with GCSE grades 2 or below in the subjects.
The so-called stepping-stone qualifications were proposed last year by the independent curriculum and assessment review, led by Becky Francis, to better prepare learners to achieve a grade 4 pass in their post-16 GCSE resits.
According to a consultation published today, most in scope students would take the new level 1 preparation courses in their first year of post-16 study and then progress to the resit in their second year.
Changes to English and maths accountability measures, first mooted in the post-16 education and skills white paper, are mentioned in the consultation but are not set out in any detail.
Different design
Unlike functional skills qualifications, the new courses will be designed specifically to prepare learners to achieve at least a grade 4 pass at GCSE.
There will be further consultations on the detailed design, curriculum and assessment arrangements of the new qualifications, but the consultation states they will be aligned to GCSE content and address gaps from earlier key stages.
Most students who leave school with a grade 2 or below in English and maths will be expected to take the new level 1 preparatory qualifications, but the consultation doesn’t say when they will be available for teaching. Officials won’t tell us that until they analyse consultation responses.
Enrolments on alternative qualifications will be allowed, but are expected to be rare.
“We believe level 1 and entry level English and maths functional skills qualifications will remain an appropriate option for some students. We also believe that level 2 functional skills qualifications may have a role for some students. This is in line with the condition of funding guidance,” the consultation states.
Students who achieve a grade 3 in their GCSEs at school will be able to progress straight to resits.
Modular vs linear assessment
One major design question in the consultation is whether the new qualifications should be modular or linear.
DfE makes the case for a modular design, meaning students could “bank” progress over time which it said could improve the confidence and motivation of students who have previously struggled.
The consultation notes: “If students make progress in their learning but do not achieve the full qualification, having nothing to show for that progress could lead to further disengagement.”
However, one drawback of the modular approach could be that frequent assessments have the opposite effect by increasing pressure on students and create timetabling challenges for providers.
Options proposed include making the new qualifications fully modular, fully linear or a hybrid model combining modules with a final exam.
Condition of funding still applies
The consultation makes clear the new qualifications will sit within the existing English and maths condition of funding rules that apply to 16 to 19 study programmes.
This rule means providers must ensure students who have not yet achieved a grade 4 or above in English and/or maths continue to study the subjects. There are funding penalties if the condition isn’t met.
DfE said the new qualifications are intended to support the condition by giving lower-attaining students more time to gain the skills and knowledge they need before attempting to resit the GCSEs.
It added that the new qualifications should be completed within the teaching hours already required under the condition of funding guidance.
The consultation closes on June 2.
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