functional skills | FE Week

Making the case for functional skills in apprenticeships 

Let’s not forget just how vital functional skills are, for tackling inequality as well as boosting growth

Functional skills for adults are too vital to give up on

Adult literacy and numeracy rates are already woeful, let’s not make them even worse by scrapping functional skills for adult apprentices

Functional Skills reimagined: Drive success in English & Mathematics with modern qualifications.

In today’s educational landscape, supporting learners with essential English and maths skills goes beyond traditional teaching. It’s about providing access to practical, real-world knowledge and ensuring each learner is equipped to succeed both in their studies and beyond. The newly launched Ascentis Functional Skills Qualifications in English and Mathematics are designed with exactly this purpose; to meet learners where they are and to propel them toward their goals in a way that’s adaptable, accessible, and fit for the demands of today’s world. These qualifications offer digital innovation, robust support through External Quality Assurers (EQAs), and dedicated Preparation Stations—delivering comprehensive tools for both educators and learners.

CEO’s mission to make AI a force for good in classrooms

Priya Lakhani, founder of one of the world’s biggest AI EdTech companies, is at pains to express how many of her glowing achievements have been driven by a strong moral conviction to make the world a better place. This is important for her, not only because she sits on the government’s AI Council and her […]

DfE launches consultation on fully-funded digital functional skills qualifications

The Department for Education is calling for views on the content for new digital functional skills qualifications that will become available for first teaching and free of charge from August 2021. They will replace the existing functional skills qualifications (FSQs) in ICT, which will stop being available from July 2021. The legacy ICT qualifications are […]

Is Gibb to blame for functional skills reform?

The government, apparently under the influence of the schools minster Nick Gibb, is ploughing ahead with reforms to functional skills in English that run contrary to the advice it has received. The public consultation on reforming the English and numeracy qualifications, which are set to be introduced in September 2019, opened earlier this week, but […]

Early years educator apprenticeship requirement u-turn confirmed

The government has finally confirmed that it is u-turning on the requirements for early years educator apprenticeships. Currently early years learners must achieve at least a grade C in English and maths GCSE to pass the level three course, but from April this will be broadened to include functional skills. The announcement was reported to […]