Key Skills and Functional Skills
Functional Skills within Apprenticeships
Functional Skills qualifications are due to replace Key Skills, as a mandatory component of all Apprenticeship frameworks. This requirement is stated in the Specification for Apprenticeship Standards in England (SASE) which sets out the minimum requirements to be included in a recognised English Apprenticeship framework.
Compliance with the SASE will be a statutory requirement of the Apprenticeships, Skills, Children and Learning (ASCL) Act. The agreed minimum requirement for Functional Skills qualifications in Apprenticeship frameworks is English and Mathematics at Level 1 for Intermediate Level Apprenticeship and Level 2 for an Advanced Level Apprenticeship.
On 14 July 2010, the Business, Innovation and Skills Minister of State for Further Education, Skills and Lifelong Learning agreed to extend dual running of Key Skills and Functional Skills in Apprenticeships until the end of March 2011 to allow time for employers and providers to finalise their models for delivering Functional Skills within Apprenticeship frameworks.
Following consultation with key partners and the identification of a need for additional development time, Ministers have agreed an extended, temporary transitional arrangement involving parallel running between Key Skills, Functional Skills and the new GCSEs (with increased functional content) from April 2011 until the end of September 2012. This extension is subject to further work with stakeholders, to develop a wider range of flexible assessment models to ensure that Functional Skills are intrinsic to Apprenticeships and to facilitate full implementation by September 2012.
Under the extended temporary arrangement the Specification for Apprenticeship Standards (SASE) for England will require Apprenticeship frameworks to offer Functional Skills qualifications in English, Mathematics or ICT where the SSC and other stakeholders, agreed that they should be offered. Otherwise frameworks will offer a choice between Functional Skills and Key Skills qualifications, whichever is most appropriate.
To ensure a smooth transition from Key Skills to Functional Skills and the new GCSE qualifications (with increased functional content) we have extended the relaxation rule so that learners will satisfy the Apprenticeship requirement for the relevant Functional Skills qualification if they have achieved either;
(a) within the previous five years and before September 2012:
- Key Skills Communication at the equivalent level or GCSE English (Grades A* - C) or A level or AS Level English Language, English Literature, or English Language and Literature (Grades A – E);
- Key Skills Application of Number at the equivalent level or GCSE Mathematics (Grades A* - C) or A level or AS level Mathematics, Pure Mathematics, or Further Mathematics (Grades A - E),
- Key Skills ICT at the equivalent level or GCSE ICT (Grades A* - C) or A level or AS level ICT; or
(b) beyond the previous five years:
- GCSE or O’ level English (Grades A* - A) or A level or AS Level English Language, English Literature, or English Language and Literature (Grades A* – A);
- GCSE or O’ level Mathematics (Grades A* - A) or A level or AS level Mathematics, Pure Mathematics, or Further Mathematics (Grades A* - A),
- GCSE or O’ Level ICT (Grades A* - A) or A level or AS level ICT (Grades A* or A).
However, learners should not be disadvantaged by the decision to extend Key Skills. Therefore achievement of Functional Skills and the new GCSE qualifications (with increased functional content) in English, Mathematics and ICT at the equivalent levels will also satisfy the Apprenticeship requirement for Key Skills qualifications in the interim period.
In most cases, Sector Skills Councils (SSCs) will be the Issuing Authority for Apprenticeship frameworks and will ensure that frameworks comply with the Specification of Apprenticeship Standards for England (SASE). The SASE allows an Apprenticeship framework to specify exemptions from Functional Skills qualifications in line with the relaxation rule set out above. The SASE also allows a framework not to allow exemptions from Functional Skills qualifications. In either case the framework would comply with the SASE.
It is expected that students starting Key Stage 4 from September 2010 will be learning functional skills as part of the curriculum and should have the opportunity to take functional skills qualifications. To promote progression, where an individual has achieved Functional Skills qualifications at level 1 in English, Mathematics or ICT (if the framework requires this), or has the relevant GCSE qualifications (with increased functional content) or Key Skills qualifications at level 1 equivalent prior to starting an Intermediate Level Apprenticeship, the employer may allow the individual to study for a Functional Skills qualification at Level 2 or equivalent as part of the Apprenticeship framework.
The SSC or UKCES commissioned body must actively encourage employers to allow individuals (particularly young people up to 19) to progress to Functional Skills at Level 2 or the new GCSE qualifications at Level 2 equivalent as part of the Apprenticeship framework.
To access the SASE and guidance documents, visit BIS publications and search for 'Apprenticeship'.
Last Updated: 05/07/2011