Functional English

Qualification

Entry Level (1-3), Level 1 and Level 2.

What does the course involve?

Functional skills qualifications provide reliable evidence of a learner’s achievements against challenging content that is relevant to the workplace. The qualifications assess learners’ underpinning subject knowledge and their ability to apply this knowledge to different contexts. They provide a foundation for progression to employment and further education, and they help learners to develop skills for everyday life.  

Requirements 

There are no formal entry requirements for this course. You will work towards either an Entry Level, Level 1 or Level 2 qualification dependent on your current qualifications and the outcome of your pre-entry assessment. Your study will continue until formal achievement of Level 2.   

Teaching methods

Students are taught in small, focused groups; there is a mixture of discussion, reading and written work. Students undertake lesson preparation tasks as well as homework and exam practice. 

Assessment methods

Entry levels 1, 2 and 3 Speaking Listening and Communicating:

• The Speaking, Listening and Communicating assessment is internally set, internally assessed and externally verified.
  
  
• The reading assessments are externally set, internally marked and externally verified. Dictionaries are allowed.
   
• Writing assessments are externally set, internally marked and externally verified. Fifty-seven per cent of marks are for spelling, punctuation and grammar. Half of these are for a spelling task that assesses ten spellings. No external aids, such as dictionaries, are allowed.

Level 1 Speaking, Listening and Communicating:

• Speaking, listening and communicating is assessed through one three-minute talk and linked question and answer session per learner in groups of three to four and one 10-minute formal discussion together in groups of three to five learners.

• Reading is assessed through a test comprised of controlled response and open response questions. Dictionaries are allowed.

• Writing is assessed through a test comprised of two tasks. Forty-two per cent of marks assess spelling, punctuation and grammar. No external aids, such as dictionaries, are allowed.  

Level 2 Speaking, Listening and Communicating:

• Speaking, listening and communicating is assessed through one five-minute presentation and linked question and answer session in groups of three to four and one 15-minute formal discussion together in groups of three to five learners.
               
• Reading is assessed through a test comprised of multiple choice, short open response and medium open response questions. Dictionaries are allowed.
   
• Writing is assessed through a test comprised of two tasks. Forty-two per cent of marks assess spelling, punctuation and grammar. No external aids, such as dictionaries, are allowed.    

Duration 

One to three years, dependent upon prior qualifications and individual progression and circumstances.   
        

Where will it take me? 

Students can progress to a GCSE English course (subject to successful completion of Level 1 and an internal assessment task set by the GCSE department) or progress on to a vocational or academic programme at Level 2 or above.