Qualifications and Curriculum Development Agency

Last updated: 21 December 2009

Between June and August 2009, QCDA consulted on draft regulatory criteria for functional skills.

This consultation was a vital stage in the development and introduction of functional skills. The results of this consultation, together with the lessons learnt from the functional skills pilot, have subsequently gone on to form the new criteria which were published by Ofqual in November 2009. These criteria will be used by awarding organisations as they develop the functional skills qualifications being introduced as part of national roll out in September 2010.

Consultation versions of the regulatory criteria documents are still available to download from the 'Related Documents' section on the right-hand side of this page:

• Qualification criteria for functional skills qualifications
• Functional skills criteria for English
• Functional skills criteria for ICT
• Functional skills criteria for mathematics
  

How QCDA developed the draft regulatory criteria

The draft regulatory criteria are based upon research, piloting and evaluation work conducted by QCA with key stakeholders.

The functional skills standards were originally drafted in 2006 by QCA, working in partnership with subject associations, employers and awarding organisations. This process led to a national consultation on the skills content and levels for the functional skills standards, led by QCA, the Confederation of British Industry (CBI) and e-Skills, who represented the sector skills councils.

Following the consultation, QCA and awarding organisations conducted a six-month trials phase to identify effective approaches to assessing these functional skills standards. This trials phase recommended a predominantly situational, task-based assessment model that allowed candidates to apply their knowledge, skills and understanding in real-life contexts.
This skills-based approach to assessment is now subject to a three-year pilot programme (September 2007 – September 2010). The pilot programme includes eleven experienced awarding organisations delivering pilot qualifications that are based upon the functional skills standards and governed by the functional skills assessment principles. The functional skills pilot programme has allowed QCA to access a diverse range of expertise and experience from across the education and employment sectors, as well as wider stakeholders.

The draft regulatory criteria were based upon the experience and evidence accumulated during this extensive, collaborative development phase.