ABOUT

Functional Skills (FS) are designed for those who require to improve their academic skills in MATHEMATICS, ENGLISH AND INFORMATION & COMMUNICATION TECHNOLOGY (ICT), and allow individuals to gain the most from life, learning and work.

FS qualifications are accessible by adults and young people across a wide range of setting and can be delivered as individual components or as part of further qualification. FS can be achieved at a number of levels starting at Entry Level 1 and progressing to Level 2.

People can study for the qualifications in practical ways and apply core skills to real-life situations. Successive governments have championed these flexible courses to equip people with the essential skills they need to succeed.

WHO IS THIS QUALIFICATION FOR?
Functional skills are for those within private and public organisations across all sectors, including but not limited to:Individuals wanting to improve their knowledge Individuals wishing to attend University/College Job Seekers

WHAT WILL YOU LEARN
You will complete an induction and final assessment and gain knowledge and skills in each of the areas as follows:

ENGLISH

Each level is broken down into 3 aspects, the complexity changes for each level:

Reading – Read and understand short, simple or straightforward texts that explain or recount information. At the higher levels you must: Read and understand a range of straightforward text, Select, read, understand and compare texts and use them to gather information, ideas, arguments and opinions.

Writing – Write short texts with awareness of the intended audience. The higher levels include: Write a range of texts to communicate information, ideas and opinions using formats and styles suitable for their purpose and audience, both Informal and Formal styles.

Speaking, Listening & Communication – Participate in and understand the main points of discussions/exchanges or Presentations about familiar & unfamiliar topics with another person or persons.

MATHS

Maths – Students will be able to undertake a Mathematics FS at each level EL1 – L2 and in each area they will cover:

Representing – Understand simple/complex mathematical information in familiar & unfamiliar contexts and situations.

Analysing – Use basic mathematics to obtain answers to simple given practical problems that are clear and routine, apply mathematics in an organised way to find solutions to straightforward practical problems for different purposes, generate results to a given level of accuracy, use appropriate checking procedures at each stage.

Interpret – Provide or describe solutions to simple given practical problems, interpret and communicate solutions to practical problems in familiar contexts and situations. At level 1 & 2 students will interpret and communicate solutions to practical problems, drawing simple conclusions and giving explanations.

ICT/COMPUTER SKILLS

In this area, Students will develop the following skills:

• Using ICT
• Finding and selecting information
• Developing, presenting and communicating information
• Use communications software to meet requirements of a straightforward task
• Combine information within a publication for a familiar audience and purpose
• Enter, develop and refine information using appropriate software to meet requirements of straightforward tasks
• Evaluate own use of ICT tools

DURATION OF COURSE

• 10 Days (continuous & flexible)
• 0930 hrs – 1600 hrs
• Must achieve 45 Guided Learning Hours (55(GLH) from Sept 19).

PROGRESSION

Functional Skills qualifications are intended to support learners as they seek to improve their literacy, numeracy and ICT skills. Being able to communicate effectively, use numbers successfully and make good use of technology is essential to almost every aspect of life, work and learning.

Where appropriate, learners may progress in each functional skill through the levels, and in some cases may go on to achieve other qualifications in maths and English.

The Functional Skills qualifications are a crucial passport to success in almost any area of work, life or further learning. Achieving these qualifications will increase a candidates’ confidence and motivation, and the skills they gain will be valuable in the workplace or in any further learning.