• Anne Matthews and Claire Griffths – Sutton Coldfield College – Case study
• Debbie Edwards – HMP Wormwood Scrubs – Case study
• Bev Keech – Key Skills Joint Team Leaders – Case study

OCR Functional Skills: a practical approach for all kinds of learners

Designed to help learners get the most out of work, education and everyday life, OCR Functional Skills are currently being piloted in a wide range of centres. One of the most interesting is Kensington and Chelsea College, based at HMP Wormwood Scrubs, where learners in the Offender Learning Centre can take these qualifications in English, Maths and ICT at Levels 1 and 2.

As Wormwood Scrubs is an adult prison, learners here can be any age from 21 upwards. The oldest so far was 82! Around 300 learners a day are involved in a variety of workshops, and, as Key Skills Co-ordinator Debbie Edwards explains, it's the interactive nature of Functional Skills that appeals most. "Before anyone puts pen to paper, there are always practical exercises to do. Our learners really enjoy these, and the things they learn through these exercises go straight into their long-term memory."

Debbie has also found the OCR support material helpful for teachers. "I love the way the OCR team has taken the standards from QCA and created really straightforward guidance. For example, I'm not an ICT specialist, but the guidance – all on one page – has made a rather alien subject suddenly very useful."

Transferable skills

Most importantly for the learners at Wormwood Scrubs, they learn not only a useful range of skills, but also how to apply them elsewhere – in work or further education. "Many of our learners are preparing for Diplomas," continues Debbie, "and their experience of Functional Skills will help them continue with this after they're released."

Success already

Although the Functional Skills pilot is still in its first year, Debbie and her colleagues have already seen some encouraging results. "In our Literacy Department, we've got three teachers working really well together. The learners that sat the Functional Skills English assessment in January all passed. We're very proud of this, and it shows how, when we have the right resources in place, these qualifications can make a big difference to the people here."

Why OCR?

Debbie is impressed by the support she gets from OCR. "If I have a question or problem, I can pick up the phone and get help straight away. The OCR team has always been very understanding about the specific challenges we face in a secure unit. For instance, we can never predict the number of learners we'll have in a class, as other demands such as outside visits take priority. OCR has the flexibility to accommodate this."

The OCR website has also proved useful. "I use the site a lot," says Debbie, "especially for downloading practice papers. And I've signed up for the Functional Skills email alerts, to make sure I keep in touch with the latest developments."

What's next?

Although Debbie can't predict numbers exactly, she's hoping to enter around 60 learners for the June 2008 session of the OCR Functional Skills pilot. "We entered 30 in the January session – five for each subject at each level – and I think, with the success we've had so far, it should be feasible to double this. Of course, I'd like as many as possible to enter, but the most important aim is for all those who enter to pass. It gives them so much more confidence when contemplating life in the outside world."

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As Key Skills Joint Team Leader, Bev Keech explains, it was important for the College to have an input into functional skills from the beginning. "We want to ensure both learners and teachers get maximum benefit from the qualifications, so it's good to know OCR listens to our feedback."

Open communication between the College and OCR is vital to shaping the qualifications, and this is based on a successful ongoing relationship. "We know OCR very well," continues Bev. "We carry out most of our key skills with them, and have always worked well together, so it made sense to stick with OCR for the functional skills pilot."

Designed to bring out the best

Bev and her colleagues are particularly interested in the functional skills assessment method. Instead of multiple choice questions, the assessments give candidates the opportunity to demonstrate clearly the skills they've learnt. "With functional skills, I think students can do justice to their abilities," says Bev. "Also, most of them are pleased they don't have to produce portfolios."

Working with OCR

As with many centres, West Kent College's main reason for working with OCR is the support its teachers receive. "We've always found OCR to be very responsive," explains Bev. "Any question by phone or email gets dealt with quickly, and if we have any specific needs, the OCR team is happy to accommodate them.

"We also get excellent help and advice from our OCR external verifier – and there's a great range of training courses. The website is useful too, particularly for resources such as past papers and mark schemes. I've also signed up for the functional skills email alerts."

Next steps

Building on the January and March assessment sessions, the College plans to enter at least 50 more candidates in June – from age 16 to mature adults. Again these entries will cover all three subjects, and Bev hopes to put students forward for Entry Level assessments in Year 2 of the pilot.

Year two of the OCR functional skills pilot starts in September – with assessment opportunities in November 2008, January, March, May and June 2009. "We hope to increase our involvement throughout the pilot," says Bev. "We've gained a lot so far, and I feel we've had a real influence on shaping the qualifications. By continuing this, we'll ensure functional skills make a real difference to our students' education and future careers – and to their lives in general."

For more information on OCR Functional Skills, please email functionalskills@ocr.org.uk or call our Customer Contact Centre.

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