Functional Skills

Why are Functional Skills being reformed?

The Department for Education (DfE) has stated that reform of Functional Skills qualifications was needed to ‘improve their relevance and content, and to build their recognition and credibility in the labour market’.

There is also the desire for a renewed focus on the use for students and employers, to ensure students are fully prepared for employment and further study.

In addition, employers have stated the need for applied skills, problem solving and other skills valued by employers to be central to the reformed qualifications and the DfE have said that ‘rigour, relevance and recognition/respect’ are key to the success of the new qualifications; with the stated aim that the reformed qualifications be recognised in the same way as GCSEs.

Reform timeline

1. Autumn 2017

   DfE consulted on the subject content and Ofqual consulted on the assessment approach

2. Jan-Jun 2018

   DfE published the final subject content and Ofqual confirmed its assessment approach and operational delivery requirements

3. June 2018

   We began to develop the qualifications

4. November 2018

   We submit the new qualifications to Ofqual for evaluation and publish our draft sample assessment materials

5. November 2018

   We submit the new qualifications to Ofqual for evaluation and publish our draft sample assessment materials

6. January 2019

   We'll start to provide resources and CPD to ensure you’re fully prepared to deliver the new qualifications

7. Spring 2019

   We'll confirm that the reformed qualifications are available to centres and publish the final, approved qualification materials

8. September 2019

   First teaching of the new qualifications begins