1. Functional Skills

2. What are Functional Skills?
Practical skills in English and Maths.
Help you to get the most out of work,
education and everyday life.
Transferable skills – can be used in many
different ways.
Toolbox to help you solve problems in
many different contexts.

3. Levels
Entry Levels 1, 2 and 3
Level 1
Level 2

4. In the future, would you like to…….
Be employed?
Live in a working household?
Earn a reasonable income?
Own your own home?
Be in good health?
Be able to help your children?

5. Why are Functional Skills important?
Research has shown that people with
poor skills in English and Maths are:
Up to 5 times more likely to be
unemployed.
More likely to live a non working
household.
Earn less money.
Less able to help their children.

6. Why are Functional Skills important?
Research has shown that people with
poor skills in English and Maths are:
Less likely to own their own home.
Less likely to be in good health.
More likely to be homeless.
58% of women with
poor maths skills
earn less than £150
per week.

7. Why are Functional Skills important?
Employers and the UK economy need a
highly skilled workforce.
Recent surveys and research show that
for the UK to be economically competitive,
the knowledge and skills of the workforce
must increase.
The Government has placed Functional
Skills at the core of the ‘Skills Agenda’.

8. How are Functional Skills assessed?
English
Level 1 45 min reading paper exam.
45 min writing paper exam.
2 part speaking and listening
assessment (1 x formal discussion &
1 x informal).
20 marks
25 marks
Level 2 45 min reading paper exam.
45 min writing paper exam.
2 part speaking and listening
assessment (Discussion &
Presentation).
25 marks
25 marks
Entry
Levels
Assessed by externally set tasks. Tasks are completed
during class under supervision from your tutor.
The first exams will take place in February. Exams can be sat every month; you will
be entered for these as and when you and your teacher feel you are ready to sit
them.

9. Your English Timetable
 Every week you will have 1 hour of Reading and 1
hour of Writing.
 Sessions may be in a double lesson or split across
the week- you MUST attend both sessions EVERY
week to give you the best chance of passing first
time.
 After initial Reading and Writing exams in January,
all students will complete Speaking and Listening
assessments- you MUST complete these in order to
pass your full qualification.

10. Reading
You will need to be confident to read and understand
a range of texts, including:
 Newspaper and magazine articles
 Letters
 Timetables
 Leaflets
 Adverts

11. Writing
You will need to be confident to write a range of texts
for a variety of contexts and audiences including:
 Formal letters
 Informal emails
 Newspaper articles
 Formal reports
Spelling,
punctuation
and grammar
are VERY
IMPORTANT:
40% of your
overall marks
are awarded
for this.

12. Functional Skills V GCSE
You can use lots of the
skills you developed for
your G.C.S.E.s to help
you to pass your
Functional Skills:
 Reading for meaning
 Inference
 Writing for a range of
purposes and
audiences.
However, Functional
Skills are much more
practical.
You will be called upon to
solve real life problems
that you may come across
in the world of work and
your wider life.
There is NO
Shakespeare!

13. Learning Log
 Now you know a bit more about the course, you will
need to fill in your Learning Log.
 This will be your responsibility and you will need to
fill this in at the end of EVERY lesson.
 This is important as it will help us to decide when
you are ready to be entered for your exam.

14. Learning Log
Travel and
Tourism 1st
Diploma 68% Level 1
Level 1 February
Name: Main course title: Diagnostic results:
Target level: Start date: Agreed end date:
Agreed test date:

15. Learning Log
What are your strengths in English? What areas do you need to improve?
Use the skills listed on the Reading and Writing tracking sheets to help
you to identify:
Things that you need to work onThings you are good at
Use evidence from texts.
Use correct spelling. Identify the reason why
texts have been written.Use a range of punctuation and
sentence structure.

16. Diagnostic Learning Objectives
Learning objective identified from
diagnostic
Functional Skill area this
links to
Date achieved
From your diagnostic
report
From your tracking
sheet
Filled in by you and
your tutor throughout
the course

17. Barriers and Support
What are the barriers that might prevent you from achieving this qualification
and what support will you need to overcome these?
Week Speaking
and
Listening/
Reading/
Writing
Skill and how I have
achieved it
Red (needs more work)
Amber (should revisit before
exam)
Green (strength- I could help
others)
Teacher Comment

18. Next lesson: Problem Solving
Next lesson, we will be assessing your
problem solving and team working skills.