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About the NOCN Functional Skills Qualifications

NOCN has undertaken research with providers, practitioners and learners on different types of assessment approaches and has used this feedback to develop our functional skills qualifications.

Learners will undergo appropriate teaching and learning programmes as would normally be delivered by centres.  CPD programmes and support materials for those teaching on functional skills programmes have been developed by LSIS (Learning and Skills Improvement Service), formerly the QIA, and SNS (Secondary National Strategies).

It is intended that learners will take assessments for the qualifications when they are ready.

First registration for Level 1 and 2 qualifications is from February 22^nd 2010.  Please contact your regional OCN for details.  Please note that the Level 1 and 2 assessments are written to the 2009 Functional Skills standards which may be downloaded from the QCDA or Ofqual websites.

Assessments at all Levels are ‘on demand’ and can be taken when the learner is ready.  At Entry level, centres may access the live assessments through a secure login to the NOCN website.  Please contact functionalskills@nocn.org.uk for more information. Entry level assessments are internally marked and externally verified.  Centres may contextualise the assessments based on the information provided in the assessment mark scheme.

Level 1 and 2, with the exception of Speaking and Listening, is externally marked.  At Level 1 and 2, centres may request up to 5 assessment dates for English, 5 for ICT and 5 for Mathematics.  Assessment papers are booked no less than 15 working days before the planned assessment date.  Assessments are then sent to NOCN for marking within 24 hours of completion.  They will be then marked within the next marking period. 

The cut off dates for the receipt of completed assessments at NOCN for 09/10 marking periods are shown below and the results will be with centres by the date indicated.

Assessments to Arrive at NOCN by:	Results released to centres
9 April 2010	7 May 2010
4 June 2010	2 July 2010
16 July 2010	13 August 2010
27 August 2010	24 September 2010

*Marking periods for 2010/11 will be released in April 2010.

The duration of the assessments should be for a minimum of 1 hour up to a maximum of 2 hours in ICT, 1 hour for Reading, 1 hour for Writing and up to half an hour for English and a minimum of 1 hour up to a maximum of one and a half hours in maths. 

The assessment tasks at Entry level and Level 1 and 2 Speaking and Listening must be taken under controlled, supervised conditions.  Reading and Writing, ICT and Mathematics at Level 1 and 2 should be completed in exam conditions.

 

Functional Skills Qualifications homepage

Delivery and Evaluation of Functional Skills Qualifications

NOCN Functional Skills Sample Assessments