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Functional Skills

The Functional Skills qualifications will provide a platform to further achievement through the development of fundamental, applied skills in each key subject area. The Functional Skills qualifications are designed to assess the development of skills in practical everyday contexts and real life situations.

Functional Skills qualifications will provide a coherent progression pathway in the Foundation Learning Tier (FLT).

NOCN offers Entry Level English, mathematics and ICT Functional Skills qualifications at all levels. For more information please contact your local OCN.

Booking Level 1 and 2 Assessments

The centre must complete the Functional Skills Level 1 and 2 Question Paper Order Form - NQ3:

This paper order form is used to book the required assessment time and date. It must be submitted to the centre's regional OCN a minimum of 15 working days before the planned assessment date. Learners must have been registered prior to the booking form being submitted.

From September 2010 centres may choose up to 8 assessment dates per skill per year. Marking periods are held all through the year. Larger centres with 250 or more learners registered to Functional Skills may request additional dates.

Please email functionalskills@nocn.org.uk

On demand Entry level Assessments

Once a centre has been approved to deliver Functional Skills, they will recieve a password to access the live Entry level assessments. The centre downloads the assessments from the website when learners are ready.

Transition arrangements Functional Skills English

As you are aware, the Functional Skills pilot will come to an end on August 31^st 2010.  It is important that you ensure as many of your learners as possible complete and achieve their assessments before this date. 

However, we have been informed by Ofqual that if a learner does not achieve one or two components of Functional English, there will be a transition period of 12 months where the learner may attempt to complete the qualification.  This is ONLY allowed in English.  If a learner does not achieve Functional Skills ICT or Mathematics, they will have to be re-registered on the new qualifications from September.

Centres using the transition arrangements would need to register learners for the specific components that they need from the NEW qualifications  in September.  If the learners achieve these components, their achievements from the pilot qualification would enable them to achieve the full qualification post September.  NOCN will also recognize component achievement from pilot Functional English qualifications from other awarding organisations as part of the transition arrangements.

Useful Links

• Functional Skills Qualification Guides
• Key Informaton About Functional Skills and Useful Forms
• Delivery and Evaluation of the NOCN Functional Skills Qualifications
• Invigilation - Level 1 and Level 2
• NOCN Functional Skills Sample Assessments 09/10
• Aprroved September 2010 Sample Assessments
• General information about Functional Skills, including the Functional Skills standards, from the Qualifications and Curriculum Development Agency (QCDA) (External Link).
• The Functional Skills Support Programme (FSSP) (External Link) is designed to prepare practitioners, leaders and managers to deliver functional skills. Support from FSSP is available free of charge to all schools and post-16 education and training centres, and counts towards continuing professional development (CPD).