The Library
Spelling it out, making it count : functional skills in vocational training
Tools
Kobayashi, Chihiro, Warner, Paul and Dickinson, Peter (2024) Spelling it out, making it count : functional skills in vocational training. London: Association of Employment and Learning Providers; Edge Foundation; Gatsby Foundation.
|
PDF
Spelling it out_making it count final.pdf - Published Version - Requires a PDF viewer. Download (2755Kb) | Preview |
Official URL: https://www.gatsby.org.uk/education/reports
Abstract
Spelling It Out, Making It Count explores whether FSQs are still serving their intended purpose as practical, real-world alternatives to GCSEs that focus on developing essential life and work skills.
Through interviews, focus groups, and detailed analysis of FSQ content, performance, and costs, the research uncovered several issues:
- Pass rates for FSQs have fallen significantly in recent years, despite the difficulty of exams remaining largely unchanged. This appears linked to reduced contextualization of exam questions.
- Funding rates for FSQs have remained static since 2014 and are now insufficient to cover delivery costs, forcing providers to operate at a loss. For FSQs taken within apprenticeships, the financial burden can be as high as £440 per qualification.
- The mandatory requirement for apprentices to pass Level 2 FSQs, despite failure to do so not necessarily reflecting deficiencies in applied skills, continues to hinder apprenticeship completion rates and will hamper government efforts to raise achievement rates from 52% to 67%.
To remedy these issues, the ‘Spelling It Out, Making It Count’ report makes 7 key recommendations, including:
- Maintaining the applied, real-world focus of FSQs to differentiate them from GCSEs
- Increasing contextualization of exam questions
- Reviewing maths exam structure and breadth of topics
- Promoting diverse assessment methods beyond exams
- Incorporating FSQ training within apprenticeship off-the-job hours
- Reconsidering FSQs as a mandatory exit requirement for apprenticeships
- Uplifting FSQ funding immediately by at least 10% to cover delivery costs
The Spelling It Out, Making It Count report argues these changes are urgently needed to restore FSQs as effective demonstrations of functional literacy and numeracy vital for life and work.
Item Type: | Report | |||||||||
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Subjects: | L Education > L Education (General) L Education > LC Special aspects of education > LC5201 Education extension. Adult education. Continuing education |
|||||||||
Divisions: | Faculty of Social Sciences > Institute for Employment Research | |||||||||
Library of Congress Subject Headings (LCSH): | Vocational qualifications, Mathematics -- Study and teaching, English -- Study and teaching, Adult education, Literacy, Numeracy | |||||||||
Publisher: | Association of Employment and Learning Providers; Edge Foundation; Gatsby Foundation | |||||||||
Place of Publication: | London | |||||||||
Official Date: | 1 February 2024 | |||||||||
Dates: |
|
|||||||||
Number of Pages: | 33 | |||||||||
Status: | Not Peer Reviewed | |||||||||
Publication Status: | Published | |||||||||
Copyright Holders: | Association of Employment and Learning Providers | |||||||||
Date of first compliant deposit: | 15 February 2024 | |||||||||
Date of first compliant Open Access: | 15 February 2024 | |||||||||
RIOXX Funder/Project Grant: |
|
|||||||||
Open Access Version: |
Request changes or add full text files to a record
Repository staff actions (login required)
View Item |
Downloads
Downloads per month over past year