FUNCTIONAL SKILLS

FUNCTIONAL SKILLS ENGLISH - ENTRY LEVEL 3 AND LEVEL 1

CURRICULUM VISION

Our vision is to equip students with the practical skills in English needed to live, learn and work successfully.

Why do we study Functional Skills English?

Functional Skills English provides reliable evidence of a student’s achievements against demanding content that is relevant to the workplace. This qualification assesses students’ underpinning subject knowledge and their ability to apply this knowledge to different contexts.

This qualification provides progression to employment and further technical education. It also helps to prepare students for the GCSE in English Language.

CURRICULUM INTENT

At Entry Level 3, students:

will learn how to speak, listen, communicate, read and write with increasing clarity, accuracy and effectiveness
with some direction and guidance, will be able to apply these functional skills to some informal and formal contexts, in familiar situations

At Level 1, students in Years 10 and 11:

will be supported to listen, understand and make relevant contributions to discussions with others in a range of contexts;
will read a range of different text types confidently and fluently, applying their knowledge and understanding of texts to their own writing with increasing accuracy of spelling, punctuation and grammar.
Be supported with their GCSE English and English Literature course by a specialist teacher of English.

A key aspect of developing knowledge and skills in English, at Level 1 , is to be able to communicate with confidence, effectiveness and with an increasing level of independence.

What do we study?

Students will practise :

different types of speaking,listening and communicating activities. This will include straightforward narratives, accounts, explanations, discussions, instructions, information and descriptions
reading different types of texts. This will include straightforward texts that instruct, describe, narrate and explain
writing different types of text. This will include straightforward texts such as narratives, instructions, explanations and reports
Teachers will help students in Years 10 and 11 with elements of GCSE English Language and English Literature.

How do we study Functional Skills English at Entry Level 3 and Level 1?

Functional Skills English at Entry Levels 1 to 3 is taught in a small group setting in Years 9, 10 and 11.

In the main, students will work independently for the reading and writing components. Students will work in pairs and small groups for the speaking, listening and communicating component.

Presentation of Work

Each student’s book should be neat, legible and contain their very best work. Date and title of each lesson must be written. Any handouts or worksheets should be stuck neatly in their books.

Home Learning

Students are expected to complete work in class and to finish any outstanding work for home learning. Students will be expected to meet any deadlines set by their teacher.

Co - curricular Activities

Students on the Functional Skills English Entry Level 3 course can transfer their English skills to a wide variety of extra-curricular activities e.g. organising and running events to raise money for charities.

CURRICULUM IMPACT

Assessment

An initial baseline assessment is completed at the start of the Reading and Writing components.

Summative assessments take place at the end of each topic where strengths and improvements are identified and students then complete relevant booster sheets for the areas requiring further instruction/practice.

The formal assessments for the Reading and Writing components are externally set, internal marked and externally verified.

The formal assessment for the Speaking, Listening & Communicating component is internally set, internally assessed and externally verified.

Students sit these formal assessments when they are ready.

Outcomes

This qualification gives students the opportunity to:

listen, understand and respond to verbal communication in a range of familiar contexts
acquire an understanding of everyday words and their uses and effects, and apply this understanding in different contexts
read with accuracy straightforward texts encountered in everyday life and work, and develop confidence to read more widely
write straightforward texts and documents with clarity and effectiveness, and demonstrate a sound grasp of spelling, punctuation and grammar

The qualification is awarded as Pass or Fail. Students must pass the assessments in all three components, (Reading, Writing and Speaking, Listening & Communicating) at the same level to be awarded a qualification Pass. We have been running this qualification since 2014 and so far we have achieved a 100% success rate.

Students can progress to study Functional Skills English at Level 1 in Year 10. Students can also progress to study Functional Skills English at Level 1 and Level 2 at college.

Careers Leading on from Functional Skills English

Functional Skills English qualifications at levels 1 and 2 are well respected by employers and so provide a foundation to employment and further technical education. They are also an accepted part of all Apprenticeship standards in England.

SUPPORTING THE CURRICULUM

How parents/carers can support their children

making use of Google Classroom to ensure students are meeting deadlines and making use of additional resources posted
reading and discussing a variety of different texts with them eg newspaper articles, magazines, leaflets, fiction & non-fiction books

The Green School for Girls

FUNCTIONAL SKILLS