In this month’s Key skills news:  ^back to top^

• Get Functional – managing the transition to functional skills
• On-demand paper tests – watch this space…
• Please take care when packing test scripts!
• How can we communicate better?

Key skills news is published every month and contains all the latest information and updates about the key skills qualifications awarded by City & Guilds.

A downloadable (PDF) version of the newsletter (for printing and/or circulating to colleagues) is available below. A full archive of previous issues is also available.

Get Functional – managing the transition to functional skills

We’re delighted to announce a series of forum events aimed at key skills co-ordinators and managers interested in finding out more about the new Functional Skills awards.

The day will help you prepare for the new qualifications (available to all from 2010) and ensure a smooth transition.

Please note the Get Functional forums are aimed at centres not currently piloting Functional Skills awards with City & Guilds (separate briefing events have been organised for them).

Purpose/overview of day

• Familiarise with the functional skills standards and consider implications for teaching and learning.
• Learn more about the functional skills pilot (and opportunities to join it).
• View City & Guilds’ functional skills assessments developed for the pilot and discuss how these are likely to evolve by and after 2010.
• Understand the support available from City & Guilds and elsewhere.
• Network and share experiences.

When and where are they?

All events will be taking place at City & Guilds’ English regional offices. Dates/venues are:

• Wakefield  – Friday 11 April 2008
• St Ives (Huntingdon)  –  Thursday 17 April 2008
• Birmingham  –  Monday 21 April 2008
• Newcastle – Thursday 24 April 2008
• London (1)  – Thursday 1 May 2008
• Warrington – Wednesday 7 May 2008
• Alfreton – Thursday 15 May 2008
• Taunton –  Tuesday 27 May 2008
• London (2) – Friday 30 May 2008

For more information and to book your place, please go to www.cityandguilds.com/events.

On-demand paper tests – watch this space…

If you read Skills for Life news you may have gathered that we’re introducing a new on-demand system for accessing the paper-based adult numeracy/literacy national tests.

For the time being, key skills candidates accessing the level 1-2 paper-based tests will continue to be restricted to the fixed-date test opportunities published in our Catalogue (eg March, May, June and September). However, we are intending to introduce a similar on-demand system for key skills from the autumn. This will allow tests to be booked for any time on any day, as well as delivering other benefits such as unnamed candidate entries and much faster results turnaround.

We’ll provide more detailed information about these new arrangements nearer the time.

Could we remind you of the need to ensure all key skills test scripts are packed carefully and securely when being dispatched for marking.One of our level 3 markers recently received a consignment of scripts that arrived like this:

Please ensure in particular that all envelopes/packages:

• are robust and big enough to take the number of scripts being sent without overfilling (use more than one if necessary)
• are clearly addressed and adequately sealed
• have sufficient paid postage.

Please also ensure scripts and answer sheets are always posted on the same day as the test (or the following day if the test takes place after last collection).

How can we communicate better?

Finally, we’re currently reviewing how we provide information about the key skills and related qualifications, looking in particular to see what improvements we can make to Key skills news and the website.

Look out for a questionnaire in next month’s Key skills news, although if you’ve any ideas in the meantime please get in touch (via keyskills@cityandguilds.com).

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