Hello, and welcome to this update session on Pearson Functional Skills.
My name is Chris Briggs, and I'm the product manager for post 16 English Maths Digital
Skills here at Pearson.
And today, we're looking at functional skills for work based learning.
And this is our September 2022 update.
So our session overview today, we'll start by looking at the pass rates.
And then move on to the marketing timed with an update on assessment support and an update
on our resources thereafter.
So let's start by looking at the pass rates.
These are our overall pass rates within private training providers.
And what you can see here is there has been a significant increase in pass rates over
the last academic year.
So the first columns, and blue for the year 20 20 to 20 21.
And you can see the pass rates, then, after that, you have the second column in orange,
which is 20 21 to 22.
And you can see the pass rates have significantly shorter.
Whoa, some highlights there, you know, the pass rate for Level one, Master's now, 58%
pass rate for level one reading is 88%.
And what's significant is the password for all the English is above 75% for each assessment.
So that is amazingly good.
What we have here is the first time pass rate, versus the overall pass rate, and what we
can see is the first time pass rate is just a little bit higher, than the overall pass
rate, but that drop off is very, very little.
What this means is that the way we work at the first time pass rate, is if a learner
taking, the test, for the first time in the 2021 to 2022 period, that will be classed
as a first time.
So, if they pass, that goes into the first time pass rate.
If they are receipted, that would then go into the overall pass rates.
And if every city more than once, where you can see that is, that would explain why that
overall pass rate goes down just a little bit there, compared to the first time pass
rate.
Then, we've got the pass rates for the on-screen versus paid base, and this is across all providers.
Where you can see is, know, very little difference here between the on-screen and the Paper Based,
what you would see, the own screen does seem to have a slightly better pass rate for mass,
for Level two English.
With the paper base, be better for entry level, sorry, for level one, English here, That's
not necessarily, per se, because of the, the assessments, it's more to do with the age
and the providers that offer these assessments.
When you look at Level two, for example, majority of our level two assessments provided by PT
piece, and a lot more of our TVs used on-screen software.
So, you will see here, that, that affects the sort of pass rate, because that's where
the letters are taking the test.
So, the points to consider.
The pass rates have improved considerably from 2020/21 to 2021/22.
And the maths pass rates are steadily improving to the results for English, especially level
one, level two as well for PGP is amazing.
OK, and as I said, the difference between the first time pressure and the overall pass
rate is important.
The difference now is minimal, which means that learners, if they're not successful,
first time are becoming more and more likely to be successful thereafter.
What this means is learners are not being put in for unnecessary resets and those that
do in races, as I said, our passion.
So, let's move on, and have a look at them marking times.
So, for 21, 22 Pearson has carried out, a detailed analysis of the market transfer function
are skewed assessments.
And what we can see here is a type of assessments and the number of working day.
So, the overall average is 11 working days.
The on-screen average is a working days and the paper based average age 12 to 13 working
days.
Now, these marking times are based on the test book, and what this means is that the
overall average in the paper based average, slightly inflated, as this includes the five
day window for paper based assessments to be taken and the time it takes for persistence
to be returned to us.
So without this, these figures will be much, much lower.
In addition, there are also sparks sparks spikes in marking time, especially in May
and June, which is the main assessment window for a considerable number of providers.
There are some also smaller spikes when we award these papers, and these are typically
every two months.
Officially, our SLA is 20 working days So you can see we are significantly under that
SLA for the vast majority of the time.
So let's have a look at a updates assessments.
So I say, look, first of all, functional skills, ICT, So all levels of functional skills have
been extended for registrations to 20 23, but what is key now is at level two functional
skills, ICT is no longer funded by the ESFA, which means re, in reality.
It can be done and can be funded for ..., and it's also funded, for those on apprenticeships,
where it's part of the standards.
But outside of that, it's not a funding qualification.
Obviously, this is part of the whole Department for Education plan with regard to ICT and
digital qualifications.
And you can see then the digital functional skills.
The planned go live is September 23, and they'll just be two levels, the interest rate and
level one.
Now, the funding for the digital functional skills will bill with the current functional
skills What the introduction of digital functional skills means for the standards with functional
skills ICT.
And then we are not fully aware, but the number of them that have that standard in the number
of standards that have that in there is now a minimum.
And they are currently under review, but we will keep you up to date once we find out
the information.
The next power update on assessment is to do with OSCA.
So OSCA applies to level one, level two speaking, listening and communicating.
And it's the system that allows you to become accredited for the level one, level two is
speaking and listening.
So the OSCA operation monthly windows, these windows are open between September and August
with the final OSCA window open through July.
However, centers must ensure that OSCA training is completed by the lead internal Verifier
no later than the 31st of October 2022.
This ensures that any issues with accreditation can be resolved as soon as possible, and reduces
the risk of delays in the issue of certificates, the biggest cause of certificate delays is
because the provider has not completed the OSCA training Due to the setup of the osca
Platform, Lead internal verifier are only able to attend scope once in a monthly window.
Which means if the lead IV logs out during the trading books back in again to complete
it, they will be unable to access the materials again into the next monthly window.
So, we do recommend you put enough time aside to actually complete the training, if you
are going to do it in any particular month, or a particular sitting even, it is the responsibility
of the lead internal Verifier to cascade information to internal verifiers and assessors.
And if you've not received a confirmation e-mail, you will not be accredited.
You must tick the confirmation box at the end of the training, in order to receive the
accreditation.
A standardization must be carried out within the center using the current Osca training
materials for each level of functional skills, English.
OK, moving on to assessment exceptions, we're still allowing, speaking and listening assessments
to be conducted remotely using appropriate technologies.
We do ask that these remote assessments that are recorded, and the standards send us verify
for patient, may asked to attend a live assessment as part of that monitoring activities.
If you do offer paper based assessments, we do have our five day window.
Which means that if a learner is taking a test, that test stays alive for five days
after the book title date, which means, if somebody is absent, you can continue to run
that test for them.
We are also able to extend that to 14 days.
Every learner is well, and I'm able to take.
But we do ask that you request this extension from us.
Part of this as well is, you need to outline how you ensure all of paper based on demand
materials and retain securely during this period to manage any risks.
We will be continuing with employee visualization as well, which is where the employer will
act as the invigilators as, if you wish to offer employer and ventilation, It is down
to you to ensure that the training of the invigilators is to the standard that we require.
You will, as a provider still be held responsible for that.
When you're completing the form, you will be also asked how any assessments are kept
secure and returned to its center, and how any other associated risks will be minimized
as well.
one of the best options, obviously, is to look at on-screen assessments with input and
visualization.
We also as well have remote in violation for level one and level two function I suppose,
maths and English, and we do have a webpage available with full details.
Then these assessments are designed for learners to carry them out.
And they will obviously need a smartphone and a computer with webcam.
And they'll be sort of invigilators through the web Canvas smartphone, and their screen
should check.
You need to sort of work with the learners to ensure that this is a suitable assessment
methodology for them, and it is very important that the learner is prepared for this.
Not just academically, but also in terms of how the assessment will work.
Ensure that they've done an on-screen practice tests or they're used to the actual on-screen
platform.
Then that will give them more confidence using the remote invigilation tool, But also show
them and go through, learn a page on remote invigilation as well so that they actually
know what is to be expected.
And an element of handholding is necessary here, because these learners are not used
to have been assessed in this way in their own home, and it can be quite daunting.
So make sure you're fully up to speed on what's expected of the learners, and you can actually
support them as they do these assessments.
So let's have a look at our resources and then update they re in.
In terms of general resources, we do have a blocks available on a monthly basis, and
recently, we've just published one on the pass rates for 21 22.
We have one on Maths anxiety, Problem Solving for Level 1 2 for 2 masses, Supporting learners
with Functional Skills and brought it.
We also have our webinar's webinars on our YouTube playlist.
We have one on results possible functional scale so you can get the best use of these
apps plus for getting the feedback for your learners.
We also have one on exam wizard as well.
And all the festival functionality content will be coming soon in this video itself is
part of that content.
We do have podcasts available on Spotify, which you can listen to it.
We're about to start the fourth season of podcasts on 16 English maps season.
one was fundamentally functional looking at everything to do with to perform functional
skills season to looking at learning the lockdown and seasons three on improving post, 16 English
and maths.
We do also have monthly post, 16 English and Maths Newsletter, and we do recommend that,
you sign up for that, because if we do have any training, any new resources, that's where
we sort of put that information out there.
So, you can actually sort of get on and sort of find that out very quickly.
Now, in terms of assessments for dealing with learners, we do have practice and retired
assessments in terms of practice assessments.
These are written to the same standard.
The same people as I live assessments.
What we have available is the sample assessment, the 1% off and accredited by of, Quote, right
at the start, and that's available for every level, for both English and maps.
Them.
for the paper based practice assessments, we have three reading and writing assessments
at level 1, 2, 3 maps assessments at level one, level 2, 1, reading, writing, and math
assessments at each of the entry levels.
In terms of on screen, we have two assessments per level for reading, writing, and math.
So, with our retired assessments, new retired assessments are released throughout the academic
year in September, December, and April, for Level one, Level two, and in September for
entry level.
Now, in terms of the retired assessments, we have three, reading, and writing, and retired
assessments at Level 1 to 16 Reading assessments, and a writer assessments, or entry levels,
three maps assessments, at Level one, level two, and six, entry level maps assessments
per level, as well.
In addition of on-screen retired assessments, we have three, reading and writing on-screen
assessments available at level one, level 2 and 5 maths assessments at level one, level
two.
What that means is days 11.
Well, 13 or 14 maths assessments for level one, level two across our sample assessments,
retired assessments, on screen paper, based on practice, that you can actually use to
work with your learners.
New for this year, we also have modified assessments available on our web pages as well.
And these are for learners with additional days, and these are retired assessments.
We have three reading, writing, and three maths assessments at level one, and level
two.
And, the modifications you can access is an 18 point font at 24pt font a 26 point font,
and then, interactive PDF, what this just means, is, if you do have learned is that
do need to have additional sizes for their assessments, or they do need an interactive
PDF.
when you're doing a practice test wisdom.
You no longer need to request that from Pearson.
It is available on our website for you.
Yeah.
We do bring out new resources throughout the year.
At the moment, what we've got available for you is some functional skills, English writing,
an initial assessment at tasks.
That's one level.
We also have a remote invigilation learner quiz, as well.
This is designed to ensure that the learners have rates for our webpage.
So it's basically like a Reading Quiz for our webpage, for remote invigilation.
So, part of what the learners have to do, is obviously, in remote invigilation is sign
to say they've read everything for you, but these quiz will also test to ensure that they
have for you.
And finally, what we have, as well, is, our using of exam wizard for Functional skills
Video, Festival of Functionality videos, as well, and obviously we have some you retired
papers, that we come in and see.
Thank you very much for spending some time with me today.
My name is Chris Briggs, and you have been watching Our Functional Skills for work based
Learning Update from Pearson for 20 21 to 20 22.