1. ASPIRED
The 7 Steps to successful Functional Skills
At the top
Data Systems
management
Learner Success
Evaluate Professional
Development
Ready to deliver Involve everyone
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2. Functional Skills Health Check and Planner
Identified area(s) to consider S W O T
1 At the top:
.
• Leadership
• Strategy and policy
• Structure
• Commitment to the ‘Learner Journey’
2 Systems:
.
• Defined roles and responsibilities
• Quality Assurance systems (including standardised administration)
• Assign and supported FS champion(s)/co-ordinator(s), advanced practitioners & Quality
Nominee
• Qualifications/programme requirements – Foundation Learning, Apprenticeships, 14-19
Diplomas, QCF, entry criteria
• Standardised assessment procedures and practices – screening, initial/diagnostic, formative
and summative assessment
• Meetings which include Functional Skills
3 Professional development:
.
• Conducted skills audit - support the development of staff personal skills – with particular focus
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3. Identified area(s) to consider S W O T
on literacy and numeracy) – review the current appraisal system to include FS.
• Workforce Development Strategy (to include Key/Functional Skills transition arrangements,
linked to your strategy and succession planning)
• CPD – ongoing support (internal and external) and liaison with Sector Skills Councils or
professional occupational bodies, if appropriate and other support, OFQUAL, QCDA, BIS, LLUK
• Responsiveness – how quickly can we respond to requests to outsource our FS services?
4 Involve everyone
.
• Lecturers, assessors, verifiers, subject specialists, co-ordinators, HoDs, Quality Managers and
Nominees, lead practitioners, non-delivery staff (e.g. support and IAG) invest in resources to
support the delivery and achievement of FS, join it up) - time to prepare for the exam
• Other internal and external partners, including new prospects
5 Ready to deliver:
.
• Teaching and learning curriculum models/approaches
• Differentiated schemes of work/lessons plans with FS opportunities embedded and signposted.
• Lesson/session observations
• Team/peer teaching
• shadowing and mentoring opportunities for new or inexperienced practitioners
• sharing good practice (appropriate dissemination)
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4. Identified area(s) to consider S W O T
• resources and ICT (VLE), include key documents and their source, e.g. the standards,
subject/programme specific T&L materials, awarding body documentation
6 Evaluate
.
• Monitoring and reporting achievement
• review
• opportunities to benchmark and for action learning outcomes
7 Data Management
.
• Funding and inspection data
• Achievement data, attendance figures, completion rates, entries and pass rates, progression,
e.g. ProAchieve
• Tracking and monitoring/ National benchmark figures
• ULNs/ILRs
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5. Action Planner – at a glance
Following the completion of the Functional Skills Health Check, having identified your organisation’s internal strengths and
external opportunities, you may find it useful to highlight your internal weaknesses and external threats, and adopting a problem
solving/solution’s based approach to planning ahead.
Identified area(s) to address S W O T Potential solution By whom Timescale
1 E.g. Current structure may not be conducive √ Present a proposed VP for December
. with achieving full Functional Skills success structure (including curriculum or 10th 2010
across our organisation departmental) which operational
takes into account our manager
identified strengths and
opportunities and present
at the next SLT meeting
2 E.g. We have not identified all of the staff who √ Consult with department Directors or December 2nd
. will have responsibility for Functional Skills (at heads/managers with business 2010
strategic, business and operational level). reference to the managers
requirements of
Functional Skills
achievement and ask
them to identify possible
staff (provide a role
descriptor or criteria for
this).
3
.
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6. Identified area(s) to address S W O T Potential solution By whom Timescale
4
.
5
.
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