1. Review of Assessment Models of Essential Skills Qualifications:
Communication and Application of Number
Level 1 and 2
CCEA Regulation

2. Background Low success rates Part achievement of qualification
Appropriateness of the current qualification
Functional Skills – England
Essential Skills Wales
Re-accreditation of Essential Skills in 2010

3. Current Assessment Model
Developed using Key Skills Standards at Level 1 & 2 in 2004
Action-based Activities (ABA) for portfolio and Desktop Tasks (DTT) instead of tests. Purpose of the DTT is to confirm the portfolio level.
Externally set, internally marked and externally moderated
To achieve Essential Skills qualification must
produce a portfolio of evidence using ABA at Level 1 or 2
and
obtain a pass mark of at least 70% in a level 1 or 2 DTT 50% or more achieved at level 2 will be awarded a level 1.

4. Skills qualifications England and Wales
England: Functional Skills
Use Functional Skills standards
Available from Entry 1 through to Level 2
Range of summative assessment model – test only plus test and task models
Externally set and externally marked
Wales: Essential Skills Wales
Use converged key and basic skills standards
Available from Entry 1 through to Level 4
Embedded model – assessed through portfolio only

5. Work undertaken to date
Review of assessment models in England and Wales
A mapping exercise completed comparing the standards and evidence requirements for the current Level 1 & 2 Essential Skills with the Functional Skills, Essential Skills Wales to adult literacy, adult ESOL and adult numeracy core curriculum which articulates evidence requirements across the range of standards
Focus groups held with Essential Skills tutors and awarding body moderators to identify strengths and areas for improvement in ABA and DTT
Assessment models developed with Essential Skills awarding bodies for operation in centres from Sept 09.

6. Cohort for review
300 learners in a range of settings – community, voluntary, FE, workplace and training
Each awarding body to recruit 150 learners
10 tutors minimum per AB
Each tutor to have a control group ie to be teaching existing model with another group of learners as well as the review group for the same subject and level
Target tutors to be identified by at latest mid October 2009

7. Roles and Responsibilities
Awarding Bodies – select tutors/centres 10 minimum,
Moderators – from the awarding bodies revise/create assessment materials and provide support for new items
Tutors – compulsory attendance at training events and completed assessment by February 2010
Regulators – ensure all learners in the Review are not disadvantaged will be awarded Essential Skills qualification regardless of method of assessment
Essential Skills Steering Group – current membership ETI, LSDA, DEL, DE, EGSA, QUB, ABs, SSC, Regulator – will receive regular reports on progress of review