Friday 29 July 2011
EBacc subjects high on the list of student choices
Originally a question, a year later, it's now a statement. The press, including the BBC are reporting that secondary schools are pressuring students into choosing subjects that form the basis of the EBacc. The next curriculum year also sees the new maths and English GCSE curriculum first exams which has far more functional skills related content. I'm keen to see how well students do.
Friday 22 July 2011
League Tables
Over the last few days we've seen various proposals by the Government about league tables. They suggest that new league tables should not included anything below a full GCSE - what about Functional Skills?
It doesn't meet a number of objectives such as being 1/2 a GCSE (not a full one) and not having grades (a requirement of qualifications that are included in the league table).
Does this mean that the 50% of 16 year olds who do not pass grade C GCSE in both maths and English are to be ignored? That's not quite what Wolf said is it? It also means that qualifications such as Apprenticeships would be deemed worthless by the Government - can't be right!
We have a chance to comment though, it's just a proposal with a consultation period so if you feel strongly, please make your feelings known.
Monday 18 July 2011
Functional Skills Annual Survey
July 19th - the Functional Skills newsletter
Just one item in this last newsletter of the curriculum year - the 2010/11 Annual Survey.
We have created a 5 minute survey about Functional Skills through Survey Monkey. You may already have received a direct link and answered, if so, there is no need to do it again. If you haven't received a survey response request, please click the link below or copy into your browser.
https://www.surveymonkey.com/s/DGX3HPF
Thursday 14 July 2011
Guroo shortlisted for national education award
Very pleased and indeed very proud to say that Guroo has been shortlisted for the best use of educational technology at the Education Investor national awards.
The winners are announced on 17th November at the Dorchester.
We're up against some illustrious competitors though including Espresso, Pearson, Promethean, Uniservity and Frog.
Not bad at all for a little north east based company developing resources for Functional Skills!
Thursday 7 July 2011
Performance Measures for schools
The Telegraph today carries more details about how Michael Gove is thinking about performance measures.
It does just seem like an ever so sensible solution in my view especially as one of the measures will be Functional Skills.
Monday 4 July 2011
Functional Skills Newsletter July 5th
July 5th - the Functional Skills newsletter
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Initial Assessment Tool for Functional Skills
Edexcel have developed an Initial Assessment Tool (IAT) to provide a simple way of helping teachers and tutors to screen a learner's existing skills and give an indication of their functionality in Functional English reading and Functional Mathematics from Entry Level 1 up to Level 2.
The BETA test version is now online - try it now on the Pearson website.
Edexcel are keen to get a range of views on the tool – in particular, they are asking for your help with testing, so your feedback can help them shape future improvements, in particular:
- How do you use the Initial Assessment Tool?
- What changes and improvements would you like to see?
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Guroo 2.0 enhancements and developments
There's such a lot been happening over the past few weeks, we thought it would be worthwhile letting our readers know about all the additions and changes.
Learners Personal Reports now allows a learner to keep track of all their progress and results in one easy place including assignment grades, myFS results and quiz marks. We've also changed the process so that each quiz attempt can now be revisited giving feedback on answers a learner has submitted.
A messaging system has been added that allows learner to tutor and tutor to learner messaging (but not learner to learner). Great for distance learning and homework and works especially well when used with task setting.
On-line interactive tasks have been added to all the following challenges
- English Entry 1 Face Off
- English Entry 1 New York, New York
- Maths Entry 1 Up To You
- Maths Entry 1 Be Patient
- ICT Entry 1 Blog It!
- English Entry 2 New York, New York
- Maths Entry 2 Up To You
- ICT Entry 2 Mum's The Word
- Cross Curricular Entry 2 Fashion Parade
- Cross Curricular Entry 2 Eating Out
- Cross Curricular Entry 3 Fashion Parade
- Cross Curricular Entry 3 Eating Out
- Cross Curricular Level 1 The Long Way Home
- Cross Curricular Level 2 The Long Way Home
- Cross Curricular Level 1 Beautiful View
- Cross Curricular Level 2 Beautiful View
We've also started adding on-line quizzes to all the cross curricular challenges which will add a further 1400 Functional Skills questions to the Guroo 2.0 service by September.
Press review for June
According to the TES, the top 3 needs of business leaders are:
- High standards of English and maths
- Skills to think in different ways
- The ability to distinguish good evidence from bad in the Google age
An interesting discussion led by education journalist Warwick Mansell and hosted by Pearson about on-line testing and standards. Catch the summary and videos here.
CBI remain concerned about Numeracy standards with the Minister pledging to put maths back at the heart of the curriculum for all students up to age 18.
GCSEs to fall into line with Functional Skills as modular courses are replaced with end of year exams.
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Links to all the Awarding Organisations Functional Skills pages
Following a number of requests to help with curriculum planning, we have been asked to repeat this item featured in the last newsletter. We have done our best to get as close as possible to the Functional Skills part of the each website below.
AQA - all subjects and all levels
Acentis - all subjects and all levels
City and Guilds - all subjects and all levels
Skillsfirst/EAL/IMI consortium - All subjects at levels 1&2
EDI - all subjects and all levels
Edexcel - all subjects and all levels
NCFE - all subjects and all levels
NOCN - all subjects and all levels
OCR - all subjects and all levels
SQA - English and maths levels 1&2
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Please Plus One us on Google follow us on Twitter @guroofs and like us on Facebook at guroo.functionalskills. The last newsletter is likely to be Tuesday July 19th - if you have anything you'd like us to know about, just get in touch jwells@guroo.co.uk
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