ESSENTIAL SKILLS WALES QUALIFICATIONS

Transcription

1 ESSENTIAL SKILLS WALES QUALIFICATIONS FROM SEPTEMBER 2015 ESSENTIAL COMMUNICATION SKILLS ESSENTIAL APPLICATION OF NUMBER SKILLS

2 AGENDA BACKGROUND CONTEXT FOR CHANGES TRANSITION AND IMPLEMENTATION CHANGES TO ESSENTIAL APPLICATION OF NUMBER SKILLS CHANGES TO ESSENTIAL COMMUNICATION SKILLS YOUR QUESTIONS 2

3 CONTEXT FOR CHANGE QUALIFIED FOR LIFE REFORMS PART OF PROGRAMME OF WORK TO IMPROVE THE QUALIFICATIONS SYSTEM IN WALES TO MAKE IT MORE RIGOROUS AND APPROPRIATE TO THE NEEDS OF THE WELSH ECONOMY. 1 Follows on from 2012 Review of Qualifications. 2 New regulatory arrangements: Qualifications Wales. 3 Changes to AS/A Levels, GCSE and Welsh Bac 4 Redesign and repurposing of Essential Skills qualifications. Also coincides with launch of new Education Workforce Council, and Wales Essential Skills Toolkit (WEST) resource. 3

4 NEW ESSENTIAL SKILLS QUALIFICATIONS OVERVIEW OF CHANGES NEW SUITE OF ESSENTIAL SKILLS QUALIFICATIONS LAUNCHING SEPTEMBER 2015 There will be new qualifications in: Essential Communication Skills (ECommS) available at Levels 1 to 3 Essential Application of Number Skills (EAoNS) available at Levels 1 to 3 Essential Digital Literacy Skills (EDLS) available at Entry 1 to Level 3 Essential Employability Skills (EES) available at Entry 3 to Level 3. The current Entry Level ESW qualifications in Communication and Application of Number will be continuing in their current form. 4

5 NEW ESSENTIAL SKILLS QUALIFICATIONS ASSESSMENT MODEL MOVE TOWARDS END ASSESSMENT All assessment completed as a concentrated activity at the end of learners programmes, with no ongoing portfolio assessment. Essential Communication Skills Entry 1-3 no change from current model Levels 1-3 two-part end-assessment: controlled task and confirmatory external test. STANDARDS FOR COMMUNICATION AND APPLICATION OF NUMBER HAVE BEEN CLEANSED, BUT HAVEN T ALTERED FUNDAMENTALLY. Essential Application of Number Skills Entry 1-3 no change from current model Levels 1-3 two-part end-assessment: controlled task and confirmatory external test. 5

6 NEW ESSENTIAL SKILLS QUALIFICATIONS KEY TERMS DEFINED CONTROLLED TASKS Externally set or signed off by awarding bodies Based on a given theme/context (chosen by centre, to ensure purpose, meaning and relevance to learner) Presented unseen and completed under supervised conditions over a specified period, that isn t interspersed by any teaching (eg maximum of four hours over an eight-week period) Internally assessed and quality assured by centres (with external quality assurance by awarding bodies). CONFIRMATORY TESTS Externally set by awarding bodies multiple choice format Provided securely to centres (eg in sealed pack or via onscreen testing platform), not to be opened until immediately before use Completed under exam conditions (eg JCQ ICE or similar) Externally marked by awarding bodies. 6

7 NEW ESSENTIAL SKILLS QUALIFICATIONS PROGRESS ASSESSMENTS WILL BE COMMON ACROSS AWARDING BODIES Controlled tasks developed jointly by the four awarding bodies offering new Essential Skills qualifications will be common across all four. Confirmatory tests also shared although there may be differences in how/when offered. New qualifications will be available from September with a period of parallel running before the old qualifications are closed. OLD ESW AND WIDER KEY SKILLS QUALIFICATIONS WILL CLOSE ON 31 DECEMBER 2015 LAST CERTIFICATION IS 31 DECEMBER

8 NEW ESSENTIAL SKILLS QUALIFICATIONS CURRENT STATE OF PLAY DESIGN PRINCIPLES NOW FINALISED Developed by Welsh Government as basis for regulating new qualifications. Separarate Code of Practice guide also being developed - content will be common across all awarding bodies. DEVELOPING THE ASSESSMENTS Awarding bodies working together to develop controlled tasks drawing on ideas from the trial, and refining these into a more manageable and consistent template. Next step is producing complete set of sample controlled tasks covering all skills/levels with live versions introduced in stages from September onwards. Confirmatory tests commissioned jointly by awarding bodies prototype likely to be available by September, with live tests available from early

9 OUR ESSENTIAL SKILLS OFFER OVERVIEW LEARNER QUALIFICATIONS ESSENTIAL COMMUNICATION SKILLS (ECommS) ( ) Available at levels 1-3, with a two-part end-assessment: controlled task and confirmatory test also includes existing ESW Communication qualifications at Entry level ESSENTIAL APPLICATION OF NUMBER SKILLS (EAoNS) ( ) Available at levels 1-3, with a two-part end-assessment: controlled task and confirmatory test also includes existing ESW Application of Number qualifications at Entry level ESSENTIAL DIGITAL LITERACY SKILLS (EDLS) ( ) Available at Entry 1 to Level 3, with controlled task end-assessment and structured discussion ESSENTIAL EMPLOYABILITY SKILLS (EES) ( ) Available at Entry 3 to Level 3, with a controlled task and structured discussion. Levels 1-3 graded pass/merit/distinction ESSENTIAL SKILLS FOR WORK AND LIFE (3846) Wide range of units and qualifications available at Entry 1 to Level 3. Supports progression to full Essential Skills qualifications, and particularly suitable for flexible patterns of provision. STAFF QUALIFICATIONS LEVEL 3 CERTIFICATE FOR ESSENTIAL SKILLS PRACTITIONERS (LITERACY) ( ) LEVEL 3 CERTIFICATE FOR ESSENTIAL SKILLS PRACTITIONERS (NUMERACY) ( ) LEVEL 3 CERTIFICATE FOR ESSENTIAL SKILLS PRACTITIONERS (ESOL) ( ) NEW LEVEL 3 CERTIFICATE FOR ESSENTIAL SKILLS PRACTITIONERS (DIGITAL LITERACY) ( ) 9

10 OUR ESSENTIAL SKILLS OFFER WHY CITY & GUILDS? FULL RANGE OF QUALIFICATIONS Full range of learner qualifications across all essential skills areas. Essential Skills for Work and Life (3846) complements full Essential Skills qualifications, supporting personalised learning and flexible patterns of provision Level 3 Essential Skills Practitioner suite (8375) to support tutors now includes Digital Literacy strand, as well as Literacy, Numeracy and ESOL. EASY ADMINSTRATION Registration is simple, with no need to specify qualification level when registering learners. FLEXIBLE ASSESSMENTS Choice of on-screen or paper-based assessment for confirmatory tests (onscreen available with 30 minutes notice, paper with 14 days notice) Controlled tasks available to download from website, and available to administer when ready All assessments available on-demand - no assessment windows or registration deadlines. SUPPORTIVE QUALITY ASSURANCE Flexible and supportive external quality assurance model, with EQAs allocated to centres and able to provide formative support. 10

11 OUR ESSENTIAL SKILLS OFFER WHY CITY & GUILDS? (CONT.) NO-RISK PRICING Our pricing model will be low-risk registration for each essential skill covers all levels, with nearly half of fee only payable on completion or when taking confirmatory test. WELSH LANGUAGE SERVICE Dedicated Welsh language coordinator. Bilingual certificates and support material available. COMPRHENSIVE TEACHING AND LEARNING SUPPORT Qualification delivery support, including centre and learner guides, readiness guides, FAQs and sample controlled tasks and confirmatory tests coming soon. Wide range of digital teaching and learning resources to support all forms of maths, English and ICT teaching and learning, including the Maths and English e-toolkit to complement and supplement the mandatory Wales Essential Skills Tool (WEST). DEDICATED, SPECIALIST SUPPORT Support from locally-based business managers and quality team. Expert advice and guidance from full-time maths and English adviser. Regular programme of network events and webinars bespoke centre training also available. Bespoke support and consultancy through our Advance service. 11

12 DELVING INTO THE DETAIL APPLICATION OF NUMBER COMMUNICATION

13 ESSENTIAL SKILLS QUALIFICATIONS APPLICATION OF NUMBER CHANGES ONLY APPLY TO LEVEL 1, LEVEL 2 AND LEVEL 3 3 skill areas: Understand Numerical Data Carry out Calculations Interpret and present Results and Findings Assessed using a combination of a Controlled Task and a short Confirmatory Test. The outcome for this will be pass/fail. 13

14 ESSENTIAL SKILLS QUALIFICATIONS APPLICATION OF NUMBER CONTROLLED TASK Covers all three components as a continuous process Summative assessment Externally produced by Awarding Bodies with a marking guide. Internally assessed and quality assured External quality assurance Level 1 - up to 4 hours Level 2 - up to 5 hours Level 3 - up to 8 hours Completed under controlled conditions within a maximum of a consecutive eight-week period. 14

15 ESSENTIAL SKILLS QUALIFICATIONS APPLICATION OF NUMBER CONFIRMATORY TEST Confirms candidates underpinning knowledge and skills Provide additional rigour to the assessment process Externally set and externally assessed Fixed response (multiple choice items) Available on-screen or paper-based Level 1 (up to 20 items) 30 minutes Level 2 (up to 20 items) 30 minutes Level 3 (up to 30 items) 45 minutes Calculators may not be used The outcome for this will be pass/fail. 15

16 ESSENTIAL SKILLS QUALIFICATIONS COMMUNICATION CHANGES ONLY APPLY TO LEVEL 1, LEVEL 2 AND LEVEL 3 3 skill areas: Speaking and Listening Reading Writing Assessed using a combination of a Controlled Task and a Confirmatory Test. The outcome for this will be pass/fail. 16

17 ESSENTIAL SKILLS QUALIFICATIONS COMMUNICATION CONTROLLED TASK Covers all three components in an integrated, holistic way although each part will focus on a different topic, purpose and audience Summative assessment Externally produced by Awarding Bodies with a marking guide. Internally assessed and quality assured External quality assurance Level 1 - up to 4 hours Level 2 - up to 5 hours Level 3 - up to 8 hours At level 2 and 3 additional reading and research can take place outside of hours Completed under controlled conditions within a maximum of a consecutive eight-week period. 17

18 ESSENTIAL SKILLS QUALIFICATIONS COMMUNICATION CONFIRMATORY TEST Confirms candidates underpinning knowledge and skills Provide additional rigour to the assessment process Externally set and externally assessed Fixed response (multiple choice items) Available on-screen or paper-based Level 1 (up to 20 items) 30 minutes Level 2 (up to 20 items) 30 minutes Level 3 (up to 30 items) 45 minutes Dictionaries may not be used The outcome for this will be pass/fail. 18

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