Functional Skills Funding

Functional Skills funding in 2010/11

Taken from http://readingroom.lsc.gov.uk/lsc/National/nat-functionalskillsfundingstatement201011FIN16fEB10-feb10.doc

Functional Skills in English, mathematics and ICT at entry level, level 1 and level 2 are rolled out nationally in 2010/11 and these will replace the Key Skill qualifications in Communication, Application of Number and ICT from September 2010 at Levels 1 and 2. 

On 13th January, the DCSF and LSC published the statement of priorities and investment strategy in which it stated that providers are now expected to deliver these Functional Skills qualifications for young people wherever possible.  This means that it should no longer be necessary for learners to take the Certificates in Adult Literacy or Adult Numeracy and the number of young people taking those qualifications should reduce significantly in 2010/11.  It is our intention (subject to confirmation by the JACQA Biennial Review) that adult literacy and numeracy qualifications will no longer be funded for young people after 2010/11.

The Certificates in Adult Literacy, Adult Numeracy and ESOL Skills for Life will continue to be funded as the main literacy and numeracy qualification for adults aged 19 or over.  Functional Skills will not be eligible for funding through Train to Gain or the Employability Skills Programme.

Following the outcome of the adult Functional Skills pilots, a decision will be taken on whether Functional Skills qualifications will also replace the Certificate in Adult Literacy and Certificate in Adult Numeracy from September 2012. Further work will also be undertaken before a decision is made on whether to replace the English for Speakers of other Languages (ESOL) Skills for Life qualifications with Functional English qualifications.

Funding Rates

Functional Skills in English, Mathematics and ICT delivered through 16-18 and Adult Learner Responsive will be unlisted. Where Functional Skills are delivered as part of an Apprenticeship framework as a direct replacement for key skills, they will continue to be listed at 0.08 SLN. This applies to all age Apprenticeships.

An unlisted rate through the 16-18 learner responsive budget is consistent with Adult Learner Responsive funding and has been set to reflect the differences in the weighted average guided learning hours (waglh) and allow some extra time for the qualifications to settle down and the delivery hours to be established.

Functional Skills in Apprenticeships, where they replace Key Skills, will continue to be funded at programme weighting 1.0.

All Functional Skills in English and Mathematics funded by the Young Peoples' Learning Agency (YPLA) through the 16-18 learner model will be funded at a 1.4 programme weighting. Functional Skills in ICT will continue to be funded at 1.12. 

Only Entry Level Functional Skills in Mathematics awards funded by the Skills Funding Agency (SFA) through the Adult Learner Responsive (ALR) model will attract a 1.4 programme weighting.

All other Functional Skills in English and Mathematics funded through the SFA (ALR model) will be funded at 1.2. Functional Skills in ICT will continue to be funded at 1.12.

A funding policy changes document for 2010/11 will be published by the Skills Funding Agency in week February 2010 and full funding guidance for both organisations will be published in May 2010.