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About the Functional Skills Support Programme (FSSP)

The Department for Education and Skills (DfES) has charged the Quality Improvement Agency (QIA) and the National Strategies (NS) with leading work to design and develop a programme of support for the introduction of functional skills.

QIA has commissioned the Learning and Skills Network (LSN) to deliver the QIA strands of the programme. The LSN consortium comprises LSN, CFBT Education Trust and Learning for Work Ltd.

The combined knowledge, established networks and specialist associates of all partners will facilitate effective and efficient delivery of the programme. The initial focus of the programme will be on preparing and supporting the schools, colleges and other providers that are participating in the functional skills pilot.

The QIA and SNS support programme will include:

• Development and publication of support materials
• Training and network programme, including customised training and support at a regional and local level
• National functional skills team including regional advisers for English, mathematics and ICT

STOP PRESS

QIA/NS are running six additional "Introduction to Functional Skills" launch events on the 21st, 22nd and 23rd of October.

These events are repeats of the highly successful 27 national events run in June and July and are free to participants from Functional Skills pilot centres who have not, as yet, attended this training.

Pilot centres can send up to three delegates, one for each of the three Functional skills, English, Maths and ICT. To book a place, please follow the links below:

21st October 08, Bristol

21st October 08, York

22nd October 08, London

22nd October 08, Birmingham

23rd October 08, Manchester

23rd October 08, Peterborough - This event has been cancelled due to low recruitment

Links

For further information on the development of functional skills, please follow the links to the websites below:

• DCFS 14-19
• QCA Functional Skills - For information about the trialling of assessment options and the functional skills pilots.
• QIA Excellence Gateway - For links to downloadable versions of teaching and learning resources to support the delivery of functional skills.

Useful Publications

• Good Practice Guide: Leading from the middle - Key Skills Support Programme

Functional Skills for Adults

The Quality Improvement Agency (QIA) is offering a series of half-day in-house briefing and training sessions to inform and support providers of adult education and training that are not part of the functional skills pilot. In order to request such a briefing, please download the form below and return to us.

• In-house briefing booking form

For further information relating to the functional skills support programme, please contact Stuart Barr at LSN.

Stuart Barr
Senior Project Officer for the Functional Skills Support Programme
functionalskills@lsneducation.org.uk
Tel: 020 7492 5259

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