Functional Skills Reforms 

Learn Now deliver Functional Skills online courses and are no stranger to reformed qualifications, with the recent changes to A’ Level and GCSE courses over the past five years.

So here we are, the new reformed Functional Skills English and Maths are now well under way, since their inception in September 2019.

 

These new Functional Skills qualifications have undergone extensive technical evaluation to ensure that they are fit for purpose; with promises that job opportunities will be greatly increased to individuals holding these qualifications. However, what does this mean to training providers who are delivering teaching to students who are undertaking these qualifications?

 

Overall, the consensus is that these qualifications were long overdue an overhaul and any improvements made can only be for the better.  With more emphasis on spelling, punctuation and grammar for English, surely that can’t be a bad thing! Maths now requires students to be able to complete calculations with and without a calculator; should that not be a matter of course anyway?

 

Well, that all seems perfectly reasonable but the part that seems to be unsettling providers is the new rules regarding invigilators. 

 

Ofqual have confirmed that in the case of FSQs at levels 1 and 2, subject Tutors should not be involved in the invigilation of that subject, even if they have not taught the learners in question. Click here for further information.

 

Ofqual have confirmed that they are currently liaising with awarding bodies to allow exceptions to be put in place under certain specific circumstances and as long as providers can meet the requirements and gain permission in advance, examinations will not be affected. They do however state that although they realise there will be some work to do to put these exceptions in place, it is expected that this situation will be resolved reasonable quickly.

 

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Is Home Schooling an Option?

Home schooling also known as elective home education, is when a parent chooses to provide an education for their child at home.  This would be instead of sending them to a full-time school and they would aim to cover core subjects such as English and Maths.

Whilst home schooling uk can solve a lot of issues, children may no longer gain the social interaction previously experienced in a mainstream school. When speaking to a number of adults who had received home schooling in the past, their main concern was the fact that they had not learned how to navigate situations in society that were considered normal and were lacking in understanding the rules of behaviour; they would normally have gained this through peer interaction. Because of this, they felt it difficult to fit in when embarking on higher education or their working career.

Nowadays, this is something that parents are more aware of and many home-schooled children have large social networks for support and are also able to join many clubs such as football, drama, ballet and music etc. This obviously, is still difficult for children living in remote areas with poor access to transport.

Why do parents choose home schooling for their children?

There are many reasons why parents choose to educate their child at home.  Here are some examples:

·      Disappointment with the school system, or the school(s) at which a place is available.

·      Bullying

·      Health reasons, including mental health of the child

·      A short-term intervention for a particular reason

·      Special Educational Needs, or a lack of suitable provision in the school system for those needs

·      As a stop gap whilst awaiting a place at a school other than the one allocated.

Can my child be home schooled?

All parents have a right to educate their child from home if they wish to do so and the government is currently looking to toughen up on home education plans, to ensure they are working, as they should; especially as it is estimated that there are just under 60,000 home-educated children across 152 local authorities in England. To date, we are no further forward in this respect and the planned compulsory register of home-schooled children is yet to be agreed; awaiting the results of the Department for Education’s consultation process which closed on 24^th June 2019.

Although not everyone welcomes this register, former Education Secretary Damian Hinds pointed out that the government had a duty to make sure children were safe and receiving a good education.

If your child is currently in a school environment and you wish to educate them from home, you should firstly ensure that you notify the school and advise them of your intentions. The school cannot refuse your wishes, providing you intend to take them out of school completely.

If for any reason, your child attends school because of a school attendance order, you will not be able to just simply educate them from home and you will have to gain permission from your local council beforehand.

Are there any specific rules to home education?

If you wish to educate your child from home, you must ensure they receive full-time education from the age of 5. You do not have to follow the national curriculum but it is wise to ensure that they have grasped the basics of Maths and English, preferably completing at least Functional Skills Level 2. It may be that parents are able to oversee all teaching themselves but if this is proving difficult, consideration may be given to using outside sources such as private tutors, small teaching groups or online classes. There are many online resources that can also help, such as BBC Bitesize, which was formed in 1988 and is used by 40% of primary school students and 80% of secondary school students, to top-up their studies.

Can I receive funding for home education?

There are no grants or funding to help teach your child at home, in fact the Department for Education makes it clear that if you decide to teach your child at home, you will have to take on all financial responsibility related to their education.

However, your local authority will be able to offer you guidance in areas such as arranging examinations as a private candidate and details of any support groups in your area. To find out more about home education in your county, click here.

The rules for home schooling appear to be pretty clear but it would seem, the main priority is to consider the welfare of each individual child and ensure that whatever form of education is chosen for them, meets their mental and physical needs.

UK A Levels versus International A Levels

Students often ask us what the difference is between UK A Levels and International A Levels and which one would suit their circumstances better.

Advanced level qualifications (known as A Levels) are accepted by many universities globally; they are well respected and offer greater freedom to students when considering future career moves. A Levels are subject based qualifications and serve several purposes, such as training for a specific career, general study or university placement.

Many would argue that academic qualifications are not the be all and end all but for students considering university placements, they are certainly high on the agenda.

For the purpose of this discussion, Learn Now will be looking at the awarding bodies AQA and Cambridge Assessment International Education (previously CIE) whilst exploring the purpose of each.

UK A Levels (AQA)

In 2015, UK A Levels changed dramatically and the transitional phase started, whereby a number of subjects transferred to the new linear structure of examinations, with final subjects transferring in 2018.

Ofqual have stated: “The content for the new A levels has been reviewed and updated. Universities played a greater role in this for the new qualifications than they did previously”. That’s all well and good but how did this affect students?

What did the changes mean to UK A Level students?

AS Levels became decoupled from A Levels, which meant that they both become entirely separate qualifications.  Students were no longer able to carry forward the AS to the A Level qualification and would have the option of sitting either AS or A Level examinations.

Further changes to impact UK A Levels were to the examination series available each year. No longer could you sit your exams twice a year and students now only have the opportunity to sit them annually in June.

When these new A Level reforms were implemented, concerns were expressed by UCAS (Universities and Colleges Admissions Service), who thought that students could be disadvantaged by the confusing changes taking place. Now, five years down the line, all subjects are using the linear structure and teachers and students alike appear to have accepted the new module. That being said, NEU (National Education Union) have recently published a report, indicating that A Level reforms have caused a damaging impact on students’ mental health, with questions being raised about the effectiveness of these A Levels and whether they actually engage and encourage learners. That is something for another discussion!

International A Levels

For students wishing to take their examinations outside of the UK, the main awarding bodies are Pearson Edexcel or CAIE. Whilst Edexcel examinations can only be sat outside of the UK, Cambridge exams can be sat in 130 countries worldwide including the UK; giving students more options with regards to choices they make and greater flexibility.

International students concerned about how Brexit will affect their studies, should read here.

Do the changes to UK A-Levels affect Cambridge examinations?

CAIE believe that the government’s changes affirm the strong position of Cambridge International AS & A Levels. CAIE state: “The changes move the UK AS and A Level model closer to the structure of Cambridge international AS and A Level”.

When comparing, it certainly seems that Cambridge International A Levels offer greater flexibility for learners with various options for delivery. The main points being as follows:

• If they so wish, learners can take all components of the full A Level in one exam series (linear route).
• Another option would be to follow a staged assessment. This would enable learners to complete AS Level in one series and then complete the full A Level in a different series. I.e., AS could be taken in June series 2020 and A Level completed in June series 2021 (similar to old UK system).
• Alternatively, learners could complete AS Level as a stand-alone option. This AS Level can still be counted towards the full A Level, should students wish.

If learners feel the staged option is more suitable for their circumstances, it is also worth considering that examinations can be sat in June and November, with some countries allowing March sittings as well.

Whilst CAIE international A Levels seem very appealing, if you are a UK private candidate, consideration should be given to locations of examinations centres as there are a greater number of AQA examinations centres available compared to CAIE. It is possible that you may have to be prepared to travel slightly further to sit exams.

Are International A Level qualifications equivalent to UK A Level qualifications?

It is a myth that International A Level qualifications do not match that of their UK counterpart. An independent report by UK NARIC, the national agency in the UK for the recognition and comparison of international qualifications and skills, has concluded in it’s investigations that the current changes to UK A Levels will not affect its comparability with Cambridge International AS & A Levels.

The UK NARIC report states: “From September 2015, it is acknowledged that AS/A Levels are currently being redeveloped in line with UK government reforms. UK NARIC has considered the key changes proposed on a general level and on a subject level. In conclusion the changes are not felt to have an impact on the overall comparability of the Cambridge International AS & A Level.”

It would seem that whether you choose to undertake International A Levels or UK based A Levels, both serve a purpose and consideration should be given to your specific circumstances and which will work best for you.

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Brexit Deal set to become law but how does this affect EU students?

Finally, Boris Johnson’s Brexit bill has cleared parliament, allowing Britain to leave the EU on 31^st January 2020. This bill is expected to become law shortly, once royal assent has been granted.

A spokesperson for Learn Now Distance Learning College quoted:

“This situation has been up in the air for over three-and-a-half years and it is time that students were reassured about their future education. With many students currently studying their international A’ Levels ready for higher education in the UK, clarification is top of the list”.

Universities and the British Government have previously confirmed that the doors will remain open to international students wishing to study in the UK post-Brexit but what does this even mean?

On 16^th March 2019, the government released the International Education Strategy, to cement the UK’s position as world-leading provider of higher education now and in the future, hopeful of attracting considerably more international students, which would benefit both sides.

The UK is the second most popular destination worldwide for students wishing to study outside their home country and hosts in excess of 450,000 international students every year; so I think we can safely say that provisions will be put in place to aid a smooth transition for everyone concerned.

Let’s look at the current proposals advised by the government:

Non-EU students applying to study in the UK?

You’ll be pleased to know that if you are from outside the EU, nothing will change and your experience of applying for a British university is likely to remain the same. Your visa application process will be a similar process to before and tuition fees will be calculated in the same manner.

EU students applying to study in the UK

The government states that students who are wishing to start a higher education course in the 2020 academic year will be treated as before, with the UK entering into an 11 month transition period. Your rights to study and live in the UK will not be affected until 31^st December 2020.

Providing the UK leave with the deal it is so close to achieving, you’ll have until 30^th June 2021 to apply to the EU Settlement Scheme. Should you arrive in the UK during the transition period, mentioned above, you can also apply.

If you’re an EU, EEA or Swiss citizen, you and your family can apply to the EU Settlement Scheme to continue living in the UK after 30 June 2021. If your application is successful, you’ll get either settled or pre-settled status.

Should everything fall down at the last hurdle with a no-deal Brexit, students will have until 31^st December 2020 to apply to the EU Settlement Scheme, providing they are already living in the UK when we part our ways with the EU. If you wish to arrive after we leave, you will need to apply for European Temporary Leave to Remain.

It would seem, the answer here is quite clear! Education should not be affected but EU, EEA or Swiss citizens should ensure that all applications are submitted in good time and you would be well advised to keep up to date with the latest developments on the GOV.UK website.

I am sure everyone will agree that clarity is of utmost importance here!

How to become a Higher Level Teaching Assistant

How important are Higher Level Teaching Assistants?

The role of support staff has dramatically changed over the last few years, with Teachers becoming more dependent on teaching assistants to ensure that quality learning and teaching is delivered to all students.

In 2003, the Higher Level Teaching Assistant (HLTA) role was introduced. This was following workforce reforms to help tackle workload in the classroom and raise standards.  In order to receive HLTA status, you should meet the national HLTA standards.

Unfortunately, the Government has now axed all funding for support staff training and schools that wish to continue training will have to provide funding themselves.

The role of a HLTA

As an HLTA, you will carry out all the roles of a teaching assistant but the main difference is the increased level of responsibility, such as teaching a class on your own, covering absences and allowing teachers more time to plan and mark.

How to become an HLTA

In order to become an HLTA, it is essential that you have the following in place:

·      You should currently be in a teaching assistant role

·      Have the support of your school and head teacher

·      Funding should be available

·  You should have received the necessary training including Level 2 in literacy and numeracy

At Learn Now, we also have a passion for learning, so much so, we are willing to contribute funding towards the training of HLTAs to ensure that all support staff have the opportunity to meet the professional standards required for HLTA status.

For each member of staff enrolled on the Higher Level Teaching Assistant Level 4 course, Learn Now will contribute £20 towards their studies. (Please note, this is only available if course is booked by employer).

We will also provide staff members with discounts on other selected courses, such as SEN Teaching Assistant, Maths/English Level 2 and e-learning courses.

In the first instance, you should speak to your school and enquire about what support they are able to offer to help you fulfil this role.

If they are happy to contribute towards your Higher Level Teaching Assistant Level 4 course, they should contact the enrolments department in order to complete the necessary paper work and start the enrolment process.

For more information about the HLTA Level 4 course or other courses we provide, please click here.

As part of a Teaching Assistant's continued professional development, we are also able to provide Functional Skills English and Maths or GCSE. For more information, click on the link below:

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