'The term ''functional'' should be considered in the broad sense of providing learners with the skills and abilities they need to take an active and responsible role in their communities, everyday life, the workplace and educational settings. Functional mathematics requires learners to use mathematics in ways that make them effective and involved as citizens, operate confidently and to convey their ideas and opinions clearly in a wide range of contexts.'
Functional skills standards, 'Introduction to mathematics', © Qualifications and Curriculum Authority 2007
The Functional skills standards provide a single ladder of achievement from Entry 1 to Level 2 that is available to all learners from Key Stage 3 upwards, whatever learning pathway they are taking. The standards support learners in building, developing and consolidating skills that can be applied and transferred to a range of contexts, both within and beyond the mathematics classroom. The focus is on securing skills that can be used in learning, work and everyday life.
'The aim of the mathematics standards is to encourage people to demonstrate their mathematical skills in a range of contexts and for various purposes. They are essentially concerned with developing and recognising the ability of learners to apply and transfer skills in ways that are appropriate to their situation.
It is important to recognise that all mathematics can be used in these ways, and that teachers cannot know what mathematics their learners will use as they move through their lives. This means that we cannot identify a curriculum core that every learner will use. Instead, and much more powerfully, learners should be taught to use and apply the mathematics that they know and have learned, and to recognise when they need to develop additional skills.'
Teaching and learning functional mathematics, QIA/SNS 2007
Functional mathematics is not a discrete component of the new programmes of study but is embedded within them. In particular, the key processes and range and content sections reflect the functional mathematics standards at Level 1 at Key Stage 3 and at Level 2 at Key Stage 4.
A scheme of work at Key Stage 3 which is developing to meet the requirements of the new programme of study will be building a secure foundation for functional skills. To see how the key processes in mathematics at Key Stage 3 align to Level 1 functional mathematics standards, and those at Key Stage 4 align to Level 2, follow the links given to the QCA website.
The new programmes of study specify that the curriculum should provide for opportunities for pupils to:
Mathematics programmes of study for Key Stages 3 and 4, © Qualifications and Curriculum Authority 2007
To build and apply mathematical functional skills, teachers will need to focus on applied learning by creating problem-solving opportunities using both small- and large-scale scenarios, and through activities that require pupils to think for themselves and to select which functional mathematical skills are required to succeed.
There are three components of mathematical functional skills that need to be built, applied and mastered. These are valid at all levels of learning and are described in the standards as:
Fundamental to this process is an understanding of the factors that underpin progression, and of the level of demand a learner faces in a particular task. These factors are:
To assist with planning, these levels of demand are also referenced in the Mathematical processes and applications objectives. More information about the range of approaches for teaching and learning functional skills is available as part of the Excellence Gateway, from where you may wish to download Teaching and learning functional mathematics.
Schools will need to decide:
For the majority of pupils, the teaching and development of functional mathematics will become an integral part of the mathematics curriculum at Key Stages 3 and 4. Within mathematics lessons, pupils will need opportunities to apply their skills to a range of topics relevant to life and work. Pupils will need to understand where there are opportunities for them to transfer the skills they have developed. Links need to be made to other aspects of the curriculum so that young people can apply their functional skills to, for example, the principal learning of the Diploma framework or to aspects of enterprise or citizenship.
Assessment of functional mathematics is still in pilot stage and is currently being trialled as a stand-alone test. Teaching of the revised GCSE mathematics specification from 2010 for first award in 2012 will need to ensure that candidates have mastered functional mathematics at Level 2 if they are to achieve GCSE mathematics grades A*–C for the new mathematics GCSE1.
For more information relating to functional skills and assessment, visit the 14–19 education and skills website.
Functional skills are part of a three-year pilot that will support national implementation of the qualifications in 2010.
Subject leaders need to be aware that those pupils who entered Year 7 in September 2007 will be the first cohort to be affected by the requirement to have functional mathematics at Level 2 in 2012. It would therefore be useful to ensure that key mathematical processes are developed as a feature of curriculum planning for both Years 7 and 8 from September 2008 in order to secure a strong foundation for functional mathematics. You may wish to download and refer to Time line for change (183.16 KB) as you consider how to prioritise the changes needed to your planning and teaching in order to build towards functional mathematics in Key Stage 4.
