Functional Skills v GCSE

[Northernsoul72]

My daughter who got a 3 in English cannot find a college who will let her do FS. She is 16. She has an EHCP and had ASD and depression. Having to do this again is absolute torture. She had a significant amount of extra time at school and cant complete the work to demonstrate the need for extra time in FE. She has such a mental block and gets scared and overwhelmed. I had hoped college woukd would be different but it's turning into the nightmare of school and its only 2 weeks in!

I did FS having already done GCSE. They’re not even comparable. FS now is pretty worthless tbh.

I thought a pass at Level 2 was equivalent to GCSE grade 4?

It’s not the college’s choice. If she is a full time student with a grade 3, she must study for the GCSE or they will not get funding for her.

As I understand it, it is a pass at an equivalent level to a GCSE grade 4. It’s not as broad but it is acceptable for courses, apprenticeships and job roles requiring a grade 4. Although obvs that is at the discretion of the provider.

But yy with a grade 3 GCSE she will be expected to retake the GCSE – she may have been only a few marks short of a grade 4 after all.

Yes this is a national funding requirement.
she won’t find anywhere.

We had this.

With the EHCP they do have some level of flexibility, but they quite probably don't run English FS Level 2 classes for her to be able to attend them instead.

DD (with EHCP, anxiety and depression) had to attend Maths & English lessons but it was agreed she only resat 1 of the subjects each year as she couldn't cope. (That was her first 2 years). As DD couldn't cope with 'full time' college we targetted days/half days to miss so they had least impact on her main course (and therefore missed proportionately more maths/English).

We then did FS English privately outside of college (in a year out), and once she had passed that she was allowed to drop English at college (when she returned for a 3rd year there). She did this with one tuition lesson a week for around 6-8 months and no external work. We did it taking each of the 3 units separately.

When is the EHCP next up for review? They only have to be 'working towards' not actually sitting things.

The conditions of funding require students who gain a grade 3 to work towards GCSE rather than FS. That applies to most with SEN too because the conditions state with the right teaching and support students with SEN with a 3 should be capable of GCSE. However, the conditions do recognise for some are not able to study towards GCSE. Since your DD has an EHCP, this is something that could be included in there. It can also include 1:1 tuition if necessary and provision away from the college if necessary. What does DD’s EHCP state?

That applies to most with SEN too because the conditions state with the right teaching and support students with SEN with a 3 should be capable of GCSE.

Sometimes I think we do some kids a disservice getting them from a 2 into a just 3. A just 3 is still a long way from a 4.

@TeenToTwenties I completely agree. I think the sentence in the conditions of funding about DC with SEN who achieve a 3 should be capable of continuing to study towards a level 2 GCSE pass is, frankly, ignorant. It misses so much nuance surrounding SEN. For some, that 3 is an exceptional achievement and continuing to study towards a 4 is counterproductive and sometimes futile.

I agree with you both. Getting a 3 was an amazing achievment, we also had 2 grandparents pass mid exams so I believe a bit of " special consideration" was given. I agree getting to a 4 isn't going to be easy at all, especially if she doesn't get the 50 percent extra time like she did at school. This one size fits all is so annoying

That is absolutely not true.

FS is used for employment and academic purposes as a broadly similar level of learning.

So, for access to HE or uni, you may need a GCSE or a FS equivalent (usually Level 2) will be acceptable.GCSEs aren’t for everyone at 16!

It’s not a direct equivalent, as you don’t cover the same specification and it’s much narrower (in my opinion-and I have both).

However, it demonstrates you can work at that level.