Last updated 16th September 2005
by Helen Nichols
Version 2 website
Launch 22nd October 2001

Resources - Key Skills Guidance
Click on the blue links below to download key skills guidance materials or read a summary of the recent changes to the guidance below.

QCA Guidance on main skills (PDF format)

The addendum to the key skills guidance September 2001 (PDF format)

You will need Adobe Acrobat Reader to view these PDF documents.
Visit http://www.adobe.com to download the Acrobat reader programme.

Summary of Guidance on Wider Skills (WORD doc)

The implications of the addendum to the key skills guidance (WORD doc)

THE ADDENDUM TO THE GUIDANCE ON THE MAIN KEY SKILLS
(Oct 2001)

GENERAL

Assignment briefs or tasks should be included with each piece of portfolio evidence:
· details of the task set, its purpose and the expected outcome and, where required its intended audience.

Where support has been given this should also be indicated e.g. reading lists provided.
· candidates should be encouraged to note information of their own e.g. about documents they have located or searches carried out.

There should be evidence that assessment has taken place against the relevant Key Skills criteria by someone who understands the full implication of the specifications.If Key Skills evidence is not present in the portfolio it must be clearly cross-referenced for moderation purposes.

The use of images in IT and Communication
The effectiveness of an image will be determined by whether it is fit for purpose and has been used to aid understanding of the written or spoken text:
· it should engage the audience.
At levels 1, 2 and 3 of Communication one of the two pieces of writing should include a least one image:
· the image may be in either document.
A table of text or numbers would not count as an image.
Images include; labelled pictures; charts; diagrams; sketch drawings; photographs; video reports; graphs; flow charts; artwork.

Legibility and consistency
Electronically produced documents must be authenticated by a supervisor or assessor:
· this should include the assessor or supervisor's signature and the date on each document.

The use of different layout conventions for work electronically produced is acceptable, as long as they are applied correctly and consistently throughout the candidate's work.

COMMUNICATION

Complex
Communication level 3 - complex is defined in the Guidance. It should include:
· a number of strands
· be challenging in its ideas and use of language
· be challenging in its detail.

Selection
At levels 2 and 3 candidates may be provided with guidance in the form of a reading list, but it would be inappropriate to provide detailed guidance such as chapter headings etc.

At levels 1 and 2 candidates may be given guidance on the appropriate form for their writing.

At level 3, the students may be given a task, such as to write an essay, but they must select and use a structure that is appropriate to the purpose.

Extended Document
For communication levels 2 and an extended document is defined 'as more than three pages', a guideline would be to use a word count of 1000 words:
· remember to focus upon fitness for purpose.

Accuracy
Up to two errors, occurring only once each, are allowed as long as these are not repeated in the second document and the meaning remains clear.

The same error occurring more than once in a single document counts as one single error.

If a candidate makes errors using, spelling, punctuation and grammar beyond the level at which they are working they should not be penalised.
· remember fitness for purpose
· you can refer to a common list of words used at each level, either from the basic skills curriculum framework or the national literacy curriculum framework.

Oral work
At level 2 a group discussion, rather than a one-to-one will be the norm.

At level 3 the presentation should build upon that delivered at level 2 and as a general guide should last a minimum of 10 minutes.
· remember to focus upon fitness for purpose.

APPLICATION OF NUMBER

Calculations
When presenting evidence of different types of calculations only a minimum of one example from each category is required:
· eg amount or sizes.

Checks for accuracy and sense are always needed as the final stage of the calculation process:
· levels of accuracy required are specified in the Guidance.
· candidates should be familiar with different methods of checking.

Evidence for checking for accuracy should not be necessary on every occasion particularly with mental calculations:
· where there is a series of the same type of calculations evidence of checking the first few is required:
· for the remainder accurate results will be confirmation that accurate checking has taken place.

Data sets
A large data set should normally consist of 50 items, however:
· flexibility is allowed to aid integration and to ensure that candidates complete real and meaningful activities.
· at level 3 it should be one that is sufficiently complex to be challenging to interpret. It must be sufficiently large to enable candidates to carry out calculations appropriate at level 3.

Where two data sets are used to make comparisons, one large data set must be obtained by the candidate(s):
· this could be from primary or secondary sources.
· the other data set may be given.

Sources can include reference books and journals, organisations, the Internet and newspapers.

Substantial activities
One substantial activity covering all 3 components is still required at level 2 and 3. However, coverage of any outstanding evidence may be achieved by shorter additional activities, as long as they meet all of the bullet points in the components(s) covered.
Complex
Complex is defined in the Guidance on page 36; the candidate and tutor must agree the level of complexity at the outset of the task.

Examples of charts, graphs and diagrams
Charts:
Pie or bar charts, histograms, pictograms, frequency polygons, frequency charts or diagrams.

Graphs:
Single and multiple line graphs, scatter graph with or with or without line of best fit.

Diagrams:
Scale drawings, plans and workshop drawings, flowcharts, 3D representations, critical path or network diagrams and organisation charts.

INFORMATION TECHNOLOGY

Drafts and revisions
There needs to be evidence of drafting and revisiting work etc. Such evidence could be in the format of:
· draft and rough work, notes, annotations, highlighting or alterations.

Candidates should demonstrate their IT skills in relevant contexts through purposeful activities.

Two different purposes
The two purposes must differ in significant aspects. This means that it is generally unwise to attempt to cover both purposes with a single activity.

At levels 2 and 3, one purpose must be met by a substantial activity, the second purpose may cover individual components as long as the evidence produced is meaningful.

Level 3:
· An assignment brief should specify the audience
· E-mail to exchange information may not be a discrete task
· E-mail may be used to request information or to invite comments about a candidate's work.
It could be used to exchange information on one occasion, the other exchange does not have to be IT based.