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Functional Skills

What is Pearson Functional Skills?

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Lead Academy

8 Mins Read

Functional skills are crucial as they give children and adults the skills, information, and understanding they need to grow professionally, in education, and in personal lives. It involves using a learner’s problem-solving skills in real-life contexts. The core English, maths, and ICT skills needed for both job and personal life are known as functional skills. These qualifications can be studied in useful ways by people. If you’re interested in learning functional skills, you can choose Pearson functional skills, designed to give you the basic knowledge required to succeed at work and in life in general! It is also helpful for learners of all ages.

To learn more about Pearson functional skills, read this article.

What are Pearson Functional Skills?

With 35,000 staff members working in more than 70 countries to help people of all ages in making significant progress in their lives through learning, Pearson is one of the leading learning organisations in the world.

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English, Maths, and ICT qualifications known as Pearson Functional Skills are only offered in England from Entry 1 to Level 2. They are suitable for students of all ages and are an essential part of the English Apprenticeship requirements.

Here are some key guidelines for Pearson functional skills.

Subject in Pearson Functional Skills

The lists of subjects for Pearson functional skills are given below.

Pearson Functional Skills Maths

The Pearson Edexcel Functional Skills qualifications in Mathematics at Entry Levels 1 to 3 are designed to help students improve their mathematical understanding and skills.

This subject gives learners the opportunity to:

  • Show a solid understanding of the basic concepts and basics of mathematical problem-solving that are appropriate for the level, as well as the skill to use mathematical knowledge to solve problems in situations that are familiar to you.
  • Achieve the skills needed for Levels 1 and 2 of study.
  • Make preparations for future careers.

Pearson Functional Skills English

The Pearson Edexcel Functional Skills Qualifications in English at Entry Levels 1, 2, and 3 are designed to help students improve their language knowledge and skills.

This subject gives learners a chance to:

  • Show that they can read, write, speak, listen, and communicate in English correctly.
  • Use this information and these skills in situations they are familiar with.

Some of the essential Pearson Edexcel functional skills past papers for English includes the following:

Pearson Functional Skills ICT

Functional skills qualifications in Information and Communication Technology (ICT) are created to provide students with the knowledge and skills to perform with confidence, efficiency, and independence in the classroom, the workplace, and in daily life.

They are created in response to employers’ beliefs that many students are not gaining a solid foundation in the basics.

Here are some of the Pearson functional skills ICT past papers:

Illustration of Pearson Edexcel qualifications

Level in Pearson Functional Skills

Different levels of Pearson functional skills are listed below:

Maths

  • Pearson Edexcel Functional Skills Mathematics Entry Level 1-3
    The content area for entry-level 1-3 is using numbers and the number system – whole numbers, fractions and decimals, using common measures, shape and space, and handling information and data.
  • Pearson Edexcel Functional Skills Mathematics Level 1
    You will gain an understanding of the following subjects through the Level 1 course: numbers, measures, and handling data.
  • Pearson Edexcel Functional Skills Mathematics Level 2
    The level 2 qualification’s objective is to demonstrate excellent maths skills and the ability to apply mathematical thinking to solve problems successfully in the workplace and other real-world situations.
  • Pearson Edexcel Functional Skills Mathematics Level 3
    An approved maths qualification at Level 3 is supported by the government. Entry Level 3 functional skills maths can help you set the stage for a higher level of study.

English

  • Pearson Edexcel Functional Skills English Entry Level 1-3
    The content area for entry-level 1-3 includes speaking, listening and communicating texts, reading texts and writing texts.
  • Pearson Edexcel Functional Skills English Level 1
    At level 1, it is expected that students would be able to communicate effectively through speaking, listening, reading, and writing.
  • Pearson Edexcel Functional Skills English Level 2
    To reach level 2, students must be able to talk, listen, communicate, read, and write accurately and confidently.
  • Pearson Edexcel Functional Skills English Level 3
    Learners should be informed of the three parts of Functional Skills English Entry Level 3 during their course, which include speaking, listening, and reading.

ICT

  • Pearson Edexcel Functional Skills ICT Entry Level 1-3
    The content area for entry-level 1-3 includes using ICT, finding and selecting information, developing, presenting and communicating information.
  • Pearson Edexcel Functional Skills ICT Level 1
    For students who want to gain necessary, transferrable ICT skills so they may perform confidently, effectively, and independently in everyday life, level 1 is the perfect qualification. The total number of marks available is 10.
  • Pearson Edexcel Functional Skills ICT Level 2
    A level 2 qualification is essential since it shows you have practical, valuable computer skills. The total number of marks available is 20.
  • Pearson Edexcel Functional Skills ICT Level 3
    The learners will get advanced computer and IT knowledge by taking the level 3 qualifications. The total number of marks available is 40.

How to pass Pearson Functional Skills

According to Pearson, there is a specific percentage for passing different functional skills. An overview of passing functional skills exams is given in the following tables.

English Reading

Level  Total Marks Pass Percentage
Entry 1 16 75%
Entry 2 20 73%
Entry 3 24 73%
Level 1 30 65%
Level 2 35 65%

English Writing

Level  Total Marks Pass Percentage
Entry 1 30 75%
Entry 2 35 73%
Entry 3 36 73%
Level 1 36 63%
Level 2 36 63%

Mathematics

Level Total Marks Pass Percentage
Entry 1 20 75%
Entry 2 28 75%
Entry 3 36 70%
Level 1 56 63%
Level 2 64 59%

Why Functional Skills are needed?

People can learn, work, and contribute to society more effectively with the help of functional skills, which give essential knowledge. They improve literacy and numeracy levels, which are essential for performing routine business and service transactions.

Both your work and personal life will benefit from having functional skills. By enrolling in the Pearson functional skills course, you will learn a variety of skills, such as problem-solving, creativity, communication etc. Qualifications in functional skills are respected by employers and can increase your employability.

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FAQ

Is Functional Skills a qualification?

Yes. The UK government created functional skills qualifications as part of a programme to improve reading, maths, and ICT standards.

What is a Functional Skills level 1 equivalent to?

Functional Skills English Level 1 is equivalent to a GCSE English grade 1 to 3 (D to G).

What is the pass mark for Functional Skills Maths Level 1 Pearson?

The pass mark for functional skills maths level 1 is 32-37.

Are Functional Skills equivalent to GCSE?

Yes. Qualifications in functional skills are equivalent to GCSE.

Do universities accept Functional Skills level 1?

Yes. Most universities accept all Functional Skill qualifications to be GCSE equivalents.

Can I take the Functional Skills exam online at home?

As long as you have a decent internet connection, you can take the online exam with Pass Functional Skills from the comfort of your home.

Are Functional Skills harder than GCSE?

No. Functional skills are easier than GCSE.

What is the difference between Level 1 and Level 2 Functional Skills?

A qualification showing a basic understanding of English and maths is called the Functional Skills Level 1. The Functional Skills English Level 2 qualification, on the other hand, aims to prepare the learner for life, work, and study.

Can you get a job with Functional Skills?

Functional skills are flexible skills that can be used in a variety of industries and professions. These include accountancy, business, education, athletics, engineering, and tourism, among many other fields.

Is entry level 3 in Maths good?

Yes. A good knowledge base may be achieved from Entry Level 3. To help your kids with their maths homework and review.

Conclusions

Qualifications in functional skills offer reliable evidence of a learner’s achievements against demanding content that is useful to the job. The qualifications test candidates’ basic subject knowledge and skills to apply them in different situations.

They help students build skills for daily living and set the stage for development in employment and future technical education.
I hope this article has given you a better understanding of Pearson functional skills.

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