Functional Skills service messages

January 2025

Introduction of new assessments into the live paper bank

To support your planning during the pause to our normal 6 working day turnaround of results, take a look at our schedule for introducing for new assessments into the live assessment paper bank. You can now view the dates up until the end of the 2024-25 academic year.

December 2024

Functional Skills bookings over the festive break and beyond

With the festive period fast approaching, we wanted to let you know the last date learners can sit paper-based bookings before the break, and the first date learners can sit in the new year: 

• last assessment date (paper-based) – 19 December 2024
• first assessment date (paper-based) – 8 January 2025. 

To ensure assessment papers are safely transported and securely stored in line with the Instructions for conducting Functional Skills assessments (English and Mathematics) please don’t send any assessment papers back to us

Paper-based results release timescales over the festive break and beyond

All paper-based assessments will be released in line with the timescales below:

Onscreen and remote invigilation results release timescales over the festive break and beyond

All onscreen and remote invigilation assessments will be released in line with the timescales below:

Introduction of new assessments into the live paper bank

To support your planning during the pause to our normal 6 working day turnaround of results, take a look at our schedule for introducing for new assessments into the live assessment paper bank. You can now view the dates up until the end of the 2024-25 academic year.

November 2024

Functional Skills bookings over the festive break

With the festive period fast approaching, we wanted to let you know the last date learners can sit paper-based bookings before the break, and the first date learners can sit in the new year: 

• last assessment date (paper-based) – 19 December 2024
• first assessment date (paper-based) – 8 January 2025. 

To ensure assessment papers are safely transported and securely stored in line with the Instructions for conducting Functional Skills assessments (English and Mathematics) please don’t send any assessment papers back to us

Paper-based results release timescales over the festive break

All paper-based assessments will be released in line with the timescales below:

Onscreen and remote invigilation results release timescales over the festive break

All onscreen and remote invigilation assessments will be released in line with the timescales below:

Introduction of new assessments into the live paper bank

To support your planning during the pause to our normal 6 working day turnaround of results, take a look at our schedule for introducing for new assessments into the live assessment paper bank. You can now view the dates up until the end of the 2024-25 academic year.

October 2024

Surpass test centre network indication of interest

We currently work in partnership with Surpass (our online assessment supplier) to provide a network of test centres to some of our current customers. The test centre network allows learners to sit on-screen Functional Skills assessments in fully invigilated and assessment-ready testing centre facilities, which are in most major cities.

We’re considering whether to roll the offer out to all Functional Skills customers, therefore we’re keen to understand if this is something of interest to your centre. There would be additional fees associated with an offer like this, ranging from £30-£45 per learner depending on the length of the learner’s assessment.

If an offer like this would be of interest to you, please complete this form.

September 2024

• Take a look at our schedule for introducing new Functional Skills assessment papers.
• Familiarise yourself with the significant changes to JCQ’s Instructions for the Conduct of Examinations (ICE) for 2024-25.
• Entry Level maths vocabulary lists for assessors are now available upon booking for all assessments, to help prepare your learners for the vocabulary associated with the contexts within the assessments. Find out more.
• All of our live English and maths training events for the autumn term are ready for registrations; sign up now.
• Register for our Digital Functional Skills and Essential Digital Skills training events and drop-in clinics to answer any queries and support your onboarding.