Key dates information
[Updated 04/02/25]
Changes to the Introduction of New Assessments into the Paper Bank (Functional Skills English and Mathematics)
We are pleased to inform you that there will be no new paper introductions for external Functional Skills English and Mathematics assessments for the remainder of the 2024-25 academic session. As a result, you can now benefit from our six-working-day results turnaround for the remainder of the academic session which ensures learners can progress into further education, gateway, or other opportunities without delay.
Why have the new English and Mathematics assessments been removed for the remainder of the session?
We have listened to your feedback and conducted an internal review of our English and Mathematics Functional Skills offer. We are planning to implement exciting updates in the next academic session and will share these developments throughout the current academic session.
Why are Digital Functional Skills not included?
Our Digital Functional Skills qualifications have only recently been launched. Once we have gathered sufficient feedback from centres, we will conduct a review to identify opportunities for further improvements.
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Search qualificationsDigital Functional Skills new paper introductions
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Digital Functional Skills |
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Delivery mode |
Assessment date to and from |
Results Available |
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On-screen & RI |
03/03/2025 – 10/04/2025 |
17/04/2025 |
It’s a regulatory requirement with our regulator Ofqual that assessment papers are regularly introduced and retired to ensure consistency and confidentiality of assessments.
- When new papers are introduced, there’s a standardisation and validation process referred to as awarding, which is the process all awarding organisations use to establish pass boundaries.
- During the awarding process, the standard 6-day result turnaround is paused to gather sufficient live learner data which is scrutinised by an awarding committee including Subject Chairs and Chief Examiners. This enables NCFE to establish consistent and reliable pass marks based on live learner performance.
- New paper introductions and associated results release will never exceed a maximum of 35 working days, which only applies if a learner sits an assessment on the first day that the new papers are live, thereafter the maximum timeframe reduces day by day.
- From the new papers going live there needs to be a process of building up live learner sits which last approximately 14 days.
- Examiners will attend a standardisation event led by the Chief Examiner where live learner responses are discussed and standardised with mark schemes being finalised prior to marking taking place.
- We ensure examiners are marking consistently and reliably following standardisation by enacting a stringent sampling plan.
- Examiners who have successfully completed sampling are provided with their allocations and marking commences.
- Awarding process is instigated, and pass marks or grade boundary ranges are applied.
- Our Assessment Delivery team conducts quality assurance checks and subsequently releases results.
- Grade boundaries occur following awarding where analysis of learner assessments is unable to set a definitive pass mark, and the awarding committee needs to see further scripts at potential pass / fail marks to determine the pass mark for any specific papers.
- When we introduce onscreen and remote invigilation papers, we introduce three sets at each level (Level 1 and Level 2), and all these papers need to have a pass mark agreed.
Further information around grade boundaries and pass marks for live papers can be found in this document and on the qualification pages on our website > Assessment Materials > External assessment guidance.