KeySkills

IMI Policy Statement on KeySkills

Proxy Qualifications and Relaxation

This statement applies to England and Wales. Apprentices on programmes in Wales do not have to complete any of the Key Skills tests. In Wales, Key Skills are assessed by a portfolio compiled by candidates. Therefore any requirements to take tests in any of the examples supplied in the text below only apply in England.

There is a lot of confusion around the use of Key Skills in apprenticeship frameworks.
People are confused
• if people already have Key Skills qualifications
• over ‘Key Skill proxies’
• about the rules on ‘Relaxation’.

They are unclear about what apprentices have to do if they already hold qualifications that test those skills covered by the Key Skills qualifications.

One way to look at this is to consider what to do about a young person who enrols on an apprenticeship programme but does not want to do the key skills.

If this is the case the young person will not
• have to do the Key Skills in Communication, Use of Number or ICT if they already got these Key Skills either as discreet Key Skills qualifications or if they did the Key Skill units as part of a GNVQ
• have to do the Key Skills if they already have a GCSE in English, Maths and or ICT
• have to do every part of a Key Skills if they have a proxy qualification.

The following is provided to bring some clarity to the situation.

1. Framework requirements

1.1 All apprentices on an Apprenticeship programme in England or Foundation Modern Apprenticeship in Wales must achieve Key Skills at Level 1 in Communication, Application of Number and Information Technology as the minimum requirement; unless they already have an equivalent qualification.

1.2 All apprentices on an Advanced Apprenticeship in England or an Advanced Modern Apprenticeship in Wales must achieve Key Skills at Level 2 in Communication and Application of Number and Information Technology at Level 1 as the minimum requirement; unless they already have an equivalent qualification. 

1.3 Apprentices are not required to achieve the wider Key Skills of Improving Own Learning and Performance, Problem Solving and Working with Others. But if this would benefit the apprentice, learning providers are encouraged to include these in the programme.

1.4 IMI adheres to the rules around the use of proxy qualifications and relaxation.

2. Proxy qualifications

2.1 Proxy qualifications are those qualifications that assess the same knowledge and skills aspects as the Key Skills. Because of this overlap, candidates can claim exemption from all or part of particular Key Skills qualifications for up to three years from the date of the award of the specific accredited proxy qualifications. For example

• a GCE AS in the Use of Mathematics acts as a proxy for both test and portfolio for Application of Number at levels 1-3 – in this case an apprentice who holds this qualification will not have to take the tests or compile a portfolio

• a GCE A-level in Mathematics acts as a proxy for the test, but not the portfolio, for Application of Number at levels 1–3 – in this case an apprentice who holds this qualification will not have to do the tests, but will have to compile a portfolio that must be assessed

• Adult Certificates in Literacy and Numeracy (basic skills) at levels 1 and 2 count as proxies for the Communication or Application of Number key skills external tests at levels 1 and 2, respectively – in this case an apprentice who holds one or more of these qualifications will not have to do the tests, but will have to compile a portfolio that must be assessed.


2.2 The list is extensive and is reviewed periodically to ensure that it is appropriate, and is available at http://www.qca.org.uk/6446_1051.html

3. Relaxation

3.1 The relaxation ruling allows young people on an Apprenticeship or an Advanced Apprenticeship programme who started on or after 1 September 2001, and who have achieved a grade A*-C GCSE in English, Mathematics and or ICT, to complete their frameworks without being required to take the level 2 key skills qualifications in Communication, Application of Number or Information Technology.

3.2 This means that apprentices who started on an Apprenticeship programme on or after 1 September 2001 and who gained a GCSE in

• English at grade A,B or C within five years prior to this date, are not required to do the Key Skill in Communication at level 2 

• Mathematics at grade A, B or C within five years prior to this date, are not required to do the Key Skill in Application of Number at level 2

• ICT at grade A, B or C within five years prior to this date, are not required to do the Key Skill in Information Technology at level 2.

3.3 This relaxation principle is designed to enable apprentices to concentrate on developing other key skills or improving their Communication, Application of Number and ICT skills by progressing to level 3.

3.4 This also applies to those who have achieved a GCE A/AS level at grade A-E in English Language, English Literature, or English Language and Literature and also GCE A/AS level at grade A-E in Mathematics, Pure Mathematics, or Further Mathematics (against the Communication and Application of Number key skills qualifications respectively). Exemptions can also be claimed in ICT at these levels. The relaxation principle has been applied here because GCE A/AS level qualifications are seen to be higher than the Key Skills Qualifications at level 2.

3.5 Achievement of the GCSE/A/AS level must be no longer than five years before the date of registration on the MA framework. For framework completion purposes, those achieving an A*-C GCSE in English, Mathematics or ICT in the summer are deemed to have been certified on the 31 August, while the date for those achieving during the winter months is deemed to be 31 March.

4. Footnotes

4.1 IMI believes that Key Skills can be used to help apprentices become competent and confident in communications, the application of number skills and using information technology, therefore learning providers are encouraged to make key skills available to all apprentices. IMI believes that the Key Skills can be used to help develop a more competent and effective workforce.

4.2 Key Skills can be particularly successful if they are taught through vocational subjects so that apprentices understand how these skills can be used as they carry out their jobs. For this reason, IMI encourages the integration of Key Skills into vocational subjects and would like apprentices to generate evidence for their key skills at the same time as they complete work activities to produce evidence for their NVQs.

4.3 As the sector Skills Council for the retail motor sector, IMI accepts and works to the relaxation principles described above. Other SSCs may not do the same and may apply their own rules and therefore insist that apprentices complete the Key Skills as part of their frameworks even though they may already have similar qualifications. If you are using other apprenticeship frameworks you are advised to check with the appropriate SSC about there approach.

5. Links 

5.1 The following links to websites provide more information about key skills, which you may find useful:

5.2 Key Skills Support Programme:
http://www.keyskillssupport.net/

5.3 Key Skills Policy and Practice – your questions answered
http://www.keyskillssupport.net/files/kssp/policy/joinqanda.pdf