Functional Skills Mathematics Specification

1 MathematicsLevel 1 and 2 For exams November 2010 onwards For certification November 2010 onwardsFunctional Skills QualificationsSpecificationOur Specification is published on our website ( ). We will let centres know in writing aboutany changes to the Specification . We will also publish changes on our website. The definitive version of ourspecification will always be the one on our website, this may differ from printed can get further copies of this Specification from:AQA Logistics Centre (Manchester)Unit 2 Wheel Forge WayAshburton ParkTrafford ParkManchesterM17 1 EHOr, you can download a copy from our website ( )Copyright 2010 AQA and its licensors.

2 All rights retains the copyright on all its publications, including the specifications. However, registered centres forAQA are permitted to copy material from this Specification booklet for their own internal Assessment and Qualifications Alliance (AQA), is a company limited by guarantee, registered in Englandand Wales (company number 3644723), and a registered charity (number 1073334).Registered address: AQA Devas Street Manchester M15 6EX1 Functional Skills Mathematics (Level 1 and level 2 ) for teaching from September 2010 onwards (version )Contents1 Introduction21aWhy choose AQA?21bWhy choose Functional Mathematics ?

3 31cHow do I start using this Specification ?41dHow can I find out more?42 Specification at a Glance5 Summary of Assessment73 Subject Content83aLevel 183a(i) Rationale83a(ii) Skills Standards and Coverage and Range93b Level 2103b(i) Rationale103(b)(ii) Skills Standards and Coverage and Range113cSampling strategy114 Scheme of Assessment124aAims124b Process Skills124c Differentiating factors134d National Criteria134e Prior learning requirements134f Equality, access and inclusion145 Administration155aAvailability of assessment units and certification155bEntries155cPrivate candidates155dAccess arrangements, reasonable adjustments andspecial consideration165eExamination language175fQualification titles175gCertification and reporting results17 Appendices18 ASpiritual, moral, ethical, social, legislative.

4 Sustainable development,economic and cultural issues, and health and safety considerations18 BOverlaps with other qualifications19 CAchievement and attainment201aWhy choose AQA?We re proud to be one of the UK s largest awardingbodies with million students sitting their examswith us in any given an independent registered charity, we invest all ourincome in the running of our examinations and inresearch and development to improve ourqualifications and services. We focus on promotingeducation for the benefit of the public, drawing onyears of experience of setting and marking are committed to delivering a straightforward andsimple teaching experience, in a choose AQA s Functional SkillsQualifications?

5 Over the past three years, we have worked with over21 000 students and their teachers, in more than 500schools, to refine and develop our Functional Skillsqualifications which:can help students to achieve their full potentialare relevant for today s challengesare manageable for schools and collegesare accessible to all ability levelsare affordable and value for work closely with teachers to make sure theintroduction of a new qualification is straightforward,providing free resources to help them get ready toteach, and ongoing support throughout the life of thequalifications. Other benefits of choosing ourFunctional Skills qualifications include:access to subject departmentstraining for teachers, including practicalteaching strategies and methods, presentedby senior examiners24-hour support through our website and AskAQA an on-line searchable bank offrequently asked questionspast question papers and mark schemesa wide range of printed and electronicresourcesfree on-line results analysis, using ourEnhanced Results are an educational charity focused on the needsof the learner.

6 All our income is spent on improvingthe quality of our specifications, examinations andsupport services. We don t aim to profit fromeducation, we want you you are already a customer we thank you for yoursupport. If you are thinking of joining us we lookforward to welcoming Skills Mathematics (Level 1 and level 2 ) for teaching from September 2010 onwards (version )21 Introduction1bWhy choose Functional Mathematics ?This specificationprovides students with the Mathematics whichare most useful in everyday contexts and theworld of workpromotes mathematical thinking andtransferable Skills over rote learningassesses students via individual tasks (one perquestion)

7 Which have been broken into shorterquestion parts so they are accessible butcan still allow independent mathematicalthought and the process Skills to a teaching approach that isenriching and engaging for all learners thecontextualisation of the material demonstratingthe benefits of Mathematics being taught tolearners particularly those who are turnedoff by Mathematics they perceive to be irrelevant promotes mathematical thinking use of pre-release data books, supplied 4working weeks in advance of the examination, allowsthis Specification to test candidates with familiar andunfamiliar contexts with no assumption needing to bemade regarding candidates prior knowledge asrequired by the Functional Mathematics material also ensurestechnical terms can be explained,candidates can be helped with any difficultiescaused by the level of languagecandidates can access the allows learners to apply their knowledge.

8 Reasonmathematically and communicate course of study based on this Specification willallow learners to develop and refine theirproblem solving strategies and build theconfidence and Skills required to tackleunfamiliar on key stage 3 Mathematics and cross-curricular initiatives on thinking Skills andindependent good opportunities for progression tothe new post-2010 Mathematics GCSE. Itallows candidates to apply Mathematics incontext, learn problem solving Skills andprepares them for the assessment offunctional Level 1 qualification in FunctionalMathematics provides a good basis forprogression to level 2 Functional MathematicsA diploma qualification at level 2 requires candidatesto have achieved level 2 qualifications inMathematics, English and ICT and a diplomaqualification at Level 1 requires candidates to haveachieved Level 1 qualifications in Mathematics ,English and addition.

9 Functional Mathematics provides aworthwhile course for students of various ages andfrom diverse backgrounds in terms of generaleducation and lifelong Skills Mathematics (Level 1 and level 2 ) for teaching from September 2010 onwards (version )34 Functional Skills Mathematics (Level 1 and level 2 ) for teaching from September 2010 onwards (version )11cHow do I start using this Specification ?You need to register at ensure that you receive regularupdates and have access to mark schemes,past question papers, a whole range ofteacher support materials and receive detailsof teacher support you have decided to enter candidatesyou need to tell us so we can make sure thatyou get all the material you need for theexaminations.

10 This is very important whereexamination material is sent to you before thefinal entry deadline. You can let us know byfilling in the appropriate Intention to Enter and Estimated Entry forms. If your centre isregistered on e-AQA you will receive an e-mailprompting you to submit entry informationon-line. If you are not e-AQA registered we willsend copies to your exams officer. Both formscan be downloaded from our website( ).If your centre has not used AQA for anyexaminations in the past, please contact ourcentre approval team can I find out more?You can choose to find out more about thisspecification or the services that AQA offer in anumber of AQAYou have 24-hour access to useful information andanswers to the most commonly asked questions the answer to your question is not available.