(Students) Results 2020: Guide to Functional Skills Results

Well done on getting your Functional Skills results! We wish you every success in moving ahead to the next stage. We know this has been a difficult year for all of you and we have been working hard to try and make sure you get the results you deserve.

This guide will help you understand your results, how they were awarded, and what your next steps are. We will cover:

What to do if you have any questions about your results

The calculated results you receive carry the same value as any other time. The process for awarding your results this summer has been designed to be as fair as possible, so that you can quickly progress to your next planned step.

If you have any questions or concerns about your calculated results please speak to your centre. They will be able to give you more information on the process for awarding results this summer.

Step 1 – Centre assessment grades

Your centre completed a centre assessment grades submission process, in line with guidance we provided. This was based on common principles agreed between Ofqual and Awarding Organisations.

We used the centre assessment grades and supporting information your centre gave us to agree your results. More information can be found in our Functional Skills results FAQs.

Your centre told us who they thought would have taken Functional Skills assessments between March 20 and July 31 2020, and whether they think those students would have passed if they had completed all of the assessment. They looked at a range of evidence to decide your centre assessment grade, including:

• Practice tests
• Previous attempts
• Work for internally assessed units
• Classwork/workbooks

 Your centre also gave us supporting information as part of the submission, including:

• details of the evidence they used
• how they used the evidence and judged the grades they submitted
• how the centre assessment grades compares to Functional Skills results from previous years at your centre
• any factors which may have affected this or account for a difference between this year and other years.

STEP 2 – Quality assuring centre assessment grades

We looked at submissions against the data we have about centres previous Functional Skills entries and results in the relevant qualifications and components to check that centre assessment grades submissions were reasonable. Our process checked:

• all the required information was supplied
• all students had evidence upon which to judge the grades submitted
• the Head of Centre had signed the supporting information form to declare that the process was completed as per the guidance
• detail about how the process was undertaken where centre assessment grades looked significantly different to previous years
• the overall number of achievements in the qualifications compared to previous years.

Where we needed more information, we contacted centres and asked for them to provide this. In some cases we also asked for examples of evidence. We have approved the vast majority of calculated results submitted; a small number may not be available on results day as we are awaiting further information from the centre.

Once the process was finalised, your calculated results were processed ready for release to centres ahead of results day on 20th August.

If you are unhappy with your results, the questions below will help you understand what your options are and decide whether to take any further action. If you’re feeling particularly anxious, talk to your teacher.

I have not got the results I need to progress to my next planned step, what can I do?

Talk to your teacher or exams officer first. They will be able to help you consider the options available to you and can help you understand how your results were awarded. You can also talk directly to the college, university or employer you were planning on progressing to.

I’ve spoken to my teacher. I’m still not happy. Can I appeal to the exam board about my results?

Only your centre can submit an appeal so you must speak to them first. They can only appeal if they think we made a mistake when processing their centre assessment grades .

I need my Functional Skills result for a college/university course, what can I do?

You need to let your college or university choices know if your school or college is submitting an appeal.

Keep them informed – they may be able to keep the place for you while you wait for the outcome. If you’ve already had an unsuccessful decision applied to your offer, you should still get in touch with the college or university so you can work through the available options.

I’m still not happy. Is there anything else I can do?

If you need the qualification to progress then you could take an assessment when these resume.

When can I take an assessment?

Your centre will have the information from us.  Assessment resumes from 1 September 2020 for most of the Functional Skills units.  The exams for the new Reformed Functional Skills in English and maths will be in November 2020.

What other information is there?

Further guidance for students is available on our website, alongside blogs about how to handle results day if you aren’t happy with your results and a blog about anxiety on results day too.

Ofqual, our regulator, has released its own student guide explaining how results were calculated this year.