Since the demise of the Excellence Gateway (EG) on September 30 2023, there is no official Government backed website where the old Skills for Life core curricula are available. The EG has (partially) migrated to the Education & Training Foundation (ETF) at https://www.et-foundation.co.uk/ but there is no sign of these classic documents.
A hastily put together resource for Valentine's Day 2022 (but can be used in any year!). Although the covered subject content statements are all E1 or E2 - the problem solving element of some questions also makes this also suitable for E3, especially the final "Stretch" investigation. Questions are mapped but there is no answer sheet.
Level
Entry Level 1
Entry Level 2
Entry Level 3
Maths
FM Simple one step problem(s)
FM E1.1 Read, write, order, compare numbers to 20
FM E1.2 Use whole numbers to count up to 20 items including zero
FM E2.5 Add & subtract 2-digit numbers
FM E1.12 Sort & classify objects using a single criterion
FM E2.24 Sort and classify objects using two criteria
FM E2.22 Extract information from lists, tables, diagrams, bar charts
FM E2.25 Take information from one format and represent the information in another format including use of bar charts
An ESOL lesson embedding numeracy, diversity and British values, centred on the Spring Equinox and three festivals which happen around / on this day - Purim, Holi and Shunbun No Hi. Learners collect unfamiliar words on a vocabulary sheet and ask and answer questions to elicit meaning / explanation. There is a powerpoint to introduce the topic, using acronyms eg 7DIAW - Seven Days In A Week to elicit key words, and lead to an explanation of what the Vernal Equinox is and when it is.
Level
Entry Level 1
Entry Level 2
Entry Level 3
Maths
FM E1.7 Know the number of days in a week, months, & seasons in a year. Name & sequence them.
FM E2.7 Know the number of hours in a day and weeks in a year.
FM E3.4 Multiply 2-digit numbers by 1- & 2-digit numbers
ESOL
General ESOL
General
Generic resources for literacy, numeracy and beyond
Comprehensive, step by step 12 page workbook.
Students must research their own budgets and local financial institutions before making major financial decision such as costing an event and taking out a loan to buy a car.
Covers money, decimals, ratio and percentages (interest rates). Fully mapped to E2-L1 Functional Maths.
This is a set of three (maybe more) lessons which looks at the costs of a night out to London. It starts with students having to look at a train ticket and get the asked information from it – cost/type of ticket/time. It uses addition as students need to find out the cost of two tickets. They then use google to search times of trains. The next session looks at the cost of the theatre ticket and finding out the change you would have from a given amount again researching the theatre on the internet.
Level
Entry Level 2
Entry Level 3
Maths
Functional Maths
ICT
Functional Skills ICT: Finding and selecting information
This is an adaptation of Murder at the Grange, which my students have always enjoyed.
I wanted to extend the work on calculating with time, so learners have to use and extend timetables and calculate multi-stage journey times. I also thought it would be good to have some female characters!
Level
Level 2
Level 1
Entry Level 3
Entry Level 2
Maths
AN MSS1/L2.2 Calculate, measure and record time
AN MSS1/L1.3 Calculate with and convert between units of time
AN MSS1/L1.2 Read & measure time and use timetables
I put this together to explore number calculations and word problems with a mixed group of adult learners, looking at estimating, ways of checking your calculations and ways of reversing calculations.
Level
Entry Level 2
Entry Level 3
Level 1
Maths
N1/L2.5
AN MSS1/L1.1 Add, subtract, multiply & divide sums of money and record
N1/L1.10
MSS1/E3.2
N1/E3.9
AN MSS1/E3.1 Add & subtract money using decimal notation
The classic example of a tally is keeping track of how many cars of each colour go past in the street, but that is rather awkward to do in practice.
Use this presentation to save having to leave the comfort of the classroom! It is a PowerPoint slideshow of cars of various colours, to be projected onto the board. Tell learners to keep a tally of how many cars of each colour appear. Where a car has more than one colour, they should put it under the predominant colour.
E1 learners could focus on simply counting (for instance) all the red cars.
A Functional Maths and numeracy task sheet written for a mixed group of entry level learners to collect, represent and analyse data on favourite biscuits. The topic is introduced with a news article about Britain’s favourite biscuits. Learners must create a tally chart/frequency table, a pictogram and a bar chart. Pre-drawn grids and squared paper is included.
