What are Functional Skills?

Functional Skills are English and maths qualifications, offered at both Level 1 and Level 2, that focus on practical, real-life skills.

They test whether a student can use English and maths in everyday situations, work and further education. Functional Skills Level 2 is officially listed as the same qualification level as GCSE grade 4 and above.

Our campaign is not asking for Functional Skills to replace GCSEs. We are asking for the more applied, accessible Functional Skills approach to be built into GCSE English and maths up to grade 4, so more students can show what they know without being placed on a separate, stigmatised route.

How can my child sit Functional Skills?

This varies depending on the grade they scored at GCSE, where you live, your child’s age, their school or college, and your local authority.

Some colleges, training providers and adult education services offer Functional Skills. Some students may be able to take them through school, but this is not consistent everywhere. Some families end up having to search privately, which is part of the problem.

The best place to start is by asking your child’s school, SENCO, college, local authority education team or local further education college what options are available in your area.

Are Functional Skills accepted everywhere?

No. And this is one of the reasons this campaign exists.

Functional Skills Level 2 is a recognised qualification at the same official level as GCSE grade 4 and above.

However, in real life, not every college course, apprenticeship, employer, university or training provider treats it in the same way.

Some accept Functional Skills. Some accept it for certain courses but not others. Some ask specifically for GCSE English and maths. Families often only discover this later, when a young person is trying to access a course, job or career route.

That is why we believe the applied Functional Skills style should be integrated into GCSE English and maths itself, rather than kept as a separate qualification that may or may not open the same doors.

What does criterion-referenced marking mean?

Criterion-referenced marking means a student passes because they have met a clear standard. A bit like a driving test. It doesn’t matter how well anyone else passed their test, for you to pass or fail.

In Functional Skills, this means the exam is marked against specific skills and criteria. If a student shows they can use the required English or maths skills well enough, they pass. It is about whether they have reached the standard.

This is different from GCSEs, which are largely normatively or comparitvely marked. Normative marking means grades are partly controlled by how students perform compared with other students in the same year. Grade boundaries can move up or down depending on the overall performance of the cohort.

In simple terms:

Functional Skills asks:
Has this student met the required standard?

GCSEs ask:
How has this student performed compared with other students?

This matters because GCSE grading protects the spread of grades each year, but it also means a fixed proportion of young people will always fall below the grade 4 benchmark. Functional Skills offers a clearer pass/fail route: if you meet the standard, you pass.

Our campaign is asking for GCSE English and maths up to grade 4 to include this more practical, criterion-referenced approach, so students are assessed against what they can actually do, not just where they sit in a national ranking.

Is this campaign trying to make GCSEs easier?

No. We are not asking for standards to be lowered.

We are asking for students to be assessed in a fairer way. Many young people have the skills needed for everyday English and maths, but struggle to show them through the current GCSE format. A more applied assessment would still need students to meet a clear standard, but it would reduce unnecessary barriers such as confusing wording, memory load and abstract question styles.

Is this just for children with SEN?

No. The campaign is especially important for dyslexic, autistic, ADHD and other SEN learners, because they are disproportionately affected by the current system.

But this is bigger than SEN. It also affects students with anxiety, school avoidance, low attendance, young carers, disrupted education, poverty, trauma, processing difficulties, language barriers, or those who simply do not thrive in a high-pressure written exam format.

A fairer exam system helps everyone.

Would this replace GCSE English and maths?

No. We are not asking to remove GCSE English and maths.

We are asking for GCSE English and maths up to grade 4 to include a more applied, accessible Functional Skills style of assessment. Students would still be working towards a GCSE, but with a fairer way to demonstrate the essential skills needed for progression.

Why not just offer Functional Skills separately?

Because separate is not equal.

Functional Skills can be a brilliant qualification, but many parents, employers and even some education professionals do not fully understand it. Some courses, apprenticeships and employers accept it. Others still ask specifically for GCSEs.

This means young people can do the work, pass the qualification, and still find that some doors remain closed. Building the applied Functional Skills approach into GCSEs would remove much of that confusion and stigma.

Why focus on grade 4?

Grade 4 is the current gateway grade for English and maths.

Without it, many young people face barriers to college courses, apprenticeships, jobs and future training. That is why we are focusing first on GCSE English and maths up to grade 4: the part of the system that decides whether a young person can move forward or is forced into repeated resits.

What about students aiming for grades 5 to 9?

Students aiming for higher grades would still be able to sit higher-level GCSE papers and be stretched academically.

This campaign is not about limiting ambition. It is about making sure the foundation route is genuinely fair and accessible for students who need to demonstrate essential English and maths skills up to grade 4.

Don’t schools already have a Foundation paper?

Maths has a Foundation paper, but English does not work in the same way.

We believe there should be a clearer foundation route in English too, with questions designed to assess essential skills in a more accessible and applied way. Parents and students should also be clearly told that foundation routes can usually only lead up to a maximum grade 4.

Why do grade 3 students have to resit?

Current policy means many students who do not achieve grade 4 in English and maths have to continue studying and resitting.

The intention is to help young people reach the standard, but in practice many students get trapped in repeated failure. This can damage confidence, mental health and progression. We believe grade 3 students should not be forced into the same resit route again and again. They should be offered a genuine alternative.

Are you asking to end resits completely?

No.

Some students want to resit GCSEs, and some will benefit from another attempt. They should absolutely be allowed to.

But resits should not be the only route. Students should be offered a fair alternative, including a Functional Skills pathway, especially if the GCSE format has repeatedly failed to capture what they can do.

Isn’t Functional Skills a lower qualification?

No. Functional Skills Level 2 is officially at the same qualification level as GCSE grade 4 and above.

The problem is not the official level. The problem is recognition, stigma and inconsistent acceptance. Too many people do not understand what Functional Skills are, which means young people can still be disadvantaged even after passing.

Will this help students get into college or apprenticeships?

That is the aim.

At the moment, many young people are blocked from Level 3 courses, apprenticeships or training because they do not have GCSE English and maths at grade 4. We want students who can demonstrate the required skills through a fairer, applied GCSE route to be able to progress. Students that gain level 3 qualifications have a much higher chance of remaining in employment.

Why are you talking about exam boards?

Because accessibility should be built into the paper before students ever sit it.

Reasonable adjustments can help individual students, but they do not fix badly designed questions. In the future, we want exam boards to show that specialist SEN professionals have reviewed and signed off GCSE papers and questions before publication.

What do you mean by SEN specialists signing off exam questions?

We mean professionals with real expertise in areas such as dyslexia, autism, ADHD, processing speed, working memory, language difficulties and other learning needs.

They should be involved in checking whether questions contain unnecessary barriers that could stop a student showing the skill being assessed. This is not about giving answers away. It is about making sure the question is testing the subject, not the child’s ability to decode confusing wording.

Would this be expensive?

The current system is already expensive.

Repeated resits cost money, time and emotional energy. Colleges and schools spend huge amounts trying to get students through the same exam format that has already failed them. A fairer system could reduce wasted resits and help more young people progress sooner.

What can schools do now?

Schools can start by giving families clear information about Functional Skills, access arrangements, resit options and alternative pathways.

They can also listen to students who repeatedly fail by narrow margins and ask whether the issue is knowledge, or whether the exam format itself is creating the barrier.

What can employers do?

Employers can support the campaign by recognising Functional Skills Level 2 as a valid qualification and by not automatically filtering out applicants who do not have GCSE English and maths.

Many capable young people have the skills needed for work but are being excluded because of one narrow measure.

What can colleges and training providers do?

Colleges and training providers can be clearer about when Functional Skills are accepted and when GCSEs are required.

They can also support alternative routes for young people who have narrowly missed grade 4, rather than making GCSE failure a permanent barrier to progression.

Can young people support the campaign?

Yes.

Young people can share their stories, sign the petition where eligible, share the TEDx talk, write to their MP, or ask a parent or carer to help them contact decision-makers.

Their voices matter most because they are the ones living with the consequences of the current system.

Is this a political campaign?

No. This is a parent-led campaign focused on fairness in education.

We want support from people across all political parties because this issue affects families everywhere.

What is the one thing you are asking for first?

Our first ask is simple:

Build a more applied, accessible Functional Skills style of assessment into GCSE English and maths up to grade 4.

That one change would give more young people a fair chance to show what they know, while still working towards a recognised GCSE.

Are you fundraising?

No.

We are not asking for money. We are parents, families and supporters coming together because we believe the exam system needs to change.

At the moment, this campaign is being built by people giving up their spare time for free.

How can I support the campaign?

The best ways to support us are:

• Sign up for our newsletter.
• Write to your MP, template coming soon
• Share the TEDx talk and comment on the YouTube page to let us know your thoughts.
• Share the website with parents, teachers, SENCOs, tutors, colleges and anyone who works with young people.
• Talk about it.

The more people understand what is happening, the harder it becomes to ignore.

Why aren’t Functional Skills offered before GCSE failure?

In many cases, students are not offered Functional Skills until after they have already failed GCSE English or maths.

This means they often have to experience failure first before they are offered a different way to show what they know.

We think that is wrong.

If a student would be better able to demonstrate their skills through a more practical, applied format, they should not have to fail first to access it. This is why we are calling for the Functional Skills approach to be built into GCSE English and maths up to grade 4.

Where can I get help if my child’s mental health is suffering?

We are not able to offer individual advice or mental health support.

But if your child is struggling with exam stress, school anxiety or their mental health, please reach out for help. YoungMinds has brilliant advice for parents and carers, including support around exam time and school anxiety.

You can also speak to your GP, your child’s school, the school SENCO, pastoral lead, CAMHS where appropriate, or local mental health services. The NHS also has information about accessing mental health services and urgent support. No exam result is worth a child’s wellbeing.