2015 Functional Skills Annual Survey Report
The Functional Skills Annual Survey 2015 Published January 2015 by Guroo Ltd Based on the results of more than 200 responses from practitioners and managers in the post-16 learning sector received between September and December 2014 with comparisons drawn to similar surveys in 2013, 2012 and 2011 This is release 2 containing an analysis of survey data relating to key suppliers in the sector. A further report release will add an analysis of confidence in Functional Skills, Awarding Organisations and e-Portfolio suppliers within the sector.
Compiled and edited by Jonathan Wells FCIM Chartered Marketer
2015 Functional Skills Annual Survey Report
History and basis of the survey with significant additions for 2015 This report is based on the results of the 4th Functional Skills Annual Survey. This year, the survey drew responses from 203 respondents in the FE and Skills sector, with answers being provided between September 2014 and early January 2015. It is the largest independent survey in the sector and over the 4 years has received more than 1000 responses. As well as introducing new questions and subjects each year, each annual survey also uses some questions that are the same or similar as previous years to allow for direct comparison and trend analysis. The survey is broken into four distinct areas plus a section on the sector and job type of the respondent. The areas are: • • • •
Respondents experience in and preparedness to deliver Functional Skills and GCSE qualifications Use and opinion of Awarding Organisations Use and opinion of major Resource Providers to the sector Confidence in and opinion of Functional Skills
For the first time this year, we have introduced new questions for e-portfolio use and additional questions about respondent’s experience of and knowledge about GCSE and Government policy. The reasoning behind including questions about GCSE was because a number of Government policy statements were to do with the choice of Functional Skills and GCSE in different scenarios – for example in Early Years Educator apprenticeships and in relation to learners with an existing GCSE grade D.
2015 Functional Skills Annual Survey Report
Sector demographics of respondents The major source of respondents is the Functional Skills newsletter that is sent fortnightly to around 7000 people in the sector. The only real step change to the sector demographics for 2015 is that the number of respondents from the Schools/Local Authority sector is now below 5% - about half that of last year which in itself was done on 2011/12.
What sector do you work in? Others Adult Learning 2014
Training Provider/WBL
2015
FE Colleges 0%
10%
20%
30%
40%
47% of all respondents describe themselves as Functional Skills tutor, 30% classify themselves as departmental or senior managers with 15% saying they are assessors/advisors/verifiers/examiners. The level of experience of respondents in Functional Skills has increased significantly over the years of the survey. For 2015, more than 60% describe themselves as “Very experienced” and 93% as “experienced”. The nature of the graph for level of experience has changed significantly over the last year with a marked upturn.
2015 Functional Skills Annual Survey Report
The opposite applies within the sector for GCSE. Just 11% of respondents say they are very experienced with a further 28% saying they have some experience. This leaves 60% with limited or no experience in the delivery of GCSE.
In terms of job type and seniority, 47% of all respondents describe themselves as a Functional Skills or GCSE tutor, 30% classify themselves as departmental or senior managers with 15% saying they are assessors/advisors/verifiers/examiners.
Executive Summary To follow with final publication of the full report – planned for late February 2015.
Experience of and preparedness to deliver Functional Skills and GCSE Detailed in release 1 – full results will be published again with the final report.
Awarding Organisations To follow with final publication of the full report – planned for late February 2015.
Analysis of the key assessment and resource suppliers to the sector A common feature of previous annual surveys has been analysis of respondent’s views and opinions of key suppliers in the sector. The 2015 survey maintains this and this section summarises the opinions of the respondents. The survey always includes optional comments to capture the impact of new entrants into the market and respondent’s comments. What is clear is that across all categories of resource, 90% of respondents mentioned either BKSB or ForSkills/Guroo. New entrants, in-house developed and “free internet” resources represent less than 10% of respondent’s answers across all areas, perhaps reflecting the need to use Ofsted compliant resources that are standardised, well proven and fully supported.
2015 Functional Skills Annual Survey Report
Onto the results – in all cases, we asked “Please tell us about the best resources you use for Functional Skills” and then respondents votes across 8 categories of resource type and use: Assessment & Diagnostic, T&L resources, Ease of Use, Engaging Learners, Progress Tracking, Support, Pricing and Company Experience. The results reveal quite naturally that the market choice is very much BKSB or ForSkills/Guroo with the table and bar chart below showing two different views of all choices.
Which supplier is best for?
BKSB
ForSkills/ Guroo
Others
Assessment & diagnostic
40%
57%
3%
Ease of use
30%
63%
7%
Reporting & tracking
25%
68%
7%
Company experience
25%
69%
6%
Teaching & learning resources
23%
69%
8%
Engaging Learners
20%
70%
10%
Support
20%
73%
7%
Pricing
20%
71%
9%
“Please tell us about the best resources you use for Functional Skills”
2015 Functional Skills Annual Survey Report
A second question was asked about the personal perceptions of respondents about key sector suppliers. “To support market research, please rank each provider according to your personal perceptions or experience”. The results broadly reflect the analysis above with ForSkills/Guroo leading BKSB with all other providers and in-house choices falling significantly behind the market leaders.
Contact and more information This report has been written and compiled by Jonathan Wells and published by Guroo Ltd. It was produced using “Survey Monkey” software with a strict limit of one response per person allowed to maintain integrity of results. Jonathan Wells is the author if the fortnightly “Functional Skills newsletter” that is delivered to around 11,000 people in the sector. His work on the newsletter and this report is supported by ForSkills Ltd and Guroo Ltd. Detailed results including analysis of responses by sector and/or related responses for all questions may also be available at an additional charge to cover the costs of further analysis and research work. Please contact Jonathan Wells on 0191 3055045 or email jonathan@forskills.co.uk for further information and requests.