Consultation outcome

Digital Functional Skills conditions and requirements

Updated 31 March 2022

Applies to England

Introduction

About this document

This document is part of a suite of documents which sets out our regulatory requirements for awarding organisations offering digital functional skills.

We have developed these requirements with the intention that digital functional skills qualifications fulfil the following purposes, which are in line with those set out by the Secretary of State. Digital functional skills qualifications should provide –

• reliable evidence of a learner’s achievements against content that is relevant to the workplace and real life;
• assessment of a learner’s knowledge and skills as well as their ability to apply these in different contexts; and

a foundation for progression into employment or further education and develop skills for everyday life.

Requirements set out in this document

This document sets out the Subject Level Conditions and Requirements for digital functional skills. These conditions come into effect at [time of publication] on [day and date of publications] and apply to the following digital functional skills qualifications –

• qualifications awarded to all learners registered on or after [date]
• all qualifications awarded on or after [date]

All learners registered for a digital functional skills qualification on or after [date] who have demonstrated the requisite level of attainment must be awarded a qualification which complies with these conditions and requirements.

The subject content requirements for digital functional skills qualifications have been published by the Department for Education. Awarding organisations must comply with these requirements under Condition DFS1.1(a).

With respect to all digital functional skills qualifications, awarding organisations must also comply with:

• our General Conditions of Recognition, which apply to all awarding organisations and qualifications,
• the Qualification Level Conditions for functional skills qualifications, and
• all relevant Regulatory Documents

Summary of requirements

Subject Level Conditions

Condition DFS1 – Compliance with content requirements

Condition DFS2 – Disapplication of certain General Conditions of Recognition applying to digital functional skills qualifications

Condition DFS3 – Assessment Strategies

Condition DFS4 – Technical Evaluation

Condition DFS5 – Levels

Condition DFS6 – Total Qualification Time

Condition DFS7 – Assessment

Condition DFS8 – Specified Levels of Attainment

Requirements in relation to digital functional skills qualifications

Assessment strategy requirements

Assessment requirements

Standard setting requirements

Condition DFS1: Compliance with content requirements

DFS1.1 In respect of each digital functional skills qualification which it makes available, or proposes to make available, an awarding organisation must –

1. (a) comply with the requirements relating to that qualification set out in the document published by the Secretary of State entitled ‘Digital Functional Skills: subject content’,
2. (b) have regard to any recommendations or guidelines relating to that qualification set out in that document, and
3. (c) interpret that document in accordance with any requirements, and having regard to any guidance, which may be published by Ofqual and revised from time to time.

Condition DFS2: Disapplication of certain General Conditions of Recognition applying to digital functional skills qualifications

DFS2.1 In respect of each digital functional skills qualification which an awarding organisation makes available, or proposes to make available, the following General Conditions of Recognition do not apply –

1. (a) Conditions E1.3 – E1.5,
2. (b) Condition E7, and
3. (c) Condition E9.  

Condition DFS3: Assessment Strategies

DFS3.1 In respect of each digital functional skills qualification which it makes available, or proposes to make available, an awarding organisation must –

1. (a) establish and maintain an assessment strategy for that qualification,
2. (b) ensure that the assessment strategy complies with any requirements which may be published by Ofqual and revised from time to time, and
3. (c) have regard to any guidance in relation to assessment strategies which may be published by Ofqual and revised from time to time.

DFS3.2 In particular, an awarding organisation must ensure that the assessment strategy for a digital functional skills qualification sets out how the awarding organisation intends to secure, on an ongoing basis, compliance with its Conditions of Recognition in respect of the assessments for that qualification.

DFS3.3 An awarding organisation must ensure that all assessments for a digital functional skills qualification which it makes available, or proposes to make available, are designed, set, delivered and marked in compliance with its assessment strategy for that qualification.

DFS3.4 An awarding organisation must –

1. (a) keep under review its assessment strategy for a digital functional skills qualification, and revise it where necessary, so as to satisfy itself that the assessment strategy meets at all times the requirements of Conditions DFS3.1 and DFS3.2,
2. (b) review that assessment strategy promptly upon receiving a request from Ofqual to do so, and subsequently ensure that its assessment strategy complies with any requirements that Ofqual has communicated to it in writing, and
3. (c) promptly notify Ofqual of any revisions made by it to that assessment strategy.

DFS3.5 An awarding organisation must –

1. (a) upon receiving a request from Ofqual to do so, demonstrate to Ofqual’s satisfaction that it has complied with its assessment strategy for a digital functional skills qualification in respect of any particular assessment for that qualification, or provide an explanation to Ofqual as to why it has not so complied, and
2. (b) give effect to any recommendation that Ofqual may make in respect of its compliance with its assessment strategy.

Condition DFS4: Technical Evaluation

DFS4.1 Before first making available a digital functional skills qualification an awarding organisation must –

1. (a) promptly notify Ofqual that it proposes to make the qualification available,
2. (b) comply with the terms of any written notice served by Ofqual requiring the awarding organisation to provide Ofqual with information, and
3. (c) either –
   1. (i) comply with any requirements specified to it by Ofqual in relation to the qualification, or
   2. (ii) have received written confirmation from Ofqual that it has no such requirements.

DFS4.2 For the purposes of Condition DFS4.1(b), a notice given by Ofqual may –

1. (a) specify the time within which the information is to be provided,
2. (b) specify a form in which the information is to be provided, and
3. (c) require an awarding organisation to provide information which is already in its possession or which has to be created or obtained by it.

DFS4.3 Where Ofqual specifies requirements in relation to a qualification under Condition DFS4.1(c), it may specify that the awarding organisation may make that qualification available before those requirements are complied with.

Condition DFS5: Levels

DFS5.1 An awarding organisation must assign one of the following levels to each digital functional skills qualification which it makes available, or proposes to make available –

1. (a) Entry level 3.
2. (b) Level 1.

Condition DFS6: Total Qualification Time

DFS6.1 In respect of each digital functional skills qualification that it makes available, or proposes to make available, an awarding organisation must –

1. (a) design that qualification such that the number of hours for Guided Learning will be 55 hours,
2. (b) assign to that qualification 55 hours for Guided Learning, and
3. (c) assign to that qualification a number of hours for Total Qualification Time by applying the TQT Criteria.

DFS6.2 An awarding organisation must –

1. (a) keep under review the number of hours it has assigned to each digital functional skills qualification for each of Total Qualification Time and Guided Learning,
2. (b) in particular, review the numbers of hours assigned following any revision to –
   1. (i) the document published by the Secretary of State entitled ‘Digital Functional Skills qualifications: subject content’, or
   2. (ii) the TQT Criteria, and
3. (c) revise the number of hours that the awarding organisation has assigned, if appropriate.

Interpretation

DFS6.4 For the purposes of this Condition, references to a ‘qualification’ are references to the qualification as a whole and not to individual units.

Condition DFS7: Assessment

DFS7.1 An awarding organisation must ensure that in respect of each assessment for a digital functional skills qualification which it makes available, or proposes to make available, it complies with any requirements, and has regard to any guidance, which may be published by Ofqual and revised from time to time.

Condition DFS8: Specified Levels of Attainment

DFS8.1 An awarding organisation must ensure that the specification for each digital functional skills qualification which it makes available, or proposes to make available, sets out specified levels of attainment which comply with any requirements which may be published by Ofqual and revised from time to time.

DFS8.2 In respect of each digital functional skills qualification which it makes available, an awarding organisation must comply with any requirements, and have regard to any guidance, which may be published by Ofqual and revised from time to time in relation to –

1. (a) the promotion of consistency between the measurement of Learners’ levels of attainment in that qualification and similar qualifications made available by other awarding organisations, and
2. (b) the setting of specified levels of attainment.

DFS8.3 In setting the specified levels of attainment for a digital functional skills qualification which it makes available, an awarding organisation must have regard to an appropriate range of qualitative and quantitative evidence.

DFS8.4 In respect of each digital functional skills qualification which it makes available, the range of evidence to which an awarding organisation has regard for the purposes of Condition DFS8.3 will only be appropriate if it includes evidence of –

1. (a) the Level of Demand of the assessments for that qualification,
2. (b) at Level 1, the level of attainment demonstrated in those assessments by –
   1. (i) an appropriately representative sample of Learners taking that qualification, or
   2. (ii) individuals (whether Learners or otherwise) as part of robust technical pre-testing of those assessments,
3. (c) at entry level 3, the level of attainment, where available, demonstrated in those assessments by –
   1. (i) an appropriately representative sample of Learners taking that qualification, or
   2. (ii) individuals (whether Learners or otherwise) as part of robust technical pre-testing of those assessments,
4. (d) where available, the level of attainment demonstrated by Learners taking that qualification in a –
   1. (i) prior assessment (which was not for that qualification), whether or not that assessment was for a regulated qualification, or
   2. (ii) prior qualification, whether or not that qualification was a regulated qualification, and
5. (e) following the first time that a Component designed in line with these Subject Level Conditions is awarded, the level of attainment demonstrated by Learners who have previously been awarded that Component.

DFS8.5 An awarding organisation must maintain a record of –

1. (a) the evidence to which it has had regard in setting the specified levels of attainment for each digital functional skills qualification which it makes available, and
2. (b) its rationale for the selection of and weight given to that evidence.

Requirements for Digital Functional Skills

Assessment strategy requirements

Conditions DFS3.1(a) requires an awarding organisation to establish and maintain an assessment strategy for each digital functional skills qualification which it makes available or proposes to make available.

Condition DFS3.2 requires an awarding organisation to ensure that the assessment strategy for a digital functional skills qualification sets out how the awarding organisation intends to secure, on an ongoing basis, compliance with its Conditions of Recognition in respect of the assessments for that qualification.

Condition DFS3.1(b) requires an awarding organisation to have regard to any requirements in relation to assessment strategies published by Ofqual. We set out our requirements for the purposes of Condition DFS3.1(b) below.

General requirements

An assessment strategy for a digital functional skills qualification must provide a comprehensive picture of the steps and approach an awarding organisation will take to secure compliance with its Conditions of Recognition in relation to the design, delivery and marking of assessments for, and the award of, that qualification.

An assessment strategy must present a logical and coherent narrative that includes clear and concise evidence demonstrating how an awarding organisation will seek to ensure that the qualification, and the assessments for it, are fit for purpose.

In particular, it must include information and evidence to show how the awarding organisation promotes and acts on feedback between the different stages of the qualification development cycle so as to continuously improve the assessments for that qualification.

 Detailed requirements

We set out below our detailed requirements on the specific information and evidence an awarding organisation must include in its assessment strategy. The amount of information and evidence that can be included may vary across the areas identified, depending on the relevant point in the qualification development cycle to which a particular item pertains and the extent to which Ofqual has determined the regulatory approach in relation to a particular issue.

These detailed requirements are intended to indicate the minimum items that an assessment strategy must include. They are not intended to provide a template specifying the form that it must take, since the optimal structure and content of an assessment strategy will depend on the approach that is being proposed by the awarding organisation.

Section 1: Design

Coverage of subject content

Approach to the coverage of the subject content, including:

• sampling a representative amount and range in each assessment or set of assessments
• covering the whole subject content in as few iterations of assessments as reasonably practicable
• assessing the subject content in accordance with any specific Ofqual requirements (e.g. in relation to the amount of knowledge and skills assessed)

Example of relevant conditions

Condition DFS1.1

Condition DFS7.1

Condition D1

Condition E4.2

Condition G1

Qualification structure

Details of how the qualification and assessments will be structured and a rationale for the approach, for example in terms of covering the subject content effectively, and balancing reliability and manageability, including:

• number and weighting of assessments
• approach to content coverage across assessments (if more than one)

Example of relevant conditions

Condition D1

Condition E4.2

Condition G1

Assessment time

Assessment time overall, and for each individual assessment, and a rationale for this, for example in terms of covering the subject content effectively, and balancing reliability and manageability.

Example of relevant conditions

Condition D1

Condition E4.2

Condition G1

Conditions G9.1 – G9.2

Number of marks

Number of marks overall, and for each individual assessment, and a rationale for this, for example in terms of covering the subject content effectively, and balancing reliability and manageability.

Example of relevant conditions

Condition D1

Condition E4.2

Condition G1

Availability of assessments

• Approach to availability of assessments, including:
  • number of assessments to be available
  • type of assessments (e.g. onscreen, online, paper-based or a combination of these)
  • nature of opportunities (e.g. on-demand or sessional)
  • duration for which assessments will be available
  • approach to Learners taking an assessment again

In light of the approach to assessment availability, and having regard to the guidance for on-demand assessment, any specific risks that have been identified, how these will be mitigated, and how particular challenges will be addressed, including:

• ensuring comparability of assessments
• minimising predictability of assessments
• ensuring security of assessments

Example of relevant conditions

Condition DFS7.1

Condition D1

Condition E4.2

Condition G1

Conditions G9.1 – G9.2

Condition H2

Condition H3

Task type and mark scheme

• For each assessment:
  • details of the range and balance of task types to be used (e.g. multiple-choice, short answer, extended response) and how these will support valid assessment of the Content Document
  • approach to mark scheme design, including for different task types, and an explanation of how resulting mark schemes will support reliable application by assessors
  • a sample of example tasks and associated mark schemes, representing the range to be used in assessments – these may or may not be taken from any sample assessment materials
  • commentaries explaining the approaches taken in the sample of example tasks and mark schemes

Example of relevant conditions

Condition DFS1.1

Condition D1

Condition E4.2

Condition G1

Condition H1.1

Section 2: Delivery

Developing assessment materials

• Process for developing assessment materials, including different stages and personnel involved, how evidence regarding functioning of previous assessments is used, and any differences by assessment type.

Example of relevant conditions

Condition DFS1.1

Condition DFS7.1

Condition D1

Condition D3

Condition E4.2

Condition G1

Condition G3

Condition G9.1

Assessment setting arrangements

• Approach to training individuals who will be responsible for setting assessments and/or items, including ensuring security and mitigating any conflicts of interest.

Example of relevant conditions

Condition A4

Conditions A5.1 – A5.3

Condition G1

Condition G4

Assessor standardisation

• Approach to training and standardising assessors, including details of standardisation procedures and any wider training.

Example of relevant conditions

Condition G1.3

Condition H1

Condition H2

Condition H5

Marking process

• Explanation of how marking processes will operate.

Example of relevant conditions

Condition DFS7.1

Condition H1

Condition H2

Condition H5

Condition H6.1(d)

Monitoring marking

• Processes in place to monitor accuracy and consistency of marking and issuing of results, and to take remedial action where necessary.

Example of relevant conditions

Condition H1

Condition H2

Condition H5

Condition H6.1(d)

Malpractice and security arrangements

• How malpractice will be addressed and security of assessments will be ensured, including any differences by assessment.

Example of relevant conditions

Condition A8

Condition G4

Section 3: Centres

Centre Assessment

• Approach to whether Centre-adaptation and/or Centre marking will be permitted
• An explanation of the rationale for this and how any risks will be managed, for example in relation to authenticity of Learners’ work and accuracy of Centres’ marking.

Example of relevant conditions

Condition DFS7.1

Condition C1

Condition C2.1 – C2.3

Condition D1

Condition E4.2

Condition G1

Condition G3

Condition G9

Centre guidance and training

• Approach to the provision of guidance and training to centres around Centre-adapted, and Centre-marked assessments. In particular to cover:
  • guidance around adapting assessments
  • approach to reviewing Centre-adapted assessments
  • training in relation to application of assessment criteria

Example of relevant conditions

Condition DFS7.1

Condition C1

Condition C2.5

Condition G9.2

Condition H1.1

Condition H5

Approach to marking

• The steps taken to identify the risk of any Adverse Effect which may result from the awarding organisation’s approach to marking assessments (and to Moderation and monitoring where appropriate).
• Where such a risk has been identified, the steps taken to prevent that Adverse Effect or, where it cannot be prevented, to mitigate that Adverse Effect.

Example of relevant conditions

Condition DFS7.1

Condition A6

Condition D1

Condition H1

Condition H2

Condition H5

Centre monitoring arrangements

• Approach to monitoring Centres in relation to assessments, including how this will ensure assessments remain fit for purpose on delivery.

Example of relevant conditions

Condition C1

Condition G9

Condition H1

Condition H2

Condition H5

Condition H6.1(d)

Centre Assessment Standards Scrutiny of centre-marked assessments

• Approach to Centre Assessment Standards Scrutiny of centre marking for qualifications at Entry Level 3, where relevant.

Example of relevant conditions

Condition C1

Conditions C2.1 and C2.2(j)

Condition H2

Section 4: Standard setting and maintenance

• Approach to ensuring decisions in relation to standard setting follow an appropriate technical methodology and have appropriate scrutiny.
  • An explanation of the technical methodology employed in the process, including the personnel involved and their roles.
  • An explanation of how the decisions from the process are approved within the awarding organisation and the personnel involved in this.

Example of relevant conditions

Condition DFS8.2(b)

Condition D1

Condition H3

• Approach to ensuring decisions in relation to standard setting are based on an appropriate range of qualitative and quantitative evidence.
  • Details of the range of evidence used to inform decisions and the weight given to different sources.
  • A rationale for why this approach is optimal, in light of the assessment design/approach and cohort make-up.

Example of relevant conditions

Condition DFS8.2(b)

Condition EDSQ8.3 – 8.5

Condition D1

Condition H3

• Approach to ensuring decisions in relation to standard setting promote comparability, over time and between awarding organisations, and are kept under review.
  • Details of how comparability between different versions of assessments and, where relevant, different types of assessment (e.g. onscreen, online, paper-based or a combination of these) is ensured, both where these are available at the same time and on an ongoing basis.
  • For on-demand assessments, details of how and when remedial action is taken when emerging evidence regarding an existing assessment suggests previous decisions in relation to standard setting may need reconsidering.
  • Details of how evidence generated in line with any requirements set by Ofqual under Condition EDSQ8.2(a) in relation to inter-awarding organisation comparability will be used to inform decisions on standard setting.

Example of relevant conditions

Condition DFS8.2

Condition D1

Condition H3

Assessment requirements

Condition DFS7.1 allows us to specify requirements and guidance in relation to the assessment of digital functional skills qualifications.

We set out our requirements for the purposes of Condition DFS7.1 below.

The subject content for digital functional skills qualifications is set out in the Secretary of State’s Digital Functional Skills qualifications: subject content (the ‘Content Document’).

Single Component

Each digital functional skills qualification must be made up of a single Component.

Number of assessments

An awarding organisation must ensure that –

1. (a) a Learner is not required to take more than two assessments for a digital functional skills qualification, and
2. (b) the number of assessments that each Learner is required to take is the minimum necessary to assess the subject content in line with our requirements below.

Assessment design

An awarding organisation must ensure that the marking of all assessments requires the allocation of numerical marks based on the level of attainment that each Learner has demonstrated.

In designing and setting the assessment(s) for a digital functional skills qualification which it makes available, or proposes to make available, an awarding organisation must ensure that of the total marks available a minimum of 70% are allocated to questions or tasks which assess practical skills requiring the use of digital devices. The remainder of marks should be allocated to questions or tasks which assess knowledge.

In its assessment strategy, an awarding organisation must explain its approach to the interpretation of statements in the Content Document as either knowledge-based or skills-based, as well as the weighting of marks as between those 2 categories.

Coverage of, and alignment with, the subject content

In respect of each of entry level 3 and Level 1, the Content Document is divided into 5 skills areas, with a set of numbered content statements under each area. Many of the content statements then include elaborations of the broad area covered by the main statement presented in brackets as ‘(including…)’ or ‘(such as…)’.

An awarding organisation must design its assessment(s) for a digital functional skills qualification which it makes available, or proposes to make available, so that all of the content statements and bracketed content are liable for assessment in any given assessment or assessment series. There must be no content which is not capable of assessment by the assessments set by the awarding organisation.

However, it is not a requirement that all of the content statements or bracketed content have to be assessed in each assessment or set of assessments taken by a Learner.

When designing assessments, an awarding organisation must ensure that all content statements and bracketed content within a content statement are covered over time, and that the approach to sampling mitigates predictability of assessments.

An awarding organisation must ensure that each assessment or set of assessments taken by a Learner is designed to –

1. (a) sample as many content statements and as much bracketed content as possible, and
2. (b) contain questions and tasks which are weighted to strike a reasonable balance between each of the 5 skills areas.

An awarding organisation must explain its approach to the coverage of content statements in its assessment strategy.

Overall assessment time

An awarding organisation must design and set the assessment(s) for a digital functional skills qualification on the basis that the total amount of time spent by each Learner in taking the assessment(s) shall be –

1. (a) no less than an hour and 30 minutes, and
2. (b) no more than 2 hours.

An awarding organisation must explain in its assessment strategy how the overall assessment time is appropriate in light of the design and delivery features of the qualification.

Setting assessments

An awarding organisation must set all assessments for a Digital Functional Skills Qualification that it makes available.

Adaptation of contexts at entry level 3

An awarding organisation may permit a Centre to adapt the context for questions or tasks in assessments at entry level 3 for the purpose of making those assessments more accessible to Learners.

Where an awarding organisation permits a Centre to adapt questions or tasks, such adaptations must relate only to the context presented by that question or task. An awarding organisation must not permit a Centre to amend –

1. (a) the knowledge, skills or understanding that a Learner is required to demonstrate in the question or task,
2. (b) the Level of Demand of the question or task, or
3. (c) any specified conditions under which the assessment must be completed, including in particular the time within which the assessment must be completed (unless any such amendment is part of a Reasonable Adjustment or for the purposes of Special Consideration).

Marking of assessments

Level 1

Evidence generated by a Learner in an assessment at Level 1 must be marked by the awarding organisation or a person connected to the awarding organisation.

Entry level 3

Evidence generated by a Learner in an assessment at entry level 3 may be marked –

1. (a) by the awarding organisation or a person connected to the awarding organisation,
2. (b) by a Centre, or
3. (c) through a combination of (a) and (b).

In any event, the awarding organisation must demonstrate to Ofqual’s satisfaction in its assessment strategy that –

1. (a) it has taken all reasonable steps to identify the risk of any Adverse Effect which may result from its approach to marking assessments (and to Moderation where appropriate), and
2. (b) where such a risk is identified, it has taken all reasonable steps to prevent that Adverse Effect or, where it cannot be prevented, to mitigate that Adverse Effect.

Guidance for Centres

Under Condition G9.2(a), an awarding organisation must ensure that every assessment for a qualification which it makes available is fit for purpose on delivery.

Under Condition C2.5, an awarding organisation must provide effective guidance to a Centre in respect of the parts of the delivery of a qualification that the Centre undertakes.

Under Condition H1.1, an awarding organisation must ensure that the criteria against which Learners’ performance will be differentiated are applied accurately and consistently by all Assessors.

Taking these obligations together, and without prejudice to any other action that they might require, an awarding organisation must provide effective guidance to Centres in respect of the adaptation, delivery and marking by Centres, as relevant, of assessments for a digital functional skills qualification which it makes available, or proposes to make available.

Standard setting requirements

Condition DFS8.1 allows us to specify requirements and guidance in relation to the specified levels of attainment that must be used for digital functional skills qualifications.

Condition DFS8.2(b) allows us to specify requirements and guidance in relation to how those specified levels of attainment are set.

We set out our requirements for the purposes of Conditions DFS8.1 and DFS8.2(b) below.

Specified level of attainment in digital functional skills qualifications

In relation to each digital functional skills qualification, an awarding organisation must ensure that there shall be a single specified level of attainment – ‘Pass’.

Setting the specified level of attainment

An awarding organisation must set a single boundary mark for a Pass for each version of the Component that it permits a Learner to take.

This means that, where the Component comprises 2 assessments, an awarding organisation –

1. (a) must set a single boundary mark which is then applied to a Learner’s combined mark from both assessments,
2. (b) must set such a boundary mark for each combination of different versions of the assessments that it permits a Learner to take; and
3. (c) must not set a boundary mark for either of the individual assessments.

An awarding organisation must set boundary marks for the Component in such a way as to secure suitable qualification level standards. Where a number of alternative versions of the Component are used simultaneously, this includes securing the maintenance of standards across those alternative versions.

Issuing results

In relation to each digital functional skills qualification, an awarding organisation must ensure that a Learner is issued a result of ‘Fail’ where he or she does not meet the criteria to be awarded a Pass.