Regulation

Qualification Level Conditions for functional skills qualifications

Updated 1 May 2024

Applies to England

Introduction

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

Requirements set out in this document

These conditions come into effect at 2pm on Thursday 31 March 2022.

Condition FSQ2 applies to all functional skills qualifications.

Condition FSQ1 applies to the following functional skills qualifications:

• qualifications awarded to all learners registered on or after 31 July 2023
• all qualifications awarded on or after 1 August 2024

For clarity, Condition FSQ1 does not apply to a functional skills qualification awarded to a learner registered before 31 July 2023, so long as that award takes place before 1 August 2024.

Awarding organisations will therefore have a 12-month transition period within which to award functional skills qualifications in ICT to learners registered before 31 July 2023, and to allow those learners to retake assessments as necessary.

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

• our General Conditions of Recognition, which apply to all awarding organisations and qualifications
• our Subject Level Conditions for function skills qualifications in the relevant subject
• all relevant Regulatory Documents

Condition FSQ1: Subjects for functional skills qualifications

FSQ1.1 An awarding organisation must not make available or award a functional skills qualification in a subject for which Ofqual has not set and published any Subject Level Conditions.

Condition FSQ2: Interpretation and definitions

FSQ2.1

2.1 The rules of interpretation and definitions outlined in General Condition J1 shall apply to the functional skills Qualification Level Conditions and functional skills Subject Level Conditions.

FSQ2.2

2.2 Except in the circumstances described in Condition FSQ2.3, the requirements imposed by the functional skills Qualification Level Conditions and the functional skills Subject Level Conditions apply in addition to each other and to the requirements imposed by the General Conditions of Recognition.

FSQ2.3

2.3 To the extent that there is any inconsistency between –

1. (a) a requirement of either a functional skills Qualification Level Condition or a functional skills Subject Level Condition and an awarding organisation’s ability to provide either a particular type of Reasonable Adjustment or Special Consideration, such that the awarding organisation is prevented from providing that Reasonable Adjustment or Special Consideration, the awarding organisation may provide that Reasonable Adjustment or Special Consideration and is not obliged to comply with the requirement of the functional skills Qualification Level Condition or functional skills Subject Level Condition,
2. (b) in all other cases –
   1. (i) a requirement of a functional skills Subject Level Condition and a requirement of either a functional skills Qualification Level Condition or a General Condition of Recognition, such that an awarding organisation could not comply with both such requirements, the awarding organisation must comply with the requirement of the functional skills Subject Level Condition and is not obliged to comply with the requirement of the other Recognition.
   2. (ii) a requirement of a functional skills Qualification Level Condition and a requirement of a General Condition of Recognition, such that an awarding organisation could not comply with both such requirements, the awarding organisation must comply with the requirement of the functional skills Qualification Level Condition and is not obliged to comply with the requirement of the General Condition of Recognition.