The Education and Training Foundation (ETF) has released information on the next stage of its forthcoming review of maths and English Functional Skills qualifications.

It has been confirmed that two consultations will be published, each with a slightly different focus.

The first (January to April) is aimed primarily at employers focusing on which maths and English skills employers require. This information will help inform a revised set of National Adult Literacy and Numeracy Standards.

The second (May to June) will cover further consultation with the sector and technical experts.

The ETF intends to present a report to Ministers by the end of August 2016 with a view to reformed qualifications being ready to teach by September 2018.

As reported in October’s OCR Policy Briefing, the review of Functional Skills was commissioned by the Skills Minister Nick Boles with the aim of proposing new qualifications “better suited to the needs of industry, practitioners and learners in post-16 education”.

Interest in the consultation can be registered here.