This resource consists of a revision exercise for a Functional Skills Level 1 assessment. It is for staff use, providing a topic for a discussion and a checklist to assess whether pupils have passed the test or not. Although this assessment follows the theme of Bonfire Night/Guy Fawkes, it can easily be edited for any topic and used multiple times. There are two pages for this resource, one for teachers to assess multiple pupils and one for assessing one pupil which can be placed in this pupil’s file. This task is a formal discussion about whether late October/Early November is a good time for the people of the UK or not. It asks pupils to research Guy Fawkes Night, Halloween and Mischief Night, looking at why people do and don’t celebrate them, why some people love them and why some people do not enjoy these festivals at all. Please look at our other Functional Skills Bonfire Night/Guy Fawkes resources ranging from Entry Level 1 to Level 1 and including reading, writing and speaking and listening activities.

This presentation is to be used when delivering a session to the whole school on how to mark written work. It explains the value of good marking and feedback. It presents different forms of marking and feedback and it explains what is required to make marking effective. Advice is given on what to mark on a written text and what not to mark, so that marking is effective and does not demotivate the student. It then introduces ‘live’ marking and explains how staff can do this successfully in lessons. This then leads to a marking activity where staff put these ideas into practice while marking four examples of pupils’ work. After this activity, the texts are displayed on the presentation for a feedback session. The final part of the presentation is about what should happen after marking, with advice given on how to follow up ‘Next Steps’ and ‘Literacy Targets’ by giving the pupils ownership of their own progress. This presentation can be adapted to include your own school’s writing marking code and policy.

A selection of reading questions that will fit any fiction book or story. There are 4 stages of difficulty for each question so they can be used as an assessment tool. They can also be used effectively in a reading session meaning that pupils have a greater choice of reading materials since you will not have to prepare different tasks on every possible book they may wish to read. They can be answered on paper by the pupil or be asked verbally by any member of staff or by parents/carers at home. Inference questions are included.

A selection of reading questions for use with any factual text or book. Each question has four stages of difficulty so they can be used as an assessment tool. The questions can be used in reading sessions or at home. The pupils can write the answers or the questions can be verbally asked by anybody. These questions mean that pupils can choose to read any book and you will be able to provide them with differentiated questions that suit.

A selection of fiction and non-fiction reading questions that will fit any text or book. The answers can be written by the pupils or the questions can be asked verbally by any other person. This could be teaching, support staff or other pupils in lessons or parents/carers at home. These questions mean that any book can be used as a teaching resource or an assessment tool and that you no longer have to find or prepare activities to fit such a wide variety of texts. Since you can select any text you wish, you can choose books that fit both the pupils reading level and their interests. Each question has four stages of difficulty so this can also be used as an assessment tool.

This is a writing unit where pupils research a historical person, plan a writing text about them and then write a text on the person that they have researched. It is good for homework, using as a series of lessons and it promotes literacy across the curriculum.

This document provides tips for finding the answers to Functional Skills reading questions. It then gives 3 example reading tests where these tips are put into practice. The final text is written in made-up language, but the pupils will still be able to find the answers using the reading tips that they have learned. This is a great tool for introducing pupils to Functional Skills reading and to increasing pupil confidence.

This is an Entry Level 1 reading text that can be used as a stand alone revision paper or after reading Chapter 1 of ‘Of Mice and Men’. It has two parts. One about caring for rabbits and the other about writing to a farm to ask for work.

This is an Entry Level 3 reading text that can be used as a stand alone revision paper or after reading Chapter 1 of ‘Of Mice and Men’. It has two parts. One is about looking after rabbits and the other is about predicting the weather using nature itself.

This is an Entry Level 2 reading text that can be used as a stand alone revision paper or after reading Chapter 1 of ‘Of Mice and Men’. It has three parts. One about making a rabbit hutch, one a letter from a ranch owner advertising work and the final text is about predicting the weather.

This unit of work is an extension of the ‘All About Me’ topic. It is about ‘My Spare Time’. It consists of reading, writing and speaking + listening lessons. The reading and writing lessons are differentiated. The lessons in this unit include: Read about people in other people’s spare time and complete a profile about them. Have a group discussion with other pupils telling them about the person you have read about and taking notes on the people they tell you about. Complete a writing plan about your spare time. Write about your spare time. Have a group discussion telling other pupils all about your spare time and taking notes on what they tell you about their spare time. Complete a ‘My Spare Time’ poster.

This unit of work is an extension of the ‘All About Me’ theme. It is about the people in your life. It includes reading, writing and speaking and listening lessons. The reading and writing lessons are differentiated. The lessons in the unit include: Read about people in Eric’s life and complete a profile about them. Have a group discussion with other pupils telling them about the person you have read about and taking notes on the people they tell you about. Complete a profile about someone in your life. Write all about this person. Have a group discussion telling other pupils all about your person and taking notes on what they tell you about their people. Complete a ‘People In My Life’ poster.

This unit of work is an extension of the ‘All About Me’ theme. It is about settings in your life, which could include places like rooms, parks, settings of clubs or places pupils regularly visit. There are reading, writing and speaking and listening activities in the unit. The reading and writing lessons are differentiated. The lessons in this unit include: Look at pictures of settings and complete tables to describe them. Read about settings from other people’s lives and complete a profile about them. Have a group discussion with other pupils telling them about the setting you have read about and taking notes on the settings they tell you about. Complete a profile about a setting in your life. Write all about this setting. Complete a self-assessment form. Have a group discussion telling other pupils all about your setting and taking notes on what they tell you about their settings. Complete a ‘Settings In My Life’ poster.

This unit contains a series of lessons for an ‘All About Me’ topic. It includes reading, writing and speaking and listening. The writing lessons are differentiated with higher level planning sheets and writing support sheets. The lessons in the unit include: Read about other people and complete a profile about them. Have a group discussion with other pupils telling them about the person you have read about and taking notes on the people they tell you about. Complete a profile about yourself. Write all about yourself. Have a group discussion telling other pupils all about you and taking notes on what they tell you about themselves. Complete an ‘All About Me’ poster.

This is a U.W.C Stage 1 Tag Team Title marking sheet for both the Men’s and the Women’s Division. The Ultimate Writing Championship is a scheme of work designed to both improve pupils’ writing skills and to raise their writing engagement. There are 4 stages in this series, beginning with the very basics like writing on the line and leading up to higher level skills such as using metaphors and punctuating speech. In each Stage pupils work through a series of challenges in their quest to win the Stage Title.

This is a U.W.C Stage 1 Women’s Division challenge match. Pupils write using capital letters as they face Captain Capital. The Ultimate Writing Championship is a scheme of work designed to both improve pupils’ writing skills and to raise their writing engagement. There are 4 stages in this series, beginning with the very basics like writing on the line and leading up to higher level skills such as using metaphors and punctuating speech. In each Stage pupils work through a series of challenges in their quest to win the Stage Title.

This is a U.W.C Stage 1 Women’s Division challenge match. Pupils write using finger spacing as they face Gabby Gap-Tooth. The Ultimate Writing Championship is a scheme of work designed to both improve pupils’ writing skills and to raise their writing engagement. There are 4 stages in this series, beginning with the very basics like writing on the line and leading up to higher level skills such as using metaphors and punctuating speech. In each Stage pupils work through a series of challenges in their quest to win the Stage Title.

This is a U.W.C Stage 1 Women’s Division Title match. Pupils write hitting all the Stage 1 targets as they face the champion Nat Gasher. The Ultimate Writing Championship is a scheme of work designed to both improve pupils’ writing skills and to raise their writing engagement. There are 4 stages in this series, beginning with the very basics like writing on the line and leading up to higher level skills such as using metaphors and punctuating speech. In each Stage pupils work through a series of challenges in their quest to win the Stage Title.