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The following letter was sent out to all headteachers in Shropshire Secondary schools.

14-19 Functional skills event:
Launch of functional skills working groups
25 January 2007
Albrighton Hall Hotel - Course Code:  607108C

We are pleased to invite you to attend the launch of the functional skills working groups together with three colleagues who will be directly involved in their implementation in English, Maths, and ICT within your school/college.

Since functional skills will impact on GCSE as well as Specialised diplomas we are keen to provide you with coherent and timely advice as well as information to assist whole school planning.  There will also be an opportunity for lead staff to consider next steps and to discuss local plans.

You will no doubt be aware from press releases and from recent briefings that nationally significant reform and changes to 14-19 provision are underway. These include:

Key stage 3 review
Specialised diplomas
Functional skills
Changes at GCSE and A level

This event will focus on functional skills and how it may be programmed into GCSE courses and specialised diplomas.  For those partnerships that have submitted proposals to offer specialised diplomas from September 2008, there is a commitment to pilot functional skills from September 2007.

The working groups will have the remit to a) relate the specifications for functional skills to current and future practice and b) to plan for future delivery in a variety of contexts. The outcomes of the working groups will be disseminated across the county by the end of the summer term 2007.

Attendance at the launch event and subsequent meetings will be supported in full with supply cover @ £180 per day.

If you wish to attend can you please contact the CPD helpline on 01743 254522 or by e-mail at CPD@shropshire-cc.gov.uk quoting the course code (607108C), as soon as possible or by Tuesday 23 January at the very latest.  It is essential that we have accurate numbers for catering purposes.

The outline programme is as follows:

12.30    Lunch
13.15    Welcome
13.30    Inputs from Heather Fryer (Learning and Skills network), Wendy Dunn OCR, Barabara Hughes Edexcel
14:15    Coffee
14.30    Workshops for school/college leaders for English, Maths and ICT
16 00    Close

We look forward to seeing you on 25 January 2007.