Key Skills

[The Negotiator]

Rubbish! AS levels were a fantastic way for people to find education easier. The modular system has enabled thousands of people to do better than they could have done if it was just one exam at the end.

My sister was the first year really to do it and at the time it was hated, now it is considered to help teachers and pupils throughout.

However, it does mean it's easier to do well IMO.

 

[arseofbox]

A levels are suffocating. ASs should never have been invented and predicted grades are heartbreaking and soul destroying.

Ah yeah...Personallly I shunned them like any other paperwork, got filed in the bin!

I really didnt care, I prefer ignorance where possible (if not of major importance \ would make me look stupid), I just knew Id do the best I could and Id be happy with what I got

 

[KirstyTL]

Hmmm not sure I agree about that...possibly because I didn't get my predicted grades.

 

[The Negotiator]

Well submit your AS levels....

Your predicted grades should be included in your reference, which if your school doesn't allow you to see, you can get it from UCAS under the data protection act.

If your predicted grades are lower than you hoped, either blame the teachers or ask yourself why

 

[arseofbox]

Hmmm not sure I agree about that...possibly because I didn't get my predicted grades.

I didnt either...

Still say I really didnt care though, I got myself to where I wanted to be, that being at uni doing Engineering (read "Applied Physics with horrible maths"). I never doubted that, It was purely the quality (or reputation at least) of the institution...

 

[The Negotiator]

Sorry, re-read and now get what you meant, sorry. Ignore my previous post *embarressed face*

Just make sure you surpass yourself when it matters.

 

[RedSei]

i got predicted AAB (Physics, Computing P&M Maths) and ended up with DCE(Physics, Computing, P&M Maths)

i did computing, chemistry,electronics. got... DEC too!
i failed my physics tho.
i thought mech maths was just physics.. and physics was just maths... i hated both anyway (i exchanged maths for physics)
still got in to do computer science

 

[littleyellowcar]

i thought mech maths was just physics..

it is - its the only reason i passed my P&M maths

 

[mase]

it is weird how many things like that are interchangable, i mean, maths is likt physics, and physics is like bio mechanincs which is proper hard work!!!

 

[wolfracepunto]

(claire puts managers head on)

*I cant be quoted on the below and I do not represent OCR when I state the below information*

This is all a bit tricky, firstly it depends on where in the country you are...Welsh candidates have different rules to English candidates…(don’t ask me..ask QCA!!)

Then there is whether this is being claimed for an MA etc as sometimes the centre can show your GCSE/other qualifications to the contact officer direct and get something like a concession/relaxation proxy...your college tutors should know this though

Depends on which awarding body you are doing Key Skills with...? is it OCR/Edexcel/AQA etc??? Different exam boards have different admin procedures!!!!

If it’s a normal proxy being claimed within the correct timescale then the follow may apply:

Key Skills Coms Level 2 : As far as I’m aware there are no full proxy exemptions for this one just test only..so you would have to complete a portfolio to get a full unit certificate. Again this would only happen if your proxy is in date and you get your portfolio passed

Key Skills AON Level 2 : There is only ONE AS level that you can get a full exemption on and its a real rare one...something like use of mathematics..(again don’t quote me LOL) of you don’t have that ONE qualification then you will have to again submit a VALID IN DATE proxy and then complete a portfolio to get a full certificate.

Key Skills ICT Level 2 : There are many GCSE/GNVQ/AVCE qualifications that will give you either a full exemption or a test only...your centre tutor would have to check which ones you would stand to claim against...

Anyways its not your job to sort this out mate…it’s the centre..if they are doing OCR stuff tell them to get in touch with me Claire Michie

Thanks very much for that
The examining body is EAL/EMTA Ive never heard of these (Im only familiar with AQA/Edexcel/WJEC) Like i've said its my employer who sorts all this out and I dont think theyre too clued up about it

I think im gonna read the syllabus and do the minimum possible to pass it. Its like doing GCSEs over again......how insulting!!!

 

[KirstyTL]

So are key skills whole other exams you have to take? I've never heard about them other than as a little footer on requirements tables... Meh.

 

[The Negotiator]

It's like a general studies but worth even less (i.e. on a scale of 100 (where 0 is useles), general studies are about 5 and keyskills about 2) - for most of them I believe you have to do a portfolio and then an exam.

It's all about employers wanting employees with "key skills" - such as communication (english) IT (IT ) "theology" (a few thinking exercies) Maths (basic numeracy, was quite funny to go for the first one - percentages!) etc. It is part of the government's inititives to waste time and money for no benefit, sorry, I mean improving the overall ability of our nation's workforce.

 

[KirstyTL]

Ok, I'll be giving those a miss then. Cheers Paul....really the only thing I need to be doing is painting and writing under my own steam in conjunction with the A level syllabus.

 

[arseofbox]

It's all about employers wanting employees with "key skills" - such as communication (english) IT (IT ) "theology" (a few thinking exercies) Maths (basic numeracy, was quite funny to go for the first one - percentages!) etc. It is part of the government's inititives to waste time and money for no benefit, sorry, I mean improving the overall ability of our nation's workforce.

Yeah the word "basic" defines it all...

I could have seen the point at 16 (The school I went to had a rate of about 25% at most doing HE after GCSE), But why I had to do it 18 whilst studying for A Levels (At the same place!!) I'll never know..

 

[The Negotiator]

You're right, it's at the wrong level, but then again so are AVCEs and all other related "vocational" (read "easier") A level tag alongs. The whole system will be thought out properly by the time our children go through it I expect.