Ascentis Entry Level 2 Certificate in Mathematics (Stepping Stones to Functional Skills)

Qualification Overview

The Ascentis Entry Level 2 Awards and Extended Award in Mathematics (Stepping Stones to Functional Skills) and the Entry Level 2 Certificate in Mathematics (Stepping Stones to Functional Skills) are ideal qualifications for adults and young people wishing to develop their mathematical skills at Entry 2. They are intended to aid progression to further study through Mathematics Functional Skills qualifications. The Ascentis Entry Level 2 Awards in Mathematics (Stepping Stones to Functional Skills) are a range of small qualifications which have been designed to ‘bridge the gap’ in learners’ mathematical knowledge, thus focus on developing confidence and ability.

There are several features of these qualifications that make them very appropriate for their target learners:

• There is a wide range of single-unit Awards – 12 in total
• Unit certification is available for each of the units
• They are relatively short qualifications of 10–20 guided learning hours – bite-sized learning
• They can be delivered either as a classroom-based course or as a blended learning programme
• They are assessed by completion of Ascentis-designed assessments – no portfolio of evidence required
• Verification and certification can be offered throughout the year, allowing maximum flexibility for centres

Aims

The aims of this suite of qualifications are to enable learners:

• To gain underpinning mathematical skills
• To bridge the gap in their mathematical knowledge
• To prepare for the completion of the Functional Skills in Mathematics qualification at Entry Level 2
• To progress onto the Ascentis Entry Level 3 Awards/Certificate in Mathematics (Stepping Stones to
  Functional Skills)
• To develop the skills required to move into the world of work or work-based learning

Target Group

These qualifications are aimed at a range of learners, including:

• Adults who wish to develop and demonstrate their skills in mathematics
• Young people aged 14–19 who wish to develop and demonstrate their skills in some aspects of mathematics

Assessment

Each unit is assessed through an assessment to be taken under supervised conditions. Guide times are provided for each assessment. The assessment is then internally assessed and verified by the centre and then externally verified by Ascentis. The assessment assesses directly the mathematical skills within the unit and may contain questions that require the learner to apply the skills they have learnt to simple practical situations.