Entry Level Certificate in Essential Skills - CCEA · Adult Numeracy For first teaching from Autumn 2003 Issued: November 2003 Entry Level Certificate in Essential Skills

Adult Numeracy

For first teaching from Autumn 2003

Issued: November 2003

Entry Level Certificatein Essential Skills

For first teaching from Autumn2003

ENTRY LEVEL CERTIFICATEin Essential skills

Adult Numeracy

S P E C I F I C A T I O N

Tutors, centres and candidates should note that CCEAmay use extracts from examination scripts/courseworkmaterial on an anonymous basis in educationalpresentations, materials and products.

Further copies of this publication can be purchased fromDistribution and Sales Team

Northern Ireland Council for the Curriculum, Examinations and Assessment29 Clarendon Road, Belfast BT1 3BG

Tel. (028) 9026 1200 Fax: (028) 9026 1234e-mail: [email protected], web: http://www.ccea.org.uk

CCEA is Northern Ireland’s own awarding body. We offer a wide range ofhigh quality academic and vocational qualifications, which are accreditedby the Regulatory Authorities. We work with our centres to rewardlearning and specifically, through our Essential Skills qualifications we arecommitted to rewarding the achievements of adult learners.

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CCEA Entry Level Certificate in Essential Skills Adult Numeracy – From September 2003 and 2004

FOREWORD

This booklet contains CCEA’s Entry level specification in Essential Skills AdultNumeracy for first teaching in September 2003. The specification has beendesigned to meet the requirements of the following:

• The Northern Ireland Essential Skills Adult Numeracy Core Curriculum atEntry level;

• The National Standards for Adult Numeracy at Entry level;

• Common criteria for the accreditation of external qualifications;

• Specific criteria for Entry level qualifications.

Entry level represents the first tier of the National Qualifications Framework. Itis divided into 3 sub-levels, i.e. Entry 1, Entry 2 and Entry 3. Achievement atEntry level can be used to assist progression to recognised qualifications athigher levels within the framework

Summary of the Scheme of Assessment

Type ofAssessment

Nature ofAssessment

AssessmentWeightings,

Thresholds andOutcomes

Time Duration ofAssessment

100% externalassessment of all threeNumeracy curriculumareas:Number,Measures, Shape andSpace, Handling Data.

One unseen,contextualisedassessment task.Externally set,internally marked andexternally moderated.Each task can be takenonly once but there areno restrictions uponthe number of tasks acandidate can take.

Each curriculum areais equally weighted.There aredifferentiatedoutcomes at Entry 1, 2and 3. The passthreshold for eachcurriculum area at eachlevel is set at 80% ofthe available marks.The overall outcome iscalculated using theoutcomes for eachcurriculum area.

Normally 60–90minutes duration.Taken in the normallearning environmentbut under specifiedconditions.


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CONTENTS

Page

1 INTRODUCTION 1

1.1 Rationale 11.2 Specific Aims 21.3 Broader Aims 31.4 Recommended prior knowledge, attainment or experience 31.5 Overlaps with other Qualifications 31.6 Prohibited Combinations 31.7 Links with the adult core curriculum and the national standards for

adult numeracy 31.8 Progression 41.9 Spiritual, moral, ethical, cultural and environmental issues, health

and safety considerations and the European dimension 41.10 Language of the Specification and Assessment materials 51.11 Structure and Content of the Specification 51.12 Awarding and Certification 61.13 Special Arrangements 71.14 Appeals and Enquiries upon Results 7

2 SCHEME OF ASSESSMENT 8

2.1 Summary of the Scheme of Assessment 82.2 CCEA Essential Skills Qualification at Entry Level 82.3 Nature of the External Assessment 82.4 Arrangements for the administration of the tasks 92.5 Determining a candidate’s overall outcome in a Numeracy

assessment task 112.6 External Moderation 13

3 CENTRE ACCREDITATION ARRANGEMENTS AND SUPPORT 13

3.1 Centre Accreditation 133.2 CCEA Support for Essential Skills 143.3 Links with Ufi and learndirect 15

4 THE NATIONAL STANDARDS 15

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1 INTRODUCTION

1.1 Rationale

In April 2002, when the Minister for Employment and Learning launched theframework and consultation paper on Essential Skills, it was announced that thenational standards for adult literacy and numeracy would be adopted in NorthernIreland.

The strategy set out the new direction to be taken to improve literacy andnumeracy amongst the adult population in Northern Ireland.

The Department for Employment and Learning (DEL) defined literacy andnumeracy as Essential Skills, which require “the ability to communicate bytalking and listening, reading and writing; to use numeracy; and the ability tohandle information”. Following a pilot project, which included tutors from arange of institutions and settings, it was also agreed that the Adult Literacy andNumeracy Core Curriculum used in England and Wales should be introduced.

The introduction to the core curriculum emphasises three important points, whichare crucial to teaching and learning:

• the need for the separate curriculum elements to be brought together;

• the importance of the learner using and applying his/her skills andknowledge;

• the need for learners to understand the purpose and relevance of what theyare doing.

The CCEA Entry Level Certificate in Essential Skills Adult Numeracy has beendesigned to be consistent with these principles and its assessment arrangementsare based on the national standards, which are included as Section 4 in thisdocument. The qualification is appropriate for adults in education, the workplace,training schemes and other everyday settings who wish to:

• improve their essential numeracy skills;

• become better qualified;

• improve their employment and training opportunities;

• improve their overall quality of life and personal development;

• progress through the national qualifications framework.

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The qualification recognises the importance of affirming candidates' progress,even when the steps of achievement are small and puts the tutor's judgment atthe heart of the assessment process. Adult learners who may particularly benefitfrom the programme include those who:

• have learning difficulties;

• need to “brush up” their essential numeracy skills;

• speak English as an additional language.

1.2 Specific Aims

The specific aims of the CCEA Entry Level Certificate in Essential Skills AdultNumeracy are to improve candidates’ ability to:

• understand and use mathematical information;

• calculate and manipulate mathematical information;

• interpret results and communicate mathematical information.

These capabilities are woven through three elements:

• number, i.e. the development of an understanding on number, numberrotation, number operations and the ability to make use of appropriatemethods of calculation;

• measures, shape and space, i.e. the development of the ability to:

(a) recognise and use the properties of two dimensional and threedimensional shapes;

(b) recognise locations and to use transformations in the study of shape;

(c) estimate and measure quantities and appreciate and approximate natureof measurement;

• handling data, i.e. the development of the ability to collect, record, process,represent and interpret data and to understand, estimate and calculateprobabilities.

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1.3 Broader Aims

The broader aims of the CCEA Entry Level Certificate in Essential Skills AdultNumeracy are to:

• improve the individual’s quality of life, personal development and his/heremployment opportunities;

• promote greater economic development, social inclusion and cohesion.

1.4 Recommended prior knowledge, attainment or experience

It is not necessary for candidates to have followed a prior course of study innumeracy. However, it is essential for tutors to make an initial assessment oftheir candidates by ascertaining:

• what they can do, what they are interested in and what expectations theyhave;

• their learning styles and behaviours;

• their personal, inter-personal and social skills.

Tutors should familiarise themselves with the DEL advice on initial assessmentincluded in the guidance document “Using the Adult Literacy and AdultNumeracy core curriculum in Northern Ireland”, published in October 2002.During 2003 CCEA will also be developing and publishing initial assessmentguidance and tasks for use by tutors.

1.5 Overlaps with other Qualifications

This specification does not have any significant overlaps with any otherqualifications offered by CCEA.

1.6 Prohibited Combinations

Candidates entering for this qualification may not enter for any other Entry levelqualification in numeracy at the same time.

1.7 Links with the adult core curriculum and the national standards foradult numeracy

The Adult Numeracy core curriculum describes the content of what should betaught in learning programmes for Essential Skills numeracy whilst the nationalstandards underpin the specification’s scheme of assessment. The nationalstandards are included in the core curriculum document. Electronic versions ofthe standards are available from the Regulatory Authorities and can bedownloaded from the QCA web site (www.qca.org.uk). The standards provide amap of the range of skills and capabilities that adults are expected to need in

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order to function and progress at work and in society. Numeracy covers theability to:

• understand and use mathematical information;

• calculate and manipulate mathematical information;

• interpret results and communicate mathematical information.

At Entry level there are three sub-levels, i.e. Entry 1, Entry 2 and Entry 3. Thecore curriculum makes clear links between the sub-levels and the teaching andlearning of the skills, knowledge and understanding required to meet thestandards. To assist tutors in their planning, the core curriculum uses a referencesystem for each ability that includes descriptors (elements) of what learners mustdo or demonstrate and the criteria for assessment. However, the documentstresses that in the teaching context, on many occasions, activities are likely to beintegrated in order to address different standards at the same time.

1.8 Progression

The CCEA Entry Level Certificate in Essential Skills Adult Numeracy providesthe basis for progression to qualifications in Adult Numeracy at Levels 1 and 2on the National Qualifications Framework and to the Key Skills Qualification inApplication of Number at Levels 1 and 2. It also provides the foundation toother NQF qualifications such as GCSE Mathematics.

1.9 Spiritual, moral, ethical, cultural and environmental issues, health andsafety considerations and the European Dimension

As the specification is based on the national standards, which provide examplesof the use of numeracy skills in a number of social roles and activities, numerousopportunities should arise naturally to allow candidates to gain an understandingor awareness of the above issues. Examples include:

• spiritual issues; time in the context of religious celebrations and festivals;

• ethical and moral issues; loans, debts and repayments;

• social and cultural issues; shopping basket comparisons; weighing ofgoods;

• environmental issues; amounts relating to recycling of glass and paper etc.in a locality or household;

• health and safety issues; recommended daily medicine amounts by agegroups;

• European issues; the £ Sterling/€ exchange rate.

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1.10 Language of the Specification and Assessment Materials

The specification and assessment materials are provided in English. CCEA mayprovide operational assessment materials in Irish on request from centres if theDepartment for Employment and Learning has given prior approval.

1.11 Structure and Content of the Specification

As the Adult Numeracy core curriculum describes the content of what should betaught in relation to this specification whilst the national standards underpin thespecification's scheme of assessment, tutors need to base their learningprogrammes and assessment strategies on both.

Important points to consider in designing a learning programme:

The core curriculum emphasises that adult learners will have widely differentpast experiences to bring to their learning. Each individual learner will comewith their own set of priorities and requirements, which must be the startingpoint for their learning programme development. The learning activities shouldtherefore be relevant to everyday contexts such as:

• the citizen and the community;

• economic activity, including paid and unpaid work;

• domestic and everyday life;

• leisure;

• education and training;

• using ICT in social roles.

The guidance document “Using the Adult Literacy and Adult Numeracy corecurriculum in Northern Ireland”, lists the findings arising out of a DEL pilotproject about preparing a learning programme.

The most effective units of work:

• identified the specific mathematical strengths and weaknesses in thelearners’ work through careful scrutiny of what they demonstrated theycould do;

• evidenced a clear focus on advancing students’ specific capabilities inmathematics;

• achieved a good balance between developing skills and knowledge, andunderstanding them in meaningful contexts;

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• integrated effectively the various strands within the curriculum;

• could be used with groups of learners working at different levels – eitherthe tasks were differentiated or it was possible to differentiate the quality ofthe learner's work;

• identified what teaching was needed to introduce or extend new concepts,skills or thinking, along with where and how it might be best done;

• included a variety of different learning situations and approaches;

• placed appropriate emphasis on talking to learn and on vocabulary todescribe the procedures or concepts learnt;

• used the potential of information learning technologies to teach newconcepts and skills and to extend learning.

CCEA recommends that in addition to undertaking initial assessment it is alsoimportant for tutors to:

• have an individual learning plan for every candidate;

• encourage candidates to build up their individual portfolios of work(though for the purposes of summative assessment, portfolio evidence willnot be required at Entry level);

and consider how they plan to use:

• diagnostic assessment to identify specific skills to be developed;

• formative assessment to continually monitor and review their candidates’progress and take account of their changing needs;

• the CCEA summative assessment tasks to confirm candidate progress andinform future teaching and learning.

1.12 Awarding and Certification

The awards and certification associated with the specification will be inaccordance with the requirements for Entry level qualifications, which arepublished by the Regulatory Authorities. At Entry level, the criteria requirequalifications to report achievement at Entry 1, Entry 2 or Entry 3. Successfulcandidates will receive certificates that will record their overall performance aswell as their achievements in each of the adult numeracy curriculum strands, i.e.Number, Handling Data and Measures, Shape and Space. This will enable aprofile in Entry level to be reported. CCEA will issue these certificates atspecified times throughout the year.

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CCEA appreciates the importance of recognising the steps of achievement withinEntry level. Centres are therefore encouraged to issue unit certificates (providedby CCEA) to candidates who have demonstrated achievement in the individualnumeracy curriculum strands. However, these unit certificates will not be part ofthe formal award that will be recognised by the Regulatory Authorities. Theywill be issued at the discretion of individual tutors.

1.13 Special Arrangements

The only special arrangements for the external assessment which tutors will berequired to apply for will be with respect to visually impaired candidates, egrequiring enlarged papers and modifications. Application forms for thesearrangements may be obtained from CCEA upon request.

All other arrangements will be at the discretion of the Head of Centre. Thesearrangements will include:

• use of reader/communicator – (not for tasks assessing ability to read);

• use of amanuensis/scribe – (not for tasks assessing hand-writing);

• use of word processors etc;

• use of practical assistants.

1.14 Appeals and Enquiries upon Results

At Entry level the assessments for Essential Skills are internally marked beforebeing submitted for external moderation. A centre wishing to make an appealfollowing external moderation should contact the CCEA Enquiry upon Resultsservice.

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2 SCHEME OF ASSESSMENT2.1 Summary of the Scheme of Assessment

2.2 CCEA Essential Skills Qualification at Entry Level

Type ofAssessment Nature of Assessment

AssessmentWeightings,

Thresholds andOutcomes

Time Duration ofAssessment

100% externalassessment of all threeNumeracy curriculumareas:NumberMeasures, Shape and SpaceHandling Data

One unseen,contextualisedassessment task.Externally set,internally marked andexternally moderated.Each task can be takenonly once but there areno restrictions uponthe number of tasks acandidate can take.

Each curriculum areais equally weighted.There aredifferentiatedoutcomes at Entry 1, 2and 3. The passthreshold for eachcurriculum area, ateach level is set at80% of the availablemarks. The overalloutcome is calculatedusing the outcomes foreach curriculum area.

Normally 60–90minutes duration.Taken in the normallearning environmentbut under specifiedconditions.

The qualification is based on summative assessment of the Adult Literacy andNumeracy Core Curriculum at Entry Level. Achievement in Literacy andNumeracy are certificated separately. Essential Skills are 100% externallyassessed.

2.3 Nature of the External Assessment

CCEA, in collaboration with two other awarding bodies offering Essential Skillsat Entry Level, has developed a central bank of external assessment tasks forcandidates working at Entry level. The tasks were extensively trialled and pilotedby CCEA with Adult Numeracy tutors in a variety of institutional andeducational settings in Northern Ireland. The central bank will be jointlymanaged by the three awarding bodies.

The tasks are designed to confirm the tutor’s judgment of the level ofachievement at which a candidate is working. Although they are designed assummative tools they can also provide useful formative and diagnosticinformation (i.e. to inform future teaching and learning and to highlight any areasof weakness).

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Each task covers:

• all 3 sub-levels at Entry level, i.e. Entry 1, Entry 2, Entry 3;

• all 3 curriculum areas, i.e. Number, Measures, Shape and Space andHandling Data;

• a minimum of 70% of the curriculum elements (NI/E1.1 etc), at theappropriate levels;

• the pass threshold for each curriculum area at each sub-level is set at 80%of the available marks ;

• each task is based around a topic relevant to adults and, where appropriate,have a Northern Ireland context. All materials are presented in full colour.

A typical Numeracy task will involve:

• a one to one interview with the tutor;

• a candidate booklet, containing numeracy activities.

and be accompanied with:

• tutor guidance on administering and marking the tasks and a detailed markscheme.

Differentiation in the tasks is by outcome.

2.4 Arrangements for the administration of the tasks

The tasks have been designed to be taken by a candidate in his/her normallearning environment. A task will normally take between 60–90 minutes tocomplete if taken in one sitting. CCEA recommends that the tasks be taken in 3separate sessions. The tasks will be internally marked and externally moderated.Tutors will decide when each candidate is ready to take a task. Tutors maychoose tasks from CCEA’s task catalogue. When tutors place their order CCEAwill deliver the tasks as appropriate. When tutors wish to formally recognise andrecord their candidates’ progress they may administer an assessment task toconfirm their judgment.

Candidates need only complete one task to confirm their tutor’s judgment. At afuture date, when they have made further progress, tutors may wish theircandidates to take additional unseen tasks. Candidates are normally expected toattempt to complete entire tasks. However, within each task there are occasionswhen different routes are available and this is indicated in the Tutor Guidancebooklet. In this case tutors will use their discretion.

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In administering the tasks, tutors must ensure that:

• they are treated as confidential materials as they are to be taken unseen bycandidates. If a task is taken across more than one session the tutor mustensure that all materials associated with the assessment task are brought inat the end of each session and stored in a secure place until required again;

• candidates complete the work unaided except for any assistance allowedfor in the tutor guidance document accompanying the task;

• the tasks are marked by the tutor according to the CCEA mark scheme andmust be kept secure until requested for external moderation;

• the tasks are not used as practice material.

After administering and marking the task, tutors will inform CCEA of theoutcomes. Further details relating to the administration of the Essential SkillsQualifications are given in the CCEA Essential Skills Handbook for Centres.This is available on the CCEA web site (www.ccea.org.uk ) and in hard copy.

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2.5 Determining a candidate’s overall outcome in a Numeracy assessmenttask

Tutors will calculate the outcomes for each of the three curriculum areas in atask, using a CCEA mark scheme similar to the one shown below:

Task Title:Centre:Tutor:

OVERALL OUTCOMES SHEETPARTY (NUMERACY)

Overall LevelAchievedStudent:

Date:

Entry 1

Number Measures, Shape and Space Handling Data

Activity Ticks Activity Ticks Activity Ticks

1A: InterviewStudent Total

Threshold 5

1Bi: BookletStudent Total

Threshold 10

1Bii: BookletStudent Total

Threshold 4

5 ticks and above, place an X inthis box

10 ticks and above, place an Xin this box


Entry 2



Threshold 8


Threshold 6


Threshold 8




Entry 3



Threshold 11


Threshold 6


Threshold 6

11 ticks and above, place an Xin this box



Having calculated the outcomes for each curriculum area tutors will then enterthe overall level achieved on the mark sheet, having first used the table on thefollowing page to determine a candidate’s overall outcome. As candidates'outcomes will often take the form of a “spiky profile” i.e. indicating unevenachievement across the curriculum areas, tutors should use this information toidentify candidates’ strengths and weaknesses and inform future teaching andlearning.

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Exemplar outcomes

Outcomes in each of the threecurriculum areas

The candidate’s overall level ofachievement

1

1

1

1

1

2

2

3

3

3

1

1

1

1

1

2

2

1

2

3

1

1

1

2

2

2

2

3

3

3

1

2

3

2

3

2

3

1

2

3

Marking Criteria

In order to achieve an overall level in Numeracy a candidate must achieve thatlevel in all of the three curriculum areas.Where a candidate achieves a range of levels in a task then the overall level isbased on the lowest level achieved in all three curriculum areas.

Examples

1 Candidate A has achieved the following levels in an assessment task.(Number E2, Measures, Shape and Space E3 and Handling data E2). The overall level of achievement is: Entry 2

2 Candidate B has achieved the following levels in an assessment task.(Number E3, Measures, Shape and Space E3and Handling data E3). The overall level of achievement is: Entry 3

3 Candidate C has achieved the following levels in an assessment task.(Number E1, Measures, Shape and Space E2 and Handling data E3). The overall level of achievement is: Entry 1

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2.6 External Moderation

Tutors will be required to send all marked tasks to CCEA when they aresubmitting the outcomes of the tasks. CCEA will moderate a sample of the taskssubmitted by each centre and over time build up a centre history to inform thecentre accreditation process. In centres where there are 10 candidates or less,CCEA will normally expect to moderate the work of all candidates. The sampleselected by CCEA will cover the range of tasks completed by the candidates andreflect the outcomes from the centre i.e. Entry 1,2 and 3.

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3 CENTRE ACCREDITATION ARRANGEMENTSAND SUPPORT

3.1 Centre Accreditation

The term centre accreditation refers to the process of approving a centre to offerCCEA Essential Skills qualifications. During 2003 and 2004, CCEA will bedeveloping an accreditation model for centres for introduction in late Spring2004. The accreditation arrangements are being designed to promote:

• the introduction, implementation and continued improvement in theteaching of Essential Skills within centres;

• the professional development of tutors;

• the effective assessment and standardising of marking within centres.

Until the full accreditation model is introduced CCEA has put in place interimarrangements. Under these temporary arrangements centres are required toprovide CCEA:

• with information on tutors involved in teaching Essential Skills (i.e. namesand contact details).

and confirm in writing that they can meet the following criteria:

• provide appropriate resources and accommodation for teaching andassessing Essential Skills;

• attend all CCEA training (INSET) events;

• ensure secure storage of assessment materials;

• mark the tasks;

• ensure that internal standardisation is carried out in accordance with CCEAprotocols;

• send samples of marked tasks for external moderation as requested byCCEA (while the interim arrangements are in place, centres will berequired to send a sample of marked scripts for each of the assessmenttasks completed by their candidates prior to the issue of results andcertificates);

• retain all marked scripts in a secure place for a minimum of 4 months;

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• send as requested by CCEA their candidates’ results ;

• allow access to CCEA staff for monitoring purposes as centres will bevisited on a random basis.

CCEA reserves the right to withdraw accredited status from any centre that itsmonitoring process indicates is no longer satisfying the accreditation criteria.However, CCEA is committed to working with and supporting its centres toaddress any issue which arises. Withdrawal of accreditation would only beconsidered after such support is exhausted.

3.2 CCEA Support for Essential Skills

CCEA is committed to providing its centres with ongoing support for EssentialSkills. This will include:

• the provision of high quality exemplar assessment and support materials;

• the development of dedicated web-site pages;

• information on useful resources and publications;

• instructions and advice on the conduct and administration of EssentialSkills in centres;

• annual INSET and professional development events for co-ordinators andtutors;

• customised centre briefings and visits;

• support and advice on becoming an accredited centre for Essential Skills;

• feedback and reports on issues relating to assessment and centreaccreditation.

Information about CCEA support for Essential Skills is sent to centres at regularintervals throughout the year and can be viewed on the CCEA web site(www.ccea.org.uk).

3.3 Links with Ufi (The University for Industry) and learndirect

All learndirect courses help learners prepare for adult numeracy qualifications asthey have built links between their adult numeracy courses and the corecurriculum and national standards. Learners can study on-line and work towardsa numeracy qualification. Further information is available from learndirect(www.learndirect.co.uk).

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Standards for adult numeracy Entry LevelEntry 1

Understanding and using mathematical informationAt this level, adults can:read and understandinformation given by numbers and symbols in simple graphical, numerical and written material

specify and describe a practical problem or task using numbers and measures

An adult will be expected to:• use whole numbers to measure and make observations• use space and shape to help understanding• use information from lists and simple diagrams to help understanding• copy a given process or routine to increase understanding

Calculating and manipulating mathematical information

At this level, adults can:generate results which make sense and use given methods and given checking procedures appropriate to the specified purpose

An adult will be expected to:use whole numbers• to count reliably up to 10 items• to read, write, order and compare numbers up to 10

including zero• to add single-digit numbers with totals to 10, and

subtract single-digit numbers from numbers up to10

• to interpret +, – and = in practical situations forsolving problems

use common measures• to recognise and select coins and notes• to relate familiar events to:

– times of day (using o’clock times and parts of the day such as midday)

– days of the week– seasons of the year

• to describe size, eg large/small, and use directcomparisons for the size of least two items, eglarger/smaller

• to describe length, width, height, eg long, short,wide, narrow, tall, and use direct comparisons forlength, width, height of items, eg longer, too long,longest

• to describe weight, eg heavy/light, and use directcomparisons for weight of items eg heavier/lighter

• to describe capacity, eg full/empty, and use directcomparisons for capacity of items, eg holds morethan, holds less than

use shape and space• to recognise and name common 2-D and 3-D

shapes, eg a rectangle, square, circle, cube• to understand everyday positional vocabulary, eg

between, inside or near to

use data• extract simple information from lists• to sort and classify objects using a single criterion• to construct simple representations or diagrams

using knowledge of numbers, or measures, shapeand space

use a calculator• to check calculations using whole numbers

Interpreting results and communicating mathematical information

At this level, adults can:present and explain resultsthat show their understanding of the intended purpose using appropriate numbers, measures, objects or pictures

An adult will be expected to:• use whole numbers to present results• use appropriate vocabulary for common measures to describe quantities• use objects or simple images to present results• reach a suitable outcome

4 THE NATIONAL STANDARDS

The National standards for adult numeracy set out in this section of the documentcan also be downloaded from the QCA web site (www.qca.org.uk)

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Understanding and using mathematical informationAt this level, adults can:read and understandinformation given by numbers, symbols, simple diagrams and charts in graphical, numerical and written material

specify and describe a practical problem or task using numbers, measures and simple shapes to record essential information

An adult will be expected to:• use whole numbers and simple fractions to measure and make observations• use space and shape to record simple information• use information from lists, tables, simple diagrams and block graphs to help understanding• collect simple numerical information to help understanding• follow a given process or routine


At this level, adults can:generate results to a given level of accuracy using given methods and given checking procedures appropriate to the specified purpose

An adult will be expected to:use whole numbers• to count reliably up to 20 items• to read, write, order and compare numbers up to

100 • to add and subtract two-digit whole numbers• to recall addition and subtraction facts to 10• to multiply using single-digit whole numbers• to approximate by rounding to the nearest 10 • to use and interpret +, –, x and = in practical

situations for solving problems

use fractions• to read, write and compare halves and quarters of

quantities• to find halves and quarters of small numbers of

items or shapes

use common measures• to make amounts of money up to £1 in different

ways using 1p, 2p, 5p, 10p, 20p and 50p coins • to calculate the cost in pence of more than one

item, eg two stamps at 26p, and the change from atransaction, eg change from £1

• to calculate the cost in whole £s of more than oneitem, eg two tickets at £6, and the change from atransaction, eg change from £20

• to read and record time in common date formats,and understand time displayed on analogue and 12-hour digital clocks in hours, half hours andquarter hours

• to estimate, measure and compare length usingcommon standard and non-standard units, egmetre, centimetre, paces

• to estimate, measure and compare weight usingcommon standard and non-standard units, egkilogram

• to estimate, measure and compare capacity usingcommon standard and non-standard units, eg litre,cupful

• to read and compare positive temperatures ineveryday situations such as weather charts

• to read simple scales to the nearest labelleddivision

use shape and space• to recognise and name 2-D and 3-D shapes, eg

triangles, cylinders, pyramids• to describe the properties of common 2-D and 3-D

shapes, eg the number of sides, corners, faces• to use positional vocabulary, eg giving simple

instructions

use data• to extract information from lists, tables, simple

diagrams and block graphs• to make numerical comparisons from block graphs• to sort and classify objects using two criteria• to represent information so that it makes sense to

others, eg in lists, tables, diagrams

use a calculator• to check calculations using whole numbers


At this level, adults can:present and explain resultsthat meet the intended purpose using appropriate numbers, simple diagrams and symbols

An adult will be expected to:• use whole numbers and common fractions to present results• use common measures and units of measure to define quantities• use tables, simple charts and diagrams to present results• follow a given routine to reach an appropriate outcome


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Understanding and using mathematical information

At this level, adults can:read and understandinformation given by numbers, symbols, diagrams and charts used for different purposes and in different ways ingraphical, numerical and written material

specify and describe a practical problem or task using numbers, measures and diagrams to collect and record relevant information

An adult will be expected to:• use whole numbers, fractions and decimals to measure and make observations• use space and shape to record information• use numerical information from lists, tables, diagrams and simple charts to help understanding• make observations and record numerical information using a tally• use given materials and methods


At this level, adults can:generate results to a given level of accuracy using given methods, measures and checking procedures appropriate to the specified purpose

An adult will be expected to:use whole numbers• to count, read, write, order and compare numbers

up to 1000• to add and subtract using three-digit numbers• to recall addition and subtraction facts to 20• to multiply two digit whole numbers by single digit

whole numbers• to divide two-digit whole numbers by single-digit

whole numbers and interpret remainders• to recall multiplication facts, eg multiples of 2, 3, 4, 5, 10• to approximate by rounding numbers less than

1000 to the nearest 10 or 100• to estimate answers to calculations• to use and interpret +, –, x,÷ and = in practical

situations for solving problems

use fractions• to read, write and understand common fractions, eg

3/4, 2/3, 1/10• to recognise and use equivalent forms, eg 5/10 = 1/2

use decimals• to read, write and understand decimals up to two

decimal places in practical contexts (such ascommon measures to one decimal place, eg 1.5m,money in decimal notation, eg £2.37)

use common measures• to estimate, calculate and compare money by:

– adding and subtracting sums usingdecimal notation

– rounding sums to the nearest £1, 10p– making approximate calculations

• to read, measure and record time using:– am and pm and common date formats– digital clocks and analogue clocks to the

nearest 5 minute intervals• to read, estimate, measure and compare length,

capacity, weight and temperature using standardand non-standard units, eg distance on road signs,simple scales to the nearest labelled or unlabelleddivision

• to choose and use appropriate units and measuringinstruments

use shape and space• to sort 2-D and 3-D shapes, to solve practical

problems using properties, eg lines of symmetry,side length, angles

use data• to extract numerical information from lists, tables,

diagrams and simple charts• to make numerical comparisons from bar charts

and pictograms• to organise and represent information in different

ways so that it makes sense to others

use a calculator• to calculate using whole numbers and decimals to

solve problems in context• to check calculations


At this level, adults can:present and explain resultsthat meet the intended purpose using appropriate numbers, diagrams, charts and symbols

An adult will be expected to:• use whole numbers, common fractions and decimals to present results• use common measures and units of measure to define quantities• use tables, charts and diagrams to present results, eg for amounts and sizes• use given methods to check results• use given methods to present results use appropriate methods and forms to describe outcomes


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web: www.ccea.org.uke-mail: [email protected]: (028) 9026 1234tel: (028) 9026 1200

Published by Northern Ireland Council for the Curriculum, Examinations and Assessment

© 2003 ISBN 1 85885 835 6

Documents

Entry Level Certificate in Essential Skills - CCEA · Adult Numeracy For first teaching from Autumn 2003 Issued: November 2003 Entry Level Certificate in Essential Skills