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Why the hell have I been entered for a Key Skills exam?

Well I'm retaking GCSE maths at College and the next module test is coming up in about 2 weeks. Fine.

But now we have also been entered for a "Key Skills Level 2 Application of Number" test a week after! What the hell is this about and why am I taking it when I don't apply for key skills in the first place? Apparently EVERYONE is doing it!

Hate it, 2 monday's in a row where I have to be up at 7:30am as opposed to 10:45am :mad:

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Reply 1
This is strange. You could talk to the examinations officer on why you're entered for the key skills exam. By right, you don't take it, as you are doing a retake in GCSE maths.
Reply 2
i know the feeling... they put me in for a Level 3 Coms Key Skill, even tho I do A Level English, Media and Drama, and did Film last year. English gives you the key skill by proxy. it's not fair!
Reply 3
In our school, for people who are doing A-level english or math are exempted from the level 3 key skills test.
What exactly is Key Skills?

I have to do compulsory As-level General Studies but then that's it.. i've heard that some people do key skills but i've never been told about it myself. :confused:
Reply 5
"What exactly is Key Skills?"

I dont know why you have been entered but it's nothing to worry about. level 2 is really simple. the exam is multiple choice and if you've ever turned on a computer you can pass. you may need to do a piece of coursework, this will probably be two pieces and they are basically just two pieces that you can have already done. you just go through them annotating them saying the is _____font and this picture has been textwrapped etc....

the 'coursework' isn't anything to worry about i doesnt take long couple of hours really and you end up with a qualification which says your computer literate.
Reply 6
Along with the key skills exam, you need to compile a portfolio of work that you've done in your subjects that will be relavent to the spec of the key skills.
Johnt
Well I'm retaking GCSE maths at College and the next module test is coming up in about 2 weeks. Fine.

But now we have also been entered for a "Key Skills Level 2 Application of Number" test a week after! What the hell is this about and why am I taking it when I don't apply for key skills in the first place? Apparently EVERYONE is doing it!

Hate it, 2 monday's in a row where I have to be up at 7:30am as opposed to 10:45am :mad:


my sixth form is the same, everyone has to do key skills. You should find the exam okay, our school entered the 3 top sets for maths for AON2 2 years ago to see who'd pass. I wouldn't worry about it.
pixiepeep
i know the feeling... they put me in for a Level 3 Coms Key Skill, even tho I do A Level English, Media and Drama, and did Film last year. English gives you the key skill by proxy. it's not fair!


Same here,my school claims that key skills communication is compulsory! :mad:
I also do French and Welsh,and apparently presentations in a second language cannot count towards it.Surely this is ridiculous because if I can make a speech in a second language then surely I can do it in my first! :confused:
Reply 9
They made us do all the level 2 Key Skills exams on our first day at college (for AS)! It's pretty simple stuff anyway, really nothing to get worked up about.
At my college key skills isn't cumpulsory, but they get mad if you don't go.
Someone I know said that the college gets paid for every student who does key skills.
Is that true?
Reply 11
Robber's ghost
At my college key skills isn't cumpulsory, but they get mad if you don't go.
Someone I know said that the college gets paid for every student who does key skills.
Is that true?


This is true. Everyone did key skills in our school. If someone does Math, English, or ICT, they will be exempted from it, as they get it automatically. If a student does not do these subjects, they are forced to take communication key skills level 3.
Reply 12
zeebiatch
They made us do all the level 2 Key Skills exams on our first day at college (for AS)! It's pretty simple stuff anyway, really nothing to get worked up about.


Level 2? People who passed GCSE subjects (assumingly it's english) should be exempted from level 2 key kills. I thought they would make you do level 3 instead.
Yeh i know, ive got to do IT Key Skills and Communication, its so long...I'ce done the work for it but I didnt see the point of turning up for my IT lessons when i'd already been taught it in yr6 to 9 and I could be getting on woth some work that actually has a point.
Reply 14
Well it was a easy exam, although I buggered up on at least one of the questions because I got Horizontal / Vertical mixed up! (I ALWAYS manage it!)

But not that it matters as I'm certainly not doing any portfolio - especially if it involves the words 'Read' 'All' 'About' and 'It'
I did my key skills level two ICT exam yesterday.
It was easy and I finshed in seven minutes.

After that it was the most boring fifty three minutes of my life.
Reply 16
Robber's ghost
I did my key skills level two ICT exam yesterday.
It was easy and I finshed in seven minutes.

After that it was the most boring fifty three minutes of my life.


7 minutes? What questions did they ask you?
All multiple choice.
Things like whether the text at "A" was left justified or right justified, or how to put something in bold.
God it was boring. And now I have to finish my portfolios.
Reply 18
I had to do my Keyskills ICT exam even thought I've got an A.
I think the government want us all to take a Key Skill exam, which is either Numeracy, Literacy, ICT or something else, nothing to taxing i dont think at least the ICT one wasnt.

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