The Key Skills Qualification external assessment

• Levels 1 and 2
• Levels 3 and 4

Level 1 and 2 example tests for communication, application of number and ICT

Purpose of the pack

This pack has been prepared to assist awarding bodies and centres to prepare for the Key Skills Qualification. The tests should be used in conjunction with the individual key skills specifications to help gauge the demand or pitch of each key skill at each level. The pack is also intended to provide guidance on the coverage of each test and the type and range of questions used.

Structure of the tests

At present all tests at levels 1 and 2 have a fixed response format and consist of forty items. In the main the items are clustered around a series of common scenarios designed to provide a realistic context or focus to encourage candidates to select and apply their skills. Each test has forty items to ensure that each test provides sufficient coverage of the knowledge, skills, techniques and understanding of each key skill and so increase the reliability of measuring candidate performance.

Each test is set at a specified level and is reported on a pass/fail basis. The pass marks for the tests in this pack are set at awarding meetings where the quantitative data and qualitative information on each question are used to set the pass boundaries. It is anticipated that when the qualification is made generally available tests for each key skill at each level will have been standardised in advance and this together with more data will enable awarding bodies to give centres specific advice on the pass/fail boundaries.

Each test is scheduled to last for an hour but most candidates are expected to finish well within the time allowed. Each test is taken under supervised conditions designed to ensure the integrity of each candidate's work.

Candidates were not allowed to use aids such as dictionaries or electronic calculators to complete these tests. Awarding body arrangements for candidates with special requirements were applied to these tests.

QCA recognises that centres may wish to use the exemplar test papers as "mocks" for candidates. Hence, for security reasons, the mark schemes for the tests have not been posted on the website. If you would like to obtain a copy of the mark scheme for a particular test, please contact your key skills awarding body.

= downloadable PDF file.

	Application of number	Communication	Information technology
Set one
Level 1
Level 2
Set two
Level 1
Level 2

Further support

These exemplar tests are part of a series of publications from QCA designed to support the introduction of the Key Skills Qualification. Other publications include 'Guidance on the key skills, level 4 published in February 2001, and 'Guidance on the wider key skills' published in March 2001.

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Level 3 and 4 example tests for communication, application of number and ICT

The example tests should be used in conjunction with the individual key skills specifications at level 3 and 4 to help gauge the demand of pitch of each key skill at each level.

Each test is set at a specified level and is reported on a pass/ fail basis. The pass marks for the example tests were set at awarding meetings where the quantitative data and qualitative information on each question were used to set the pass boundaries.

Level 3 tests are scheduled to last for an hour and a half, and level 4 for two and a half hours, but most candidates are expected to finish well within the time allowed. The tests are taken under supervised conditions designed to ensure the integrity of each candidate's work.

Mark Schemes

Mark schemes for these example tests can be obtained on request from your awarding body.

QCA recognises that centres may wish to use the exemplar test papers as "mocks" for candidates. Hence, for security reasons, the mark schemes for the tests have not been posted on the website. If you would like to obtain a copy of the mark scheme for a particular test, please contact your key skills awarding body.

= downloadable PDF file.

	Application of number	Communication	Communication source booklets	Information communication technology
Set 1
Level 3
Level 4
Set 2
Level 3

Further Support

These example tests are part of a series of publications from QCA designed to support the introduction of the new key skills. Guidance on the key skills tests is available on the QCA website, and provides further amplification of Part A of the key skill specifications - "What you need to know".

Other publications including 'Guidance on the key skills, level 1- 4' and the 'Guidance on the wider key skills' are also available. Further support material for centres are being produced by the Key Skills Support Programme. Details of these materials and of the support programme itself can be found on the Key Skills Support Programme's website.

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