Digital Functional Skills

Digital Functional Skills is a 55 GLH qualification at Entry Level 3 and Level 1. NCFE’s qualification will include: 

• qualification specifications 
• sample assessments 
• on-demand online assessment  
• both levels assessed by external assessment 
• results in 6 working days* 
• remote invigilation. 

*results will be outside of 6 working days for the initial run of assessments while papers go through the awarding process 

Alongside the qualification and our sector-leading support that you're familiar with, we’ll also have the following resources to support the delivery of the qualification: 

• initial/diagnostic assessments  
• quality dashboard (an Ofsted level reporting tool) 
• individual learner skills plans  
• teaching and learning resources 
• schemes of work. 

If you’re already approved for our Functional Skills qualifications, you’ll automatically be given approval for Digital Functional Skills. 

The Department for Education (DfE) has clearly set out the differences between the two qualifications, as follows:

• Essential Digital Skills qualifications are smaller (30 to 50 GLH) when compared with Digital Functional Skills qualifications (55 GLH).
• Essential Digital Skills qualifications are not required to cover all the skills statements in each skill area of the national standards whereas Digital Functional Skills assessments are designed to cover all subject content statements.
• The main purpose of Digital Functional Skills is that they will prepare for employment and further study whereas Essential Digital Skills are more aimed at supporting people in their everyday life.

The key difference between NCFE’s Essential Digital Skills and Digital Functional Skills is within the assessment:

• Essential Digital Skills has a controlled assessment. Therefore, NCFE creates the assessment, the centre marks and internally quality assures the assessment, and then NCFE reviews the assessment through our EQA process.
• For Digital Functional Skills, NCFE creates the assessment, marks the assessment and issues the results, which speeds up the process and reduces the administration burden for centres.

Functional Skills ICT will be available until 31 July 2023 for registrations. Like the English and maths legacy qualifications, the qualification will remain live for assessments for 12 months before final certification on 31 July 2024. 

DFSQ at Entry Level 3 and Level 1 has been available for delivery since August 2023.