www.basic-skills.co.uk

The Basic Skills Agency (BSA) promotes the development of skills fundamental to an individual to enable them to work in the UK. They identify ‘basic skills’ as the ability to read, write and speak in English / Welsh and to use mathematics at a level necessary to function and progress at work and in society in general.

The BSA is a non-profit organisation funded by the government Department for Education and Skills and the Welsh Assembly Government. They are independent, placing great emphasis on their capacity to provide valuable criticism of government policies.

The organisation developed quality standards for schools, family literacy and numeracy programmes, work with voluntary and community organisations as well as open learning, financial literacy, and workplace basic skills programmes.

The BSA work with families to raise standards and motivate learners of all ages, they have formulated programmes that focus on the parent’s /carer’s own skills (Early Start), or help parents develop their skills to help their children with the early stages of learning. Their objective is to support teachers of basic skills across sectors and age groups and take a “cradle to grave” approach to improving standards.

www.basic-skills.co.uk