The Basic Skills Agency has been working with the Qualifications and Curriculum Authority to produce new standards for basic skills. Much work has been done to ensure that there is a clear linkage between the new standards and key skills. They have also looked at the literacy and numeracy frameworks in the National Curriculum and in the National Literacy and Numeracy strategies. They have also tried to link these frameworks to what adults actually need to do in their everyday lives - at work, at home, as parents and as employees.

Consultation and feedback on the standards is welcome.