The bureaucratic infrastructure of being an adult. Banking — opening accounts, online and mobile banking, direct debits and standing orders, switching providers. ID — passports, driving licences, proof-of-address documentation, what to keep, what to renew when. Filling forms — government, NHS, council, employer, education provider. Utilities — switching gas, electricity, broadband; the energy price cap; reading meters. Contracts and agreements — phone contracts, gym memberships, subscription services; what to read before signing; how to cancel. The digital admin layer — passwords, two-factor authentication, password managers; saving documents; managing email.
For neurodivergent learners especially, this strand needs explicit teaching — executive-function-supported strategies for staying on top of admin, not just a list of things to do. The pedagogy is that admin is learnable systems, not natural adult skill.
Tested by
Cross-curriculum
- Functional English — Reading adult-life texts (most admin documents are tested by FS L2 Reading content)
- Functional English — Writing (form-filling, formal correspondence)
- Financial Literacy — Banking and financial products (banking is shared territory)
- Employability — Rights, responsibilities, and pay (employer admin, payroll, pension)
Suggested evidence types
- Real-or-mock account opening process (banking app screenshots, or annotated walk-through)
- Personal admin system design (the learner’s own approach — physical folder, app, calendar, password manager)
- Filled-in real form (with consent, anonymised) — passport renewal, council tax, etc.
- Switch-providers comparison task (energy, broadband, mobile)