Christmas office closure: We’re closing for the Christmas break from 5pm on Monday 23 December 2024 until 8:30am on Thursday 2 January 2025. Learn more.
Functional Skills
Why choose us for Functional Skills?
On-demand assessment
Both paper-based and online assessment are available on-demand. This means you can choose a date and time that suits each of your learners.
- Online: can be booked same day as registration and open for up to 42 days for flexibility.
- Paper-based: can be booked five working days before assessment date with 24 hours of flexibility either side.
- Remote invigilation (online): can be booked 48 hours before start date and sat within a 42-day window at any time and on any day.
Initial assessment in 30 minutes
Our One Assessment tool can deliver an accurate initial assessment for both English and maths in 30 minutes, so you can identify your learners’ levels and skills gaps in a single assessment.
Free support package for staff
Benefit from onboarding and curriculum support from our in-house Provider Development team. Our English and maths specialists deliver free CPD sessions, webinars and events to support you in your Functional Skills delivery. Plus, we offer bespoke booking system for training for exam staff and tailored training for skills assessment and diagnostic tools.
Full suite of teaching resources
We provide interactive teaching and learning resources for all levels that includes schemes of work, session plans, PowerPoints, videos, individual skills plans and more.
Plus, free online learner feedback reports, no charge for a first re-sit per assessment, and free transfer of Direct Claim Status (DCS).
Get in touch
Our Functional Skills qualifications
English Entry Level 1/2/3
Functional Skills English qualifications enable learners to develop confidence and fluency in, and a positive attitude towards, English. Learners will be able to competently use English in the real world and gain a sound grasp of basic English knowledge and skills. They also help learners progress into employment or further technical education and develop skills for everyday life. They’re suitable for a range of learners and are fundamental for completing various qualifications and frameworks, such as Foundation Learning.
The Department for Education (DfE) sets content for Functional Skills qualifications. View the Functional Skills criteria list.
English Level 1/2
Functional Skills English qualifications enable learners to develop confidence and fluency in, and a positive attitude towards, English. Learners will be able to competently use English in the real world and gain a sound grasp of basic English knowledge and skills. They also help learners progress into employment or further technical education and develop skills for everyday life. They’re suitable for a range of learners and are fundamental for completing various qualifications and frameworks, such as Foundation Learning.
The Department for Education (DfE) sets content for Functional Skills qualifications. View the Functional Skills criteria list.
Maths Entry Level 1/2/3
Functional Skills English qualifications enable learners to develop confidence and fluency in, and a positive attitude towards, English. Learners will be able to competently use English in the real world and gain a sound grasp of basic English knowledge and skills. They also help learners progress into employment or further technical education and develop skills for everyday life. They’re suitable for a range of learners and are fundamental for completing various qualifications and frameworks, such as Foundation Learning.
The Department for Education (DfE) sets content for Functional Skills qualifications. View the Functional Skills criteria list.
Maths Level 1/2
Functional Skills maths qualifications enable learners to gain confidence in using mathematics. They provide a foundation for learners to progress into employment or further technical education and develop skills for everyday life. Learners will show a sound grasp of the basic and underpinning maths skills for each level, and apply mathematical thinking to solve simple problems in familiar situations.
The Department for Education (DfE) sets content for Functional Skills qualifications. View the Functional Skills criteria list.
Why choose NCFE?
When you decide to work with us, you’re choosing:
- Products and services developed by experts in their fields who understand sector skills gaps, as well as current and future employer requirements
- The best possible start for your learners, who will master the skills they need to progress in work and in life, across a lifetime of learning
- Deep expertise in a number of specialist sectors, with a network of collaborators delivering transformational learning experiences in these areas
- Skills diagnostic and assessment tools, developed to help you support your learners’ individual needs
- Customer service with a 96% satisfaction rate and world-class Net Promoter Score (NPS)*
- Clear service-level agreements, multi-channel service, end-to-end support with dedicated account management and transparent pricing
- A educational charity with a 170-year heritage in vocational and technical learning.
*NCFE has an NPS of 81, putting us in the world-class category. Our customer satisfaction score (CSAT) is 4.83 out of 5. Statistics correct as of January 2022
*Please note, our Functional Skills products can be purchased as part of a bundle through our FAST offer - find out more