A8197 - Preparing for Functional Skills English (level 1)

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Start Date: 14/09/2026      End Date: 09/10/2026        Start Time: 12:30      End Time: 15:15        Hours per Week: 7.00      No of Weeks: 4
Fees:      £0.00 (tuition)     £357.00 (overseas)     £0.00 (concessionary)
Tutor: Richard Hollingworth        No of Places: 11
Idea Store Watney Market

Course Overview

Course Overview
Did you know you can prepare for your Functional Skills English Level 1 course and build your confidence before starting the qualification?
This Prepare for Functional Skills English Level 1 course is designed to help you get ready for the full accredited course. You will learn about the key parts of the exam, including reading, writing, and speaking and listening, and start developing the skills you need to succeed.
You will practise everyday communication skills such as writing emails, taking part in discussions, understanding texts, and speaking clearly. You will also learn about the commitment needed for the qualification course, including attendance, homework, and independent study.
Your tutor will support you throughout the course and assess if you are ready to move on to the full Functional Skills English Level 1 course. If you need more time, you can continue developing your skills through our Getting Ready or other non-exam courses.

This twice-a-week course is your chance to level up your reading, writing, speaking, and listening abilities in a fun, practical way.

You’ll explore real-world texts like articles, reports, and instructions, and learn how to write with clarity and purpose whether it’s a formal letter, a persuasive email, or a professional report. You’ll also get hands on with punctuation, technical vocabulary, and literary devices that make your writing more fluent & engaging.

Plus, you’ll practise presenting your ideas, joining discussions, and responding confidently to others. By the end, you’ll feel ready to take on the qualification and move forward whether that’s into work, college, university, or simply communicating with ease in everyday life.

What will you learn and be able to do?

What will you learn and be able to do?
* • Exam skills: Assess your speaking, listening, reading and writing skills against the exam criteria and understand what you need to improve to pass the qualification.
* • Employability skills: Attend classes on time and develop good habits for learning and work.
* • Digital skills: Identify and use basic digital skills needed to succeed on an accredited course.
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Entry requirements

Entry requirements
This course is for learners working at Level 1.
It is suitable for adults aged 19 and over who hold a ESOL Level 1 qualification or be able to demonstrate language at the required level.
This means you will be able to compose a range of texts, both formal and informal, give a presentation, take part in discussions, read or listen and understand a wide range of real-world texts.
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Equipment required

Equipment required
Please bring to every lesson:
• A folder
• Pens & pencils
• Lined A4 paper pad or notebook
• A smartphone (if you have one)
• A reusable water bottle
We will give you the WIFI details in the first lesson.
If you do not have access to a smart phone or a computer, speak to your tutor.

You will also need a personal Gmail account to access the Google classroom, which will be used for submitting coursework and accessing course materials. If you do not have a Gmail account speak to your tutor.
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How will you know you are making progress?

How will you know you are making progress?
From the start of your course, your tutor will talk with you about what you can do well and how you can achieve more. You will receive regular feedback and tutorials guiding you on how to develop your skills. Your studies and work outside the classroom (through Google Classroom) will be essential towards your progression and success on the course. In addition, you will keep a learning diary to form the basis of discussions with your tutor on what you need to work on. You will also develop the skills needed to self-assess and analyse your own strengths and areas for development.
There will be mock and practice exams to guide you. At the end of the course you will take the Pearson Edexcel Functional Skills Qualification in English at Level 2. There are four components that you must pass to gain the qualification.
• Speaking and Listening: Present information and ideas clearly, using appropriate language. Take part in discussions, respond to others, and express opinions with relevant reasons and evidence in different contexts.
• Reading: Select, understand and analyse information from a range of texts. Identify purpose, audience, and bias, and distinguish between fact and opinion while using reference tools where needed.
• Writing: Write clear, well-structured texts for different purposes and audiences. Use appropriate formats, organise ideas into paragraphs, and develop detail using a range of sentence structures.
• Spelling, Punctuation and Grammar: Use accurate spelling, punctuation and grammar, including a range of sentence structures, to ensure writing is clear, coherent and suitable for purpose.
At the end of the course, you will discuss your progress and what to do next with your tutor.
You need to attend at least 90% of your classes.
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There is no exam but there will be a set of assessment tasks to find out if you are prepared enough to transfer onto the exam course.
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Progress opportunities - your next steps

Progress opportunities - your next steps
There are other courses you can do after or at the same time as this course:

• ESOL level 2
• Functional Skills English Level 2
• Functional Skills Maths Level 1 & 2
• English grammar skills: using tenses and sentence structures confidently (level 1)
• English writing skills: improving spelling, punctuation and proofreading (level 1)
• Digital skills Entry 3/Level 1
• Digital skills in the workplace: using Microsoft Office (Excel, Word, PowerPoint)
Please ask your teacher for more information or contact Functional Skills email: functionalskills@towerhamlets.gov.uk
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Other info

Other info
This course will help you build confidence in your everyday life. You will develop important skills such as:
• Communication – speaking and writing clearly and confidently
• Teamwork – working with others in class
• Problem-solving – understanding and completing simple tasks
• Confidence – taking part in activities and trying new things
• Decision-Making - evaluating different options and thinking critically about situations.
• Time Management - managing your time effectively, including setting goals and meeting deadlines.

These skills will support you in your daily life, further learning, and future work opportunities.
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Extra Support

Extra Support
We can help you if you tell us you have a learning difficulty, disability or other support needs. Please tell us when you enrol or in your first class.
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