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Why You Should Study Functional Skills with learndirect

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9th July 26

Are you thinking about taking a Functional Skills exam without any prior study? You may think that it will be a piece of cake. After all, Functional Skills courses are all about common sense, right? Wrong.  

Whilst Functional Skills are based on real-life capabilities and problem-solving, they’re recognised GCSE equivalent qualifications that require you to meet a certain level of Maths and English proficiency in order to pass the Functional Skills exam.  

Functional Skills – especially Functional Skills Level 2 courses – need your time and dedicated study if you want to be awarded your qualification. Sometimes, though, learning alone isn’t enough to secure your success; getting the right support is crucial too.  

That’s why, at learndirect, we not only offer online Functional Skills courses that equip you with all the right knowledge and skills, but Functional Skills course upgrades that give you the specialised support you need to succeed too. When you study Functional Skills with us, you can benefit from tutorials with an expert tutor and the chance to put your knowledge into practice with a mock exam. 

How Useful is Functional Skills Support? 

Everyone out there has their own learning style. Some of us like to be left to it and crack on with our studies at our own pace. Others need a little more guidance and benefit from a tutor walking them through the learning process.  

While independent learners can achieve great success in their studies, those who opt for supported learning tend to come out with a higher result. This is evident in that Functional Skills students who receive specialist tutor support are 31% more likely to pass their Functional Skills exams the first time around than those who learnt alone.  

Why you should study Functional Skills online with learndirect

This is because having an experienced tutor to guide you through your Functional Skills learning journey allows you to track your progress and measure how well you’re doing more accurately. It also takes the guesswork out of the Functional Skills exams, as tutors dedicate their time to ensuring that you’re 100% prepared for whatever the Functional Skills assessment throws your way.  

What Happens in a Functional Skills Tutorial? 

If you opt for the Functional Skills course upgrade that includes on-demand and live classes, you will benefit from Functional Skills tutorials that help you get the most out of your study experience.  

Functional Skills tutorials last an hour and are an opportunity to spend some time with one of our specialist tutors on a one-to-one basis. Using our virtual classroom technology, you can go through any part of the Functional Skills course that you’re stuck on with a Functional Skills expert and receive personalised guidance and support, as well as talk through the best ways of addressing certain Functional Skills questions or problems. 

Once you have completed your Functional Skills course material, completing a mock exam is an ideal way of seeing how well you have grasped the material. The Functional Skills mock assessment will then be marked by one of our qualified tutors, who will give you valuable and detailed feedback and assess whether you’re ready to sit the real Functional Skills exam or not.  

If you’re not quite exam-ready, they will provide you with details on any areas you need to revise before you take the official Functional Skills exam so that you can pass with flying colours. 

What Our Learners Think of Functional Skills Support 

Hundreds of Functional Skills students have already benefited from the extra support they have received. Here’s a look at what just some of them are saying about their experience:  

“The support I have received both [on] the course and technically has been outstanding.” - Abigail Lawley via Trustpilot 

“Very friendly team, polite and competent. All the time ready to help. Thank you.” - Yordanka Radeva via Trustpilot  

“[With learndirect] I have the opportunity of learning and solving mathematical questions in the simplest form, which helps me to comprehend [the material much] faster.” - Dorrin Lucky Aigbe via Trustpilot 

At learndirect, we can help you realise your ambitions with our Functional Skills courses. 

Check out our free online course brochures!

Not Quite Ready for Functional Skills? 

If you’re looking to complete a Functional Skills English or Functional Skills Maths qualification, whether it’s to meet university entry requirements or boost your literacy and numeracy abilities, chances are English and Maths aren’t your favourite subjects.  

Many people struggle with literacy and numeracy and find that their lacking confidence and capabilities in these areas hinder them in both their personal and professional lives. While Functionals Skills English and Maths courses are easier to learn – because the content is more practical than it is academic – they can still be challenging for learners who haven’t completed English and Maths studies for some time.  

Thankfully, learndirect has a solution for that too! In order to give you the highest chance of success when studying Functionals Skills Level 2 English or Maths, we are providing free English and Maths courses that are designed to bring your literacy and numeracy skills up to speed.  

With these free online courses, you can confidently enrol on Functional Skills English Level 2, and Functional Skills Maths Level 2, and be well on the way to getting GCSE grade equivalents in no time! 

What’s Involved in the Free English and Maths Courses? 

The free English and Maths courses on offer through learndirect are designed to re-introduce you to the fundamentals of practical English and Maths. As such, they run you through the basics of critical areas in both subjects, to give you a stronger foundation knowledge ahead of completing Functional Skills Level 2 courses.  

Both the free English and Maths courses are broken down as below:  

Free English Course - Units 

  • Introduction to Level 1 English Fundamentals 
  • Level 1 Reading Fundamentals 
  • Level 1 Writing Fundamentals 
  • Level 1 Speaking, Listening and Communicating Fundamentals 

Free online courses learndirect

Free Maths Course - Units 

  • Introduction to Level 1 Maths Fundamentals 
  • Level 1 Number Fundamentals 
  • Level 1 Measure, Shape and Space Fundamentals 
  • Level 1 Handling Data Fundamentals 

All the units in our free English and Maths courses are delivered through a series of online lessons, which you can access easily from the comfort of home. Once completed, you will be ready to enrol on the next stage and complete your Functional Skills Level 2 studies. 

Study With learndirect Today! 

As the UK’s leading distance learning provider, you can rest assured that our online training courses are some of the best there are. Our goal is to make education accessible for all and that’s why our online learning courses are designed to be completed in a way that suits your needs.  

No matter if you have existing commitments, can only study on certain days of the week, need more professional support with your learning or otherwise, our online courses put your education and your future in your hands.  

Learn on your terms and work towards achieving your goals today! What are you waiting for? Contact our team to discuss our Functional Skills Courses, or the free English and Maths courses you can study to prepare by calling our Course Advisors on 01202 006 464, contacting them online. Alternatively, click below to download our FREE Functional Skills course brochure! 

Functional Skills online courses learndirect

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