Functional Skills English (Fast Track) 2024-25

This course is designed for people who have a high standard of English and require level 2 Functional skills for work or to gain entry to a level 3 or HE course. It is taught across one week with the exams taken on the Friday. Students taking this course need to demonstrate their commitment by completed tasks before the course starts and preparing for their speaking and listening assessments in advance. If this option is not for you, we also deliver Functional Skills at our Willerby Grove and Houghall campuses during the year.

Speaking and listening
Writing for a purpose
Reading texts and extracting key information
Spelling, punctuation and grammar

Many employers and universities require their staff/students to hold qualifications in both maths and English at level 2.

Many students who are successful on this course either go on to study a level 3 course or progress to Higher Education. Alternatively, it is possible to study GCSE English.

You do not need to hold any previous qualifications for this course, however you cannot study this programme if you already have a level 2 qualification in English. At enrolment you will be diagnostically assessed to see if your skills are at a high enough level to take the fast track option. If successful, you would need to complete an online course and English tasks before the course starts.

Our entry requirements are in place to support our students in achieving the qualifications they have chosen to study. In addition to the entry requirements, all students will be regularly assessed by East Durham College at an early stage in their study programme. This is to ensure that students are enrolled onto courses which suit their abilities – following assessment, there may be occasions when students are transferred to a relevant course at a higher or lower level in order to ensure they are enrolled on to the right course for them to achieve and progress.

Entry onto any course at EDC may have entry requirements in addition to exam results; this includes but is not limited to DBS checks, references, fitness to practice and at times physical requirements to be capable of achieving the practical elements of the course without assistance. Entry onto any course at East Durham College is subject to final approval from the Assistant Principal.

Formal assessment will include online/paper based exams and a speaking and listening assessment. These will take place at East Durham College.

Start June 2025 - Please register your interest to be invited in for an assessment. Please note - you need to show you are currently working at Level 2 to be accepted onto the course and also be available for the full week Monday to Friday.

One week intensive classroom delivery. Monday - Friday, 9.30-4.00.