Functional Skills maths and English,
delivered the Player Ready way
An add-on to a Player Ready placement: nationally recognised maths and English from Entry Level 3 to Level 2, taught by the mentor the young person already trusts, in the hub they already attend or online 1:1.
For alternative provision, SEND, EOTAS and home-educated learners from Year 9 upwards. Level 2 is the GCSE grade 4 equivalent that opens the next door, without a new building, a new adult or a new journey.
Entry Level 3
Foundations: everyday numbers, reading and writing for life. Where most of our learners restart.
Level 1
Working towards GCSE standard. Often the first exam a learner has ever passed.
Level 2
The GCSE grade 4 equivalent that employers, colleges and apprenticeship providers ask for. The highest Functional Skills level.
Why add it to a placement that is already working
Most of our learners are already in the room. The qualification joins them there.
For the young person
Same mentor, same room
No new adult to trust, no new building to cope with. Maths and English join the sessions they already come to, using the games they already use.
For families
No extra journeys
One place, one timetable. The exam is sat online at the hub or at home, so nobody travels to an exam centre or waits for a summer sitting.
For commissioners
One provider, one invoice
Already on local authority frameworks, with safeguarding, attendance and progress reporting in the portal you use today. Ties in with our NOCN and AQA qualifications.
Two subjects, three ways to take part
Same qualification, same mentor, same platform. The choice is about where the learner already works best.
Functional Skills Maths
Numbers, measures and data as they turn up in a build budget, a loot table or a match statistic. Entry 3 to Level 2, taught through Minecraft, Roblox and code.
Maths page →
Functional Skills English
Reading, writing, and speaking and listening, taught through game guides, reviews, scripts and the pitch deck for the learner's own game.
English page →
In venue, in their group
Functional Skills blocks inside the learner's current group sessions at Plymouth, Exeter, Truro, Taunton or Portsmouth, with their mentor alongside.
In venue, 1:1
Dedicated one-to-one hours at the hub for learners who need the quiet and the full attention, in a space they already know.
Online 1:1
Sessions on Teams with a Player Ready mentor for learners who cannot travel, are anxious in buildings, or live outside our hub areas.
The exam is always online, sat in one of three places: at home, at the hub in a quiet room we set up, or with a mentor sitting alongside to handle the setup and keep the learner settled. How we deliver →
How it works
Six steps from first assessment to certificate.
- 1
Initial assessment
A free online assessment finds the learner's starting level in each subject and recommends Entry 3, Level 1 or Level 2.
- 2
Personal learning plan
A subject knowledge assessment turns the gaps into a plan with revision hours remaining, so learner and mentor can both see the finish line.
- 3
Mentored sessions
Weekly sessions with a Player Ready mentor, in the hub or online. Video lessons, practice and AI-marked topic tests sit inside the session; the mentor keeps it going.
- 4
Mock exams
Full mocks for the chosen awarding body, marked with feedback, until the ExamReady checklist is clear.
- 5
The exam
Booked for a chosen slot and sat online under invigilation, at home or at the hub, with photo ID and a webcam. No exam hall.
- 6
Results and next level
Results by email in 2 to 6 working days. Pass, and the learner moves up a level or on to the next qualification.
Compared with GCSE
Same recognition, a very different route to it.
| Feature | GCSE | Functional Skills |
|---|---|---|
| Accepted UK-wide and Ofqual regulated | Yes | Yes |
| Suitable for adults and Post-16 learners | Yes | Yes |
| Can sit at any time of year | No, May or November | Yes, seven days a week |
| Can sit from home or a Player Ready hub | No, exam centre | Yes, online invigilation |
| Results back quickly | No, August or January | Yes, within 10 working days |
| Content to cover | Full two-year course | Applied skills, about 50 study hours per level |
Exams run through TQUK, Open Awards or City & Guilds, all Ofqual regulated and equally recognised. Level 2 is the highest Functional Skills level; learners who want to go further progress to our NOCN Level 3 route or college.
Reasonable adjustments and accessibility
Built for learners with an EHCP, ADHD, autism, anxiety and the barriers that come with missed school.
On the platform
Colour overlays, a screen reader, adjustable font sizes and an ADHD-friendly mode are built in, and the diagnostic sets the pace per learner.
In the sessions
The mentor already knows the learner's EHCP, triggers and regulation strategies. Sessions are short, game-led and paced to the plan.
In the exam
Extra time and other reasonable adjustments are requested in advance with the EHCP as evidence. The learner can sit with a mentor alongside or at home, never in a hall of strangers.
With other qualifications
Work produced for Functional Skills English also evidences AQA unit awards and NOCN creative units, so one piece of work can count twice.
Questions families and schools ask
Is Level 2 Functional Skills the same as a GCSE?
Level 2 Functional Skills is accepted as equivalent to GCSE grade 4 (the old grade C) by employers, colleges, universities and apprenticeship providers. It is a different qualification with less content and an applied focus, which is why many learners find it more manageable.
Does my child have to go anywhere for the exam?
No. The exam is sat online with a webcam, either at home or at one of our hubs with a mentor nearby. There is no exam centre and no fixed exam season.
What if they fail?
They can resit. The pass mark moves with the paper, mock exams show when a learner is ready, and the mentor will not book the exam until they are.
Can they start at Entry 3 and go up?
Yes. There are no entry requirements, and the initial assessment places the learner at the right level. Each level is its own qualification.
Can they do one subject only?
Yes. Maths and English are separate qualifications. At Level 2 English, reading, writing and speaking and listening can each be sat on their own.
What support is there for an EHCP or extra time?
Reasonable adjustments are available with notice and evidence. Our mentors know the learner, so the request is built into the plan from the start.
How long does it take?
About 50 hours of study per course is recommended. With weekly mentored sessions and practice in between, most learners can be exam-ready within a term.
Which exam board?
TQUK by default for speed of results, or Open Awards and City & Guilds on request. All three are Ofqual regulated and equally recognised.
Add maths and English to a placement
Tell us the learner, the level you think they are at, and where they already work best. We take it from there.
Also see Online AP, Post-16, our venues and safeguarding.