Functional Skills English and Maths with Riverside
This section highlights the various equivalents to functional skill exemptions, help, and guidance and how Riverside will support you through to completion of the functional skills if required.
Functional Skills with Riverside
Passes in Functional Skills Maths and English have become essential for progression in the workplace and they are also an integral part of apprenticeships. However, many of us leave school without qualifications in Maths and English. The school system doesn’t work for all learners. Sometimes we haven’t realised how important Maths and English are going to be to our future. Occasionally there is a barrier to learning one or both of these essential skills.
If an apprentice undertaking a Level 3+ Standard has not previously achieved an A*-C in GCSE or equivalent in English and maths, they must work towards their Level 2 Functional Skills.
Riverside will support you through the functional skills Maths and/or English alongside your apprenticeship. You will be designated a Learning Development Coach to support and complete the functional skill/s.
To begin the process we will get you to complete an initial assessment and diagnostic assessment through BKSB to get an understanding of where you’re skills are currently at.
The video below explains in great detail how BKSB works.
Once we have an understanding of where and what level you are at we will create a bespoke learning plan tailored to you.
Below are the qualifications we will complete with you if you are undertaking a Level 3+ Standard and you are unable to evidence completion of English and/or Maths.
City and Guild English Level 2
- 100% Online learning with monthly visits with your learning Development Coach
- 55 Guided Learning Hours (Roughly 6 months depending on experience)
- Access to mock exams
City and Guild Maths Level 2
- 100% Online learning with monthly visits with your learning Development Coach
- 55 Guided Learning Hours (Roughly 6 months depending on experience)
- Access to mock exams
FAQ - I have completed a Maths and/or English qualification but I'm unsure if I would be exempt from the functional skill/s
Check the Functional skill exemption checker below to see if your qualification will exempt you from either Level 2 English/Maths
Help
Overseas qualifications
Overseas qualifications will be acceptable where there is clear evidence from UK ENIC that the qualification is an equivalent level and grade to the minimum
requirements for English and maths. In order to be acceptable the evidence must confirm that the qualification achieved is:
• comparable with the relevant English framework level (Regulated Qualifications Framework Level 1 / Level 2)
• comparable with the relevant English qualification (GCSE)
• comparable with the required minimum grades (for instance A* to C / 9 to 4 for level 2 and E / 2 for level 1)
• and additional comparison information confirmed (that the qualification is GCSE English and/or maths equivalent)
Such evidence may be from a statement of comparability (which also confirms the student name and date grade/qualification awarded and whether this is comparable to GCSE A* to C / 9 to 4) or it may be from the UK ENIC International Comparisons database. Where the UK ENIC database is used, this will only confirm the equivalency of the qualification to GCSE English and/or maths it will not confirm that this is the qualification the individual achieved.
Other aceptable evidence?
If an apprentice does not have a certificate and/or a provisional notification of results or a statement of results from the awarding organisation, You can get a replacement certificate from the relevant awarding
organisation (there will be a cost for this).
If it is not possible to obtain a replacement certificate, We can accept one of the following as evidence of achievement in English and/or maths
• A report generated from the apprentice’s Personal Learning Record (PLR)
• A National Record of Achievement (NRA), which must contain relevant awarding organisation verifiable achievement
These types of evidence must contain as a minimum: the apprentice’s full name, the full name of qualification (including awarding organisation name and/or qualification number), the grade awarded (where applicable), and the date of achievement. In some cases, providers may need to validate the date of birth of the apprentice though other appropriate evidence.
A statement of results on headed paper from a school, college, or other provider is not acceptable evidence of achievement in English and/or maths.
Changes of name
The apprentice must evidence a change of name with one of the following evidence if your name differs from what is on your Maths/English evidence.
- Marriage or civil partnership certificate
- Deed poll or change of name deed
- Full Gender Recognition Certificate (GRC)