Fiducia TogetherFunctional Skills
Practical English, maths and digital qualifications, at levels below and alongside GCSE.
Please note: This page explains a word or a process in education. It is general information about the system, the law and the guidance in England — not advice about your child, your school or your exam. If a decision is going against you, get advice from one of the free services we link to before you agree to anything or miss a deadline. If you are revising, check your own exam board's specification: boards word things differently and yours is the one that marks you.
What it is
Functional Skills qualifications assess applied English, maths and digital skills at Entry Level and Levels 1 and 2. Level 2 is broadly equivalent to a GCSE grade 4 for many employers and for apprenticeship entry.
Where it applies
Post-16 students, apprentices and adults. Also used pre-16 in some settings.
How it works
They are assessed in practical contexts — reading a timetable, calculating a bill, writing an email — rather than academically, and can be taken at several points in the year rather than only in the summer.
For many students they are a more achievable route to the same door than a fourth GCSE attempt.
What you can ask for
Ask whether Functional Skills or a GCSE resit is the better route for you, and what each unlocks. For most apprenticeships and many jobs, Level 2 Functional Skills is accepted.
Ask when the next assessment window is. Flexible entry is one of the main advantages.
Where to get help
Your college or training provider, and the National Careers Service.
Where to read more
Last reviewed 2026-08-28 by Fiducia Together · Next review due 2027-08-28
Please note: This page explains a word or a process in education. It is general information about the system, the law and the guidance in England — not advice about your child, your school or your exam. If a decision is going against you, get advice from one of the free services we link to before you agree to anything or miss a deadline. If you are revising, check your own exam board's specification: boards word things differently and yours is the one that marks you.