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What are Functional Skills?

Functional Skills are practical skills in English and Maths. Here at CTS our Fictional skills provide you with the essential knowledge, skills and understanding need to study at university, work and life.

We offer Functional skills qualifications at level 2. Each subject area, has a set of performance standards on three key areas:

English:  Key areas:

  • Speaking and listening – making an oral presentation or report.
  • Reading – reading and understanding information and instructions.
  • Writing – writing accurately so that meaning is clear.

Maths:  Key areas:

  • Representing – making sense of a situation and representing it mathematically.
  • Analysing – processing and using Maths.
  • Interpreting- interpreting and communicating the results of analysis

What is an Access Course?

Our CTS Access to Higher Education Diploma is a nationally-recognized Level 3 qualification designed to prepare adults to study in higher education. The Diploma could help you to get into higher education or give you a second chance at a graduate career by giving you an introduction to a different subject area.

Courses are designed, in particular, for people who have been out of education for some time, especially those who left school with too few qualifications to be able to go straight to university. Access to HE courses provide a good foundation in the knowledge and skills required for studying at university level, so that students are confident and well prepared when they go on to higher education.

Access to HE courses are available in England, Wales and Northern Ireland. You can study at a college or with a training provider, or at home through distance-learning. The Quality Assurance Agency for Higher Education (QAA) regulates Access to HE Diplomas.

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