How improving your maths could help
- Improve your confidence dealing with money and budgeting
- Secure a place in further education
- Secure a job
- Secure a promotion
- Allow you to support your children with their homework
Adult Education Service
Address: Southfields Old SchoolSouth Street
Coventry
CV1 5EJ
GCSE or Functional Skills â What is the difference?
We offer a choice of GCSE or Functional Skills in maths. Which one is right for you?
The GCSE exams are better known, so if you need a maths qualification to help you get a job this is the best option in the long run. There are several reasons why you might prefer to start with functional skills:
- Functional Skills Level 2 is counted as equivalent to GCSE grade 4. This is a high enough level for many jobs.
- If you need a qualification quickly, we can enter you for functional skills as soon as you are ready. You can only sit GCSE once a year when the schools do them. This is around late May and early June.
- Functional Skills has more levels, so if you are not ready for GCSE you can work your way up by doing Functional Skills exams.
- You must pass an assessment to do GCSE with us. Functional Skills is open to everyone.
- Functional Skills focuses on more everyday maths. GCSE is more theoretical.
Adult Education Service
Address: Southfields Old SchoolSouth Street
Coventry
CV1 5EJ
Functional Skills maths classes
Maths skill level
It doesn’t matter what standard your maths is, we can help! We accommodate anything from absolute beginners up to pre-GCSE level in our Functional Skills classes.
Course costs
Functional Skills maths courses are free, as long as you meet the eligibility criteria [https://www.coventry.gov.uk/adult-education/eligibility-courses-fees/2].
Course location
Maths Functional Skill classes run at a number of popular city venues but we also offer online classes.
Course dates
We run classes during the school term times.
Maths classes will start in mid-September and will continue through Spring and Summer terms.
Classes are normally one session per week, and we have them available every weekday.
- Morning classes are from 9.15 until 11.45am
- Afternoon classes are from 12.30pm until 3pm
- Evening classes are from 6pm until 8.30pm
Entry requirements
There are no formal entry requirements, but your English needs to be good enough that you can understand what is being said in class and can read the exam paper. We expect that you should have English at Entry Level 3 or above.
Qualifications
We offer five levels of Functional Skills maths qualifications.
The least difficult is Entry Level 1 and the most challenging is Level 2 which is classed as equivalent to a GCSE Grade 4 (what used to be a Grade C).
When enrolling you will be asked why you want to do maths (your goal) and depending on your goal you will be guided on the qualification level best suited to your needs.
Sign up for a course
You can book a place on an enrolment session [http://coventry.council.bookingbug.com/home/37022-AES-Pre-Course-Assessment-Live]. This will ask you to choose the venue where you would like your appointment and then ask you to choose the day and time that suits you.
If you don’t feel able to apply online, please ring our Learner Services team on 024 7697 5200.
ID needed to enrol
You will need to prove your identity and that you meet the grant eligibility criteria [https://www.coventry.gov.uk/adult-education/eligibility-courses-fees/2]. To do this we need to see some ID
- If you are a UK National, please bring your birth certificate, driving licence or British passport.
- If you are an EU citizen, please bring your passport/ID card and a share code generated within the last 90 days.
- if you are currently seeking Asylum, please bring your ARC card and Aspen card (if applicable).
- Otherwise, you will need to generate a sharecode for your online eVisa document to prove your residency status.
- (If you have not yet applied for your eVisa, please bring your residence permit (BRP), passport with visa or whatever documentation you have that shows your residency status.)
Adult Education Service
Address: Southfields Old SchoolSouth Street
Coventry
CV1 5EJ
GCSE maths classes
Entry requirements
To secure a place on the course you will need to pass an assessment that requires you to be working at around Functional Skills Level 2.
Your English needs to be good enough that you can understand what is being said in class and can read the exam paper (so should be at least Functional Skills Level 1).
Course costs
If you meet the grant eligibility criteria [https://www.coventry.gov.uk/adult-education/eligibility-courses-fees/2] and do not already have a grade ‘C’ GCSE in maths (or grade 4 if you’ve studied the new curriculum), then the course is free.
If you do not meet the grant eligibility criteria or already have a grade ‘C’ (or grade 4) GCSE in maths and are looking to improve your grade, then get in touch with us by emailing AESessentialSkills@coventry.gov.uk [mailto:AESessentialSkills@coventry.gov.uk] and we can discuss costs with you.
Course dates
We are offering Maths classes in the 2025 - 2026 academic year.
GCSE classes will start the week beginning Monday 15 September.
The exam dates will be:
- 14 May 2026
- 3 June 2026
- 10 June 2026
Course content
This course covers the entire school maths curriculum in under 75 hours of teaching. That’s a lot to get through! Most of our students find the course quite demanding.
You will be expected to complete homework every week. You will often find that you need to do extra study and practise before you are able to complete the homework.
You should allow for at least 5 hours of home study a week.
Enrolment
Prospective GCSE learners should have a minimum of GCSE grade D/3 or Functional Skills level 1 and must pass a pre-course assessment before starting the course. If you have been away from education for a while or have no qualifications but are confident in your everyday skills, come and talk to us. Passing the pre-course assessment is the criteria for being offered a place on a course. We will take learners for one GCSE only (you cannot do both maths and English GCSE with us in the same year). However, if you are uncertain which GCSE to apply for, you are welcome to sit both assessments to enable you to make an informed decision.
Sign up for a course
You can book a place on an enrolment session [http://coventry.council.bookingbug.com/home/37022-AES-Pre-Course-Assessment-Live]. This will ask you to choose the venue where you would like your appointment and then ask you to choose the day and time that suits you.
If you don’t feel able to apply online, please ring our Learner Services team on 024 7697 5200 OR phone Matt Towner on 024 7697 1093 or via email at AESessentialSkills@coventry.gov.uk [mailto:AESessentialSkills@coventry.gov.uk]
ID needed to enrol
You will need to prove your identity and that you meet the grant eligibility criteria [https://www.coventry.gov.uk/adult-education/eligibility-courses-fees/2]. To do this we need to see some ID
- If you are a UK National, please bring your birth certificate, driving licence or British passport.
- If you are an EU citizen, please bring your passport/ID card and a share code generated within the last 90 days.
- if you are currently seeking Asylum, please bring your ARC card and Aspen card (if applicable).
- Otherwise, you will need to generate a sharecode for your online eVisa document to prove your residency status.
- (If you have not yet applied for your eVisa, please bring your residence permit (BRP), passport with visa or whatever documentation you have that shows your residency status.)
Exams for private students
Email us on AESessentialSkills@coventry.gov.uk [mailto:AESessentialSkills@coventry.gov.uk] and we'll get in touch to discuss this in more detail.
Exam board
We use the AQA exam board.
Adult Education Service
Address: Southfields Old SchoolSouth Street
Coventry
CV1 5EJ
Short maths brush-up classes
If you are thinking about improving your maths but the thought of joining a maths class worries you, we can help! We are running short five-week courses aimed at improving maths confidence. This may lead to joining a Functional Skills class later in the year, but it could just be about building up your skills in a non-pressured environment. You will learn about how to work with everyday maths, from the weekly shop to planning that DIY project you’ve been putting off!
Sign up for a course
You can book a place on an enrolment session [http://coventry.council.bookingbug.com/home/37022-AES-Pre-Course-Assessment-Live]. This will ask you to choose the venue where you would like your appointment and then ask you to choose the day and time that suits you.
If you don’t feel able to apply online, please ring our Learner Services team on 024 7697 5200.
All classes will need viable numbers and after enrolments you may be asked to consider moving to a different day/time if your class doesn’t have enough enrolments. Managers will aim to meet the needs of all learners.
For more information about maths classes, please email AESessentialSkills@coventry.gov.uk [mailto:AESessentialSkills@coventry.gov.uk].
Adult Education Service
Address: Southfields Old SchoolSouth Street
Coventry
CV1 5EJ
Maths for Visually Impaired
- Specialist Maths classes with access to assistive technology are held at Cheylesmore Community Centre on alternate years.
- Braille: Learn or improve your Braille skills. Classes are primarily for learners with visual impairment, who will be given priority, but places may be available for other interested learners.
For further information please contact the Adult Education main office on 024 7697 5200 to speak with admin support or email AESessentialSkills@coventry.gov.uk [mailto:AESessentialSkills@coventry.gov.uk]