New qualifications in English and Maths Functional Skills are launched in England in 2019, and now is the time to prepare to teach them.

To help with this the Education and Training Foundation funded the writing and piloting of two Level 5 CPD modules which was done by maths and English experts from the West Midlands Centre for Excellence in Teacher Training (WMCETT), which is based in the Centre for Lifelong Learning at the University of Warwick. The pilots have now been updated to include the finalised Functional Skills content, and are being rolled out across the country.

The Teaching Functional Skills English Level 5 CPD module is a five-day course using the new subject content, including phonics. Those taking it will become conversant with the content, and have the confidence to teach it to learners with skills below Level 2, and support their achievement. By the end of the course, participants will be able to plan teaching and learning in accordance with the new content and motivate and engage reluctant learners to address barriers to their English learning.

The course is suitable for those who are new to teaching Functional English, and those already teaching, but possibly moved from other areas, including vocational teachers and assessors. It is particularly suitable for those who do not hold a subject-specific teaching qualification in English. It is useful for those working in any part of the sector – FE colleges, adult and community learning, independent training providers and offender learning.

One five-day course will start in December at the University of Warwick in Coventry, one will start in central Manchester in mid-January, and a third at the end of January in London, with classes then roughly a week apart. Places cost £400 or £340 for SET members. Organisations with at least 10 members of staff they would like to put on a course can also host a course at a vastly reduced per-person rate.

There is more information about the courses on the WMCETT website, and places can be booked here.

There's also an equivalent maths course, with more information and places to book on a course starting in Halifax in January here .