Functional Skills Exam (2024)

FAQs

How many marks do you need to pass functional skills? ›

Level 1 assessments are designed to have a pass mark in the range of 40-42 marks. Level 2 assessments are designed to have a pass mark in the range of 47-49 marks.

Functional skills are better suited to students who have failed in maths and English; however, that does not mean functional skills are easier. Just like GCSE and any other exams, you will still need to put in the hard work and revision.

Review textbooks or online resources, watch instructional videos, and practice with sample questions and quizzes. This will help you absorb the information more thoroughly and retain the knowledge for the exam. Practice, practice, practice. The key to success in any exam is practice.

Resit process

If you fail your Functional Skills exams don't worry, a failed exam is not the end of the road! If you fail an exam, a subject specialist tutor will get in touch with you to offer support tailored to your individual needs.

Functional Skills assessments are graded as either a 'pass' or 'fail'. There are no proxies and no portfolio elements for these qualifications. All Entry Level examinations are paper-based. They are assessed internally and are moderated by the centre.

You'll have to make a new entry each time for Level 1 and 2. At Entry Level there are three sets of assessments per level for each subject. If a learner does not pass their assessment, they may sit the alternative test, providing there is a gap of at least 14 days.

A level 1 functional skills qualification in maths isn't equivalent to a GCSE but a level is. As the equivalent GCSE grade to a level 1 is a 2/3 it is just below a pass.

It can take as little as 6 weeks to complete your Functional Skills Maths Level 2 course and pass the test. Much quicker than GCSE Maths, especially if you have to wait 6 months to sit your GCSE Maths exams.

Great news! There are no entry requirements for the course. All you need for your learning is access to a computer or tablet and an internet connection. For your exam, you can attend one of our centres, or you can access the exam from home.

What grade is functional skills equivalent to? ›

If you're wondering 'What is Functional Skills Level 1 equivalent to? ' these courses are equivalent to a GCSE Grade D-G (1-3), and Level 2 Functional Skills courses are equivalent to GCSEs at a higher grade.

Can I resit my exam? Yes. There is no limit to the number of times you can take an Edexcel Functional Skills assessment but your school or college may charge you for each attempt. If you're not successful in one of our paper-based exam windows, you can take the exam in one of the next available exam windows.

Assessment structure for paper-based test at Level 1

Assessment duration 1 hour 30 minutes. Marks 16 marks per section.

A level 1 functional skills qualification in maths isn't equivalent to a GCSE but a level is. As the equivalent GCSE grade to a level 1 is a 2/3 it is just below a pass.

The Functional Skills Level 2 qualifications are equal to a GCSE level qualification. Employers and Universities also see them as this and will accept them as an equivalent. The average pass mark for a Functional Skills Level 2 exam is between 50% – 60%, this varies between paper to paper.

A Functional Skills Level 2 is an ofqual regulated qualification equivalent to a pass (4 or C) at GCSE. Everyone is required to achieve a Level 2 in their GCSE Maths and GCSE English to move onto higher education.

The pass percentage for all three levels is 75%. The breakdown of time and marks for each level is as follows: Entry Level 1: Section A – 25 minutes, 8 marks.