Free English functional skills courses* 

Many jobs ask you to have good English skills. If you don’t have an English GCSE, it can sometimes hold you back from getting the job you really want. A functional skills qualification boosts your skills and builds confidence in English.  

Skip to courses

Skills for communication - reading, writing and listening

Advance your reading, writing and listening skills. Grow your vocabulary and refresh your knowledge of grammar. Functional skills qualifications builds you up the next level of your work or education.  

This isn’t like being back at school. You’ll gain communication skills that you’ll use in everyday life or work.  

Learn how to read official letters and complete complicated forms with ease. Study how to communicate and present your ideas clearly. Help the kids with their homework. Improve your public speaking. 

A different approach to learning

You’ll learn in small classes, with supportive tutors who can tailor teaching to your individual needs. You will be supported by your tutor to prepare for 3 assessments for the Functional Skills English qualification - speaking, listening and communication, reading and writing. These will take place during your course.

If you're looking for courses that are free but have great teaching, learn with us. Start your journey today and work up to your functional skills English level two qualification. 

Improving your writing and reading skills as an adult opens the door to new opportunities. 

A practical qualification

Gain the qualification and confidence needed to get into good jobs or go on to further education. Want to get functional skills English and maths qualifications together? Book yourself onto a maths course as well. 

*Over 90% of applicants for skills courses do not need to pay a fee. Subject to status - courses are free for unemployed people, job seekers and people on low wage. If you do not qualify you will be alerted during the application process.

Displaying 31 - 33 of 33

Please enter your postcode

In order for us to give you accurate results for your courses, please click on the Search options and enter your postcode and the mile radius for your search.

Refine search

Search these results

Subject, keyword, course code, tutor or branch

How you'll learn

Your location

Please enter your postcode or town for your search in the boxes below.

We have defaulted the search to ten miles, but you can change this number in the box as you wish.

Got it!

Sort by start date

Choose to sort the course start date in ascending order (furthest away dates first) or descending (most recent dates first)

Got it!

Results per page

Categories

Subcategories

Days

Other filters

Part of day
Level of study
Availability
Search for the branch name/location, without adding branch e.g. Barnet

Functional Skills English Level 1

This course is funded by the Department for Education and only open to residents living in non devolved authorities. Develop skills to help you read, write, and communicate in English with confidence. Improved language skills open doors to work and study opportunities and help you learn key skills for employment. Level 1 functional skills courses are not like learning English at school. They’re created by adults for adults, and aim to teach you practical English skills through real-life situations. Strengthen your writing skills and learn reading techniques to help you tackle everyday situations at work or while studying. This adult English course helps you develop your language skills through real-life situations. Functional Skills level 1 is a government-funded accredited English course for adults. Functional Skills qualifications are free if you don't already have a GCSE in English or Maths at grades A*-C, or 4-9. We'll check your level and any previous qualifications before you start. This ensures you are on the correct course.
View details

Course Information

Dates:
Mon 30/11/2026 -
Fri 05/03/2027
Times:
9:30am - 12:00pm
Duration:
22 sessions
Location:
Clovelly Centre (Southampton)
60-68 Clovelly Road
Southampton
SO14 0AU
Tutor:
TBC T.B.C
Course code:
Q00027597
How you'll learn:
In venue
Availability:
8 places remaining
Status:
Available
Fee range
Funding available - £440.00

English for Learning and Life

This course is funded by the Greater Manchester Combined Authority and is only available to residents living within the Greater Manchester Combined Authority area. English for Learning and Life is a pre‑entry course designed to help learners build the early language, confidence and study skills needed for everyday life in the UK and for progression to the Get Ready for ESOL course. Learners develop essential skills such as recognising familiar words, understanding simple classroom language, and using basic English to communicate needs in routine situations. The course introduces simple reading and writing tasks, supports learners to build confidence in group activities and helps them develop early learning habits. It provides a supportive first step for learners who are new to English or new to learning.
View details

Course Information

Dates:
Tue 01/12/2026 -
Thu 21/01/2027
Times:
12:30pm - 3:00pm
Duration:
18 sessions
Location:
Manchester Chinese Centre (Ardwick)
67 Ardwick Green North
Ardwick
M12 6FX
Tutor:
Rukhsar Azam
Course code:
Q00027289
How you'll learn:
In venue
Availability:
10+ places remaining
Status:
Available
Fee range
Funding available - £360.00

Functional Skills English Level 2

This course is funded by the Greater Manchester Combined Authority and is only available to residents living within the Greater Manchester Combined Authority area. There are many reasons to study this English functional skills course but you might be surprised to know that they’re not academic. Whether you want to feel more confident at public speaking or would like to study an apprenticeship or traineeship, this Level 2 English Functional Skills course can help you achieve your goals in a fun and practical way. Functional skills courses teach you English skills for learning, life, and work- not just to pass an exam. Enjoy the learning process as you watch your vocabulary grow, your spelling improve, and your confidence soar. If you’re fed up with academic courses and want to learn English in a practical and gratifying way, you won’t regret taking this English functional skills level 2 course. Functional Skills qualifications are free if you don't already have a GCSE in English or Maths at grades A*-C, or 4-9. We'll check your level and any previous qualifications before you start. This ensures you are on the correct course.
View details

Course Information

Dates:
Mon 07/12/2026 -
Fri 12/03/2027
Times:
9:30am - 12:00pm
Duration:
22 sessions
Location:
Holyoake House (Manchester)
Holyoake House
Hanover Street
Manchester
M60 0AS
Tutor:
TBC T.B.C
Course code:
Q00027408
How you'll learn:
In venue
Availability:
10+ places remaining
Status:
Available
Fee range
Funding available - £440.00

WEA Membership

WEA membership is changing: more information is coming soon!

Add to basket

Membership Information

Duration:
12 months
Fee:
£15


The courses below have already started, but are still available to book.

Functional Skills English

Are you looking for functional skills English courses for free? You can boost your maths and English skills with a government-funded course at the WEA. If you are over 19 and don’t have an English GCSE at C or Grade 4, then you can study for free.  Not having a qualification in English can hold you back. In many cases, you will need it for apprenticeships or to get a job. Maybe you want to ace your GCSE retakes but the idea of going back to school fills you with dread. Or you want a level 2 qualification, but you don’t want to do GCSEs again. This is where the WEA comes in.  We’re not like a school or a college; we’re adult learning specialists. Our English functional skills classes help you build on the skills that you use every day. We make our courses fun and easy to learn.
View details

Course Information

Dates:
Tue 31/03/2026 -
Fri 31/07/2026
Location:
Online
Course code:
P00000249
How you'll learn:
Online
Availability:
10+ places remaining
Status:
Available