Page contents
- About this subject
- Course levels
- Preparation for functional skills
- Functional skills courses
- GCSE English courses
- Eligibility criteria
About this subject
Build your confidence with English at work or home. We can
help you improve your English language skills so that you can study or find work.
If you have struggled at school or new to the UK, our supportive tutors and small class sizes will help you succeed. Our free courses are held face-to-face and online so your education can fit in with your busy life.
We offer qualifications from Entry 3 to GCSE. They include Functional Skills and GCSE English.
In 2023, we had a English Language GCSE pass rate of 98.3%.
Get the qualification you need for your future.
If English is not your first language you may be interested in English for speakers of other languages (ESOL), English for HongKongers or English for Ukranians
Course Levels
- Preparation for Functional Skills English. This course will help you progress to a functional skills course
- Entry3/Level 1 - Functional Skills English qualification. This course will help you progress to GCSE English
- GCSE English - This qualification will give you further educational and employment opportunities
Preparation for Functional Skills English
This is a free course for people with basic literacy skills. Courses start in September and run for 12 weeks to December.
You can progress to English Functional Skills then to GCSE English.
We hold courses online and in person at one of our centres. The centres are in: Woking, Camberley, Sunbury, and Molesey To ensure you can attend exams, we advise you live within a 30 to 40 minute travel distance from one of our centres.
For information about our centres and parking, visit our centre information page
Functional Skills
Functional Skills is a free qualification for people with basic literacy skills. The courses are 22 weeks long which run from January to July.
You can progress to GCSE English.
We hold courses online and in person at one of our centres. The centres are in: Woking, Camberley, Sunbury, and Molesey. To ensure you can attend exams, we advise you live within a 30 to 40 minute travel distance from one of our centres.
For information about our centres and parking, visit our centre information page
You can find more information about the Functional Skills qualification on the Functional Skills course descriptions
Complete Expression of interest form
GCSE English
For an English GCSE, you will develop skills over one year. These skills will include speaking, listening, reading, and writing to communicate with others confidently and effectively.
You will study a range of texts including fiction and non-fiction and the two final exams will test your reading of unseen texts and extended writing.
We offer an un-tiered course (not split into foundation and higher levels) and you will sit two exams at the end of the academic year in June. You will be able to progress onto further education and employment.
We hold courses online and in person at one of our centres. The centres are in: Woking, Sunbury, and Camberley. To ensure you can attend exams, we advise you live within a 30 to 40 minute travel distance from one of our centres.
For information about our centres and parking, visit our centre information page
You can find more information about GCSE English on the GCSE English course descriptions
Eligibility criteria
English courses are free for adults aged 19 and over on 31 August 2024 who do not already hold a General Certificate of Secondary Education (GCSE) qualification (grades A to C, 4 to 9) and who meet the following eligibility criteria.
If you are not eligible for a free course under the above criteria, you may need to pay a fee. For more information and advice please email: adultskills@surreycc.gov.uk