Can I extend the time on the course?

We can always give you more time by extending your course duration by 3 or 6 months. This will be an additional charge starting from £345 for 3 months. Please contact the college directly to arrange a course extension.

Is this the same qualification I would achieve in a traditional school or college?

Yes! You study the same curriculum, take the same examinations, and get the same qualification. The only difference is that the course is specially designed to be studied in your own time, at your own pace.

Can I enrol with low grades?

Barston believes everyone should have the opportunity to achieve their dreams. Our learning advisors will be able to guide you through the best course choices in terms of your ability, previous experience and outcome.

Can I purchase just the exam?

At Barston, we believe the combination of our unique support and bespoke learning platform allows our students to achieve high pass rates. For this reason, we do not offer exams on their own.

When do I receive my course materials?

As soon as you’re enrolled, we will get your course material ready. If you’re studying online, you’ll receive your login to our online learning portal, within 48 hours. For some courses, you’ll also have the option to receive a printed copy of your course materials in the post. If you’ve chosen this option, we’ll aim to get this delivered to your door within 10 working days.

When do the courses start?

Because this isn’t traditional classroom learning, simply put, you call the shots! When you enrol on a course, you’ll be given a timeframe throughout which you’ll have access to your tutor support and our online platform. The rest is up to you, which allows you to study in your own time, at your own pace.

What if I want to cancel my course?

No stress, we offer a fourteen-day, money-back guarantee. If you wish to cancel your course you will need to email our cancellations team at cancellations@barstoncollege.wpenginepowered.com within 14 days, along with a reason for cancelling, and we will provide you with a full refund.

When will an awarding body send my qualification?

Before an awarding body can issue your new certificate, you must successfully complete your studies and pass an assessment and validation process. Simply, your tutor will mark all your work, which will be sent out to an external moderator. The moderator is someone who checks your work against the learning outcomes of your course, pre-set by the awarding body. Outcomes help them identify what qualifications they’ll receive when they graduate. Every student worldwide goes through this process. Once you’ve passed your assessment, we’ll get in touch with the relevant awarding body to send your certificate. Depending on the awarding body’s availability, this can take a couple of months. However, qualifications have been sent to graduates in as little as a week. Should you require your qualification, let’s say, for a job application, we can send out a confirmation letter. This letter will have your student number and the relevant awarding body to contact to evidence your success. Learn more about our awarding bodies.

What is an awarding body?

An awarding body is a professional organisation that sets the standards of education for different course subjects. They decide on the acceptable standard of work required by learners to achieve certification. At Barston, we have regular external visits from each of the awarding bodies to ensure that we are meeting their criteria as an education provider; this allows us to continue offering their accredited and official qualifications.

What is an assessment?

An assessment is how we measure your learning and academic progress throughout the course. The grading of your assessment is determined by how well you have mastered certain target skills required for the task set. Assessments are extremely valuable for tutors as they indicate how much of the course material you have mastered, or if there is anything you have misunderstood. Using this information will allow your tutor to develop your learning plan to keep you on track for achieving a good overall result. Assessments can be in many formats such as multiple-choice questions, quizzes, observations, and witness statements.

Are there any age limits?

We’re firm believers that education should be available to everyone, so we welcome students of all ages – in fact, our oldest student is 92! As a guide, our courses are generally designed for students who are above 16, with the exception of GCSEs and Functional Skills, which are created for learners aged 14 and over. You can find more specific age limitations on individual course pages.

Home
Courses
Functional Skills courses

Functional Skills Courses Online

Everybody deserves a top-quality education. Whatever your background or previous education experience, it’s never too late to gain the qualifications you’re entitled to, and functional skills courses (previously key skills courses) are a great place to start. Gaining your Functional Skills via Barston College online college is a cost-effective and convenient way to increase your employability. It’s important to have basic Maths, English and ICT skills. Functional Skills are a great way to achieve this. You can gain these qualifications and many more when online learning with Barston College.

View all Functional Skills courses

Nationally Recognised

Essential to any career, our nationally recognised functional skills courses strengthen your employability. Our level 2 qualification is the equivalent of achieving a GCSE.

20% Higher Grades

Barston College students achieve 20% higher grades than the national average, compared to traditional colleges. Get qualified quickly with us.

Expert course tutors

You're never alone. Our personal tutors are hand-picked by Barston College to help and support you whenever you need help. All our courses come with unlimited student support.

Get started with one of our Functional Skills courses below

More about our Functional Skills courses

A Functional Skills level 2 course is the nationally recognised equivalent of a GCSE, so whether you’re aiming for higher education or want to land your dream job, these online courses can help you take your next step.

Frequently Asked Questions

Have more questions?

Request a call back by simply picking your preferred date and time.

First name required fields

Last name

Email address

Phone Number

Message

Newsletter

We occasionally send out emails about courses, services, and promotions. Untick the checkbox, and we won't email you.

Request a call back

My tutors are all so brilliant and beyond helpful! … After my experience with these tutors I couldn't recommend Barston College enough to anybody looking for an online school.

insha Shahzad

A-level Politics, A-level English Language

Want to get in touch?

0121 630 4001

Our friendly team is here to answer all your questions!

Discover more on our blog

How to Study When You Have More Than One Subject Competing for Your Time

Studying one subject can be relatively straightforward to organise. You know what needs attention, and most of your available study time can be directed towards the same qualification. Add several subjects, however, and the problem changes. An essay is due for one course, another contains a topic you still…

22 Oct 2026

32 min read

Is A-Level History Right for You?

History is one of those subjects that most students already understand reasonably well before considering it at A-level. You have probably studied significant events, examined historical sources and written essays at GCSE. That familiarity can make choosing History seem relatively straightforward. If you enjoyed it before, continuing naturally feels…

15 Oct 2026

28 min read

Why Starting Your Revision Is Often the Hardest Part

You know you need to revise. Your notes are nearby, the exam is getting closer and you may even have decided exactly what you are going to work on. Yet somehow twenty minutes disappear before you begin. You tidy the desk, check your phone, make a drink or convince…

08 Oct 2026

29 min read

How to Stop Comparing Yourself to Other Students

Comparison is difficult to avoid when you are studying. Someone finishes an assignment before you. A friend seems to understand a difficult topic immediately. Another student mentions how many hours they revised at the weekend, while somebody else casually reveals a practice-paper score considerably higher than yours. Even when…

01 Oct 2026

29 min read

How to Stay on Track When the New-Term Motivation Wears Off

September has a way of making academic life feel unusually manageable. A new course brings fresh materials, new subjects or topics and the sense that this year can be approached differently. Students organise folders, create study plans and begin with intentions that can feel surprisingly easy to maintain. A…

24 Sep 2026

29 min read

Is GCSE English Language Hard?

GCSE English Language has an unusual reputation. Almost everyone understands why it matters, yet students can find it difficult to explain exactly what they are supposed to learn. There are no equations to master and comparatively few facts to memorise. Instead, the subject asks you to read unfamiliar material,…

17 Sep 2026

29 min read

How to Take Better Notes at GCSE and A-Level

Taking notes is such a familiar part of studying that it is easy to assume we already know how to do it. You read a chapter, watch a lesson or work through some course material, writing down the important points as you go. By the end, several pages have…

10 Sep 2026

26 min read

Is A-Level Sociology Right for You?

Choosing an A-level is easier when you already have some idea of what studying the subject will actually involve. With Sociology, that is not always the case. Most students encounter subjects such as English, Maths and Science throughout school, whereas Sociology may be completely new when they begin considering…

03 Sep 2026

23 min read

How to Build a Study Routine You Can Actually Keep

The beginning of a new academic year has a particular kind of energy. New notebooks appear, timetables are organised and students make ambitious promises about how differently they are going to study this time. For a week or two, those intentions can feel effortless. Then normal life returns, motivation…

27 Aug 2026

21 min read

GCSE Results Day: What Your Grades Mean for What Comes Next

GCSE Results Day is often presented as a moment when the future suddenly becomes clear. Students open their results, compare grades with the requirements for sixth form or college and begin thinking about what happens in September. In reality, the day can produce as many new questions as answers.

20 Aug 2026

19 min read

A-Level Results Day: Your Grades Are Information, Not Your Identity

A-level Results Day can carry an extraordinary amount of emotional weight. After months or years of studying, revision and exams, several subjects are suddenly reduced to a handful of letters on a screen or piece of paper. For students who have university offers depending on those grades, the morning…

13 Aug 2026

20 min read

How to Study at Home Without Losing Motivation

Studying from home offers freedoms that many students value. There is no commute, more control over your environment and often greater flexibility around how you structure your day. For students working towards GCSEs or A-levels, those advantages can make online learning feel like a better fit than traditional…

30 Jul 2026

21 min read

Show more posts

View Blog