Maths – Working toward Level 2 Functional Skills

Maths – Working towards Level 2 

Course Description

Maths is an important skill that you need in everyday life. A key aim for this course is for you to gain confidence and fluency in mathematics and develop a positive attitude towards it. 

At Working towards Level 2, you will cover the basic concepts required for work and everyday life. The main areas of study are Number, Fractions, Decimals and Percentages, Measures, Shape and Space, and Handling Data. This course helps you to gain the skills needed in Level 2 before applying them to Functional Skills problems.  

Classes will be delivered onsite at one of our centres. It is therefore important that you attend every class.  

This course also includes a 3-week BAES IT Fundamentals course in order to maximise participation in learning using digital tools and also a Next steps course at the end to help you prepare for the next level. 

Route to Work 

As part of your programme of learning, we will support you to develop the skills you need to get a job or a better job. Throughout the year, modules covered include Career Planning, All about Money, and Timesheets and Payslips.

Entry Requirement

Your English skills need to be at Level 1 standard or above, and you need to understand some basic maths concepts. 

Initial Assessment

Courses start in September. To gain a place on the course, you must book an initial assessment by phoning the BAES Info Line (0121 303 4318) or one of the BAES centres. Initial assessments are carried out face-to-face at a centre. Depending on the results of the assessment, you may be advised to join a different level or course. 

Learning Strategies

In order to cover all the course content, you will be expected to carry out at least 2 hours of independent study each week.

It is important you attend all required sessions and make time to work at home every week, in order to prepare, practise and consolidate your learning. The Service has on-line subscriptions to MathsWatch and MyMaths, and you can access videos, quizzes and other activities on our BAES Moodle site. 

Progress Monitoring

Your progress and attendance will be monitored throughout the course. After the first progress check, you and your teacher will determine if you can cope with the level and amount of work required, and if you have demonstrated good attendance and punctuality, in order to continue with the course. It may be that a more suitable course is recommended. 

Exams

There is no exam attached to this course. If you progress onto a Level 2 Functional Skills course, there is one exam, which includes two papers: a calculator paper and a non-calculator paper. The exam will be in July and will be carried out at one of our centres. Papers will be marked externally by Edexcel examiners.

Progression

Working Towards Level 2 will prepare you for Maths Functional Skills Level 2.

If you start this course in September, there will be an opportunity to progress onto a Level 2 Functional Skills course in Term 2, if you and your teacher feel this is appropriate. 

Maths – Working towards level 1

Maths - Working towards Level 1

Course Description

Maths is an important skill that you need in everyday life. A key aim for this course is for you to gain confidence and fluency in mathematics and develop a positive attitude towards it. 

At Working towards Level 1, you will cover the basic concepts required for work and everyday life. The main areas of study are Number, Fractions, Decimals and Percentages, Measures, Shape and Space, and Handling Data. This course helps you to gain the skills needed in Level 1 before applying them to Functional Skills problems.  

Classes will be delivered at one of our centres.It is therefore important that you attend every class .  

This course also includes a 3 week BAES IT Fundamentals course in order to maximise participation in learning using digital tools and also a Next steps course at the end to help you prepare for the next level.

Route to Work 

As part of your programme of learning, we will support you to develop the skills you need to get a job or a better job. Throughout the year, modules covered include Career Planning, All about Money, and Timesheets and Payslips.

Entry Requirement

Your English skills need to be at Entry 3 level or above, and you need to have an understanding of some basic maths concepts. 

Initial Assessment

To gain a place on the course, you must book an initial assessment by phoning the BAES Info Line (0121 303 4318) or one of the BAES centres. Initial assessments are carried out face-to-face at a centre. Depending on the results of the assessment, you may be advised to join a different level or course. 

Learning Strategies

In order to cover all of the course content, you will be expected to carry out at least 2 hours of independent study each week.

It is important you attend all required sessions and make time to work at home every week, in order to prepare, practise and consolidate your learning. The Service has on-line subscriptions to MathsWatch and MyMaths, and you can access videos, quizzes and other activities on our BAES Moodle site.  

Progress Monitoring

Your progress and attendance will be monitored throughout the course. After the first progress check, you and your teacher will determine if you can cope with the level and amount of work required, and if you have demonstrated good attendance and punctuality, in order to continue with the course. It may be that a more suitable course is recommended.

Exams

There is no exam attached to this course. If you progress onto a Level 1 Functional Skills course, there is one exam, which includes two papers: a calculator paper and a non-calculator paper. The exam will be in July and will be carried out at one of our centres. Papers will be marked externally by Edexcel examiners. 

Progression

Working towards level 1 will prepare you for Maths Functional Skills Level 1. 

If you start the course in September, there will be the opportunity to progress onto a Level 1 Functional Skills course in Term 2, if you and your teacher feel this is appropriate.

Biology GCSE

Biology GCSE (AQA 8461)

Course description

This course aims to enable learners to build on their previous biology knowledge and to increase their understanding, confidence and skills set in order to use biology in their future careers.  

This course will cover the foundation and higher content of GCSE Biology. Learners who want to take higher tier examinations will receive a limited level of support from the maths department, so we expect learners study independently. The main areas of the study are: cell biology, organisation, infection and response, bioenergetics, homeostasis and response, inheritance, variation and evolution, ecology. 

Some of the biology courses will be run in virtual classrooms. Therefore, learners must have easy access to a computer with the Internet. Classes will be held either once (3 hrs) or twice a week (2.5 hrs each).  

This course consists of a 3 week IT Fundamantals course at the start to maximise participation in learning using digital toos, followed by GCSE Biology course lasting about 30 weeks. 

Support if you are registered unemployed, looking for a job or a better job - Route to Work 

As part of your programme of learning, we will support you to develop the skills you need to get a job or a better job, such as CV writing, application forms, interviews and working in a team. Your tutor will discuss individual learning and development needs to agree with you which of our Route to Work short courses will best suit your needs and enrol you on these modules.

Entry requirement

This course is normally delivered over 2 years in schools. Therefore, it is very fast-paced, and learners need to have good English and maths skills in order to take this course. Ideally, learners should have a level 2 qualification in Maths and English. All learners will be expected to complete an assessment before enrolling on the course.   

Learners will be expected to do about 4 hours a week of independent study outside of classes. 

Initial assessment

To gain a place on the course, all learners must book an initial assessment by calling the Information Line on 0121 303 4318 or one of the BAES centres. GCSE initial assessments are carried out face-to-face, but there are some done remotely over Teams/Zoom. Depending on the results of the assessment, learners may be advised to join a different course.

Learning strategies

During sessions, there will be a variety of learning strategies and opportunities including small group work, discussion, written work and practical experiments. Learners will also be able to use the internet for research. It is important that learners attend all sessions and make time to work at home every week in order to prepare, practise and consolidate their learning. BAES has its own website for learners to access at home or in a library for practice, homework tasks and revision.

Progress monitoring

Learners’ progress and attendance will be monitored throughout the course. After the first progress check in October, the learner and their teacher will determine if they can cope with the level and amount of work required and if they can demonstrate good attendance and punctuality. 

Exams

There will be 2 exams at the end of the course in May and June. These will be marked externally by AQA and results will be available in August. 

Progression

A GCSE Grade 4 or higher will open up a variety of job and training opportunities for successful learners.

Mathematics GCSE

Maths GCSE: Foundation (AQA 8300)

Course description 

This course will cover the Foundation content of GCSE Mathematics where learners can achieve grades up to 5. The main areas of study are Number, Ratio, Proportion and rates of change, Algebra, Geometry and Measure, Statistics and Probability.

GCSE Maths courses will be delivered either on site or online. For online classes, you must have easy access to a computer with the internet. Classes will be held either once a week (3 hours) or twice a week (2.5 hours each).

This course consists of a 3 week IT Fundamentals course at the start to maximise participation in learning using digital tools, followed by GCSE Foundation course lasting around 30 weeks.

Support if you are registered unemployed, looking for a job or a better job - Route to Work 

As part of your programme of learning, we will support you to develop the skills you need to get a job or a better job, such as CV writing, application forms, interviews and working in a team. Your tutor will discuss individual learning and development needs to agree with you which of our Route to Work short courses will best suit your needs and enrol you on these modules. 

Entry requirements

This course is normally delivered over 2 or 3 years in schools. Therefore, it is necessary that learners have good literacy (at least Level 1) and numeracy skills before starting the course. Ideally, learners should have achieved Level 1 Maths Functional Skills, or Grade D/Grade 3 in GCSE Maths, or similar in an equivalent course (e.g. CSE/’O’ level Maths) in order to complete the course in one year. 

Initial assessment

To gain a place on the course, all learners must book an initial assessment by calling BAES Info Line (0121 303 4318) or one of the BAES centres. GCSE initial assessments are generally carried out face-to-face although people can book a remote assessment on Teams/Zoom. Depending on the results of the assessment, learners may be advised to join a course other than GCSE Foundation.

Learning strategies

It is important that learners attend all sessions and make time to work at home every week in order to prepare, practise and consolidate their learning. The Service has on-line subscriptions to MathsWatch and MyMaths, and learners can access videos, quizzes and other activities on our BAES Moodle site.

Learners will be expected to carry out at least 4 hours of independent study in their own time, every week, to cover all the course content.

Progress monitoring

Learner progress and attendance will be monitored throughout the course. After the first progress check in October, the learner and their teacher will determine whether it is appropriate for the learner to continue with the course. Aspects included in the discussion are attendance, punctuality, ability to cope with the amount of work required and performance on progress checks.

Exams

There will be three exams at the end of the course in May and June which will be carried out in one of our centres. They will be marked externally by AQA and results will be available in August.

Progression

A GCSE Grade 4 or higher will open up a variety of career and training opportunities.