Thinking about becoming a teaching assistant? It is one of the most popular ways back into work for parents, career changers and anyone who enjoys working with children. School hours, school holidays and the chance to make a real difference in a classroom add up to a job that many adults want.
Then you open a job advert and see one line in the person specification: Level 2 English and maths, or equivalent, marked as essential. If you left school without a grade 4 (the old grade C) in GCSE English or maths, that single line can stop an application before it starts.
The good news is that you do not have to go back to school or wait for the next GCSE exam series. This guide explains why schools ask teaching assistants for Level 2 English and maths, how Functional Skills Level 2 fits, what it means for the Level 3 teaching assistant course and apprenticeship, and how to use the October half term to get started so your certificate is ready for jobs advertised in the new year.
Why schools ask teaching assistants for Level 2 English and maths
Teaching assistants hear children read, run phonics and spelling groups, help with times tables and fractions, and model good written answers in class. A school needs to be confident that the adults supporting its pupils are secure in English and maths themselves.
That is why so many teaching assistant adverts set Level 2 English and maths as a minimum. Two examples from real adverts:
- ✓ A teaching assistant person specification for Cross Gates Primary School, published on the government’s Teaching Vacancies service, lists a Level 2 qualification or equivalent in English and maths (GCSE A* to C) as essential.
- ✓ A Kent teaching assistant person specification lists “GCSE or equivalent level, including at least a Grade 4 (previously Grade C) in English and Maths” as essential.
Notice the words “or equivalent” in both. That is where Functional Skills comes in.
Is Functional Skills Level 2 accepted for teaching assistant jobs?
Functional Skills Level 2 sits at Level 2 on the national qualifications framework, the same level as a GCSE at grade 4 or above. That is why many schools, colleges and employers list it alongside GCSEs when they ask for “Level 2 or equivalent”.
It is not a GCSE, though, and each school decides what it will accept. Before you book anything, check three things:
- ✓ Does the advert say “GCSE or equivalent“, or does it ask for GCSEs only?
- ✓ Do you need the qualification before you apply, or can you achieve it once you start?
- ✓ Is the school asking for English, maths or both?
If the advert is not clear, email the school business manager or HR contact and ask whether Functional Skills Level 2 is accepted.
The Level 3 teaching assistant course: what you need first
Many people take a Level 3 teaching assistant qualification, such as the Level 3 Diploma in Supporting Teaching and Learning, to strengthen their applications or to progress in a school they already work in.
Adult education providers often ask for Level 2 English and maths before you start. Kingston Adult Education, for example, says you “must have a qualification in Maths and English at Level 2 such as Functional Skills” or a GCSE in maths and English at grade C/4 or above. It also says you need to be working, volunteering or on placement in a school while you study.
So if you are planning to enrol on a Level 3 course in January or next September, getting your Functional Skills Level 2 now puts you in the strongest position.
The teaching assistant apprenticeship and English and maths
The Level 3 teaching assistant apprenticeship lets you earn while you train in a school. The English and maths rules for apprenticeships changed in 2025, so it is worth knowing where you stand.
If you start the apprenticeship aged 16 to 18
English and maths are still required. Derby College, for example, says apprentices without GCSE maths and English at grade 4 study Level 2 Functional Skills alongside the apprenticeship, and that they “must be achieved prior to the End Point Assessment”.
If you start the apprenticeship aged 19 or older
Since 11th February 2025, English and maths have been optional for apprentices who start aged 19 or older. You and your employer can still choose to include them in your training plan.
Optional for the apprenticeship does not mean optional for the job. Many schools still ask for Level 2 English and maths in their person specification, so having the certificate ready keeps more doors open. Our guide to Functional Skills Level 2 for apprenticeships explains the apprenticeship rules in more detail.
Why the Ofqual regulated part matters
Not every online “Level 2” certificate is a regulated qualification. If a school or college asks for an equivalent to GCSE, it will expect a regulated qualification, not a short course certificate.
At Functify Learning, your Functional Skills Level 2 English and maths qualifications are awarded by Highfield and regulated by Ofqual, and we are a Highfield Approved Centre.
How long does it take to get Functional Skills Level 2?
That depends on where you are starting from. Some future teaching assistants only need to sit the exam. Others have not written an essay or worked out a percentage for ten or twenty years and want some help first.
- ✓ You feel confident: book the exam. With Functify Learning your exam is booked within 5 days and your certificate usually arrives within 10 days of your result.
- ✓ You are rusty: a 5 Day Revision Course from £19.99 gets you exam ready in about a week.
- ✓ You have been out of education for years or failed before: a live 10 Week Course from £197 per subject, in a small group of no more than 10 learners, with a mock exam included.
Not sure which group you are in? Take our free Functional Skills pass quiz at quiz.functifylearning.co.uk. It takes a few minutes and tells you whether to book now or revise first.
A half term plan to be ready for the new year
For most schools in England, October half term runs from Monday 26th to Friday 30th October 2026. If you are a parent, that week can be the perfect time to get started, with no school run and a little more flexibility in your days.
- This week: read three or four teaching assistant adverts in your area and note what they ask for in English and maths.
- Before half term: take the free pass quiz for English and maths.
- Half term week: start a 5 Day Revision Course, or book a £35 mock exam per subject to find any gaps.
- Early November: book your exam and sit it online from home, with technical setup support beforehand.
- Before Christmas: have your certificate ready to upload with applications for jobs advertised in the new year, or for a Level 3 course starting in January.
What is in the Functional Skills Level 2 exams?
Both subjects test the everyday skills a teaching assistant uses in class.
English Level 2
The English qualification has three parts: reading, writing, and speaking, listening and communicating. The writing tasks ask you to write clearly for a purpose, such as an email or a short report. That is useful practice for writing notes to parents, recording a child’s progress or writing up an incident form.
Maths Level 2
The maths exam covers number, measures, shape and space, and handling data, with calculator and non calculator sections. Questions are set in real life situations, such as working out costs, times, ratios and percentages.
How much will it cost?
At Functify Learning:
- ✓ English Level 2 exam: £160
- ✓ Maths Level 2 exam: £160
- ✓ English and maths together: £250, instead of £320 booked separately
- ✓ Mock exam: £35 per subject
- ✓ Klarna available at checkout on orders of more than £35
For a full breakdown, read our guide to how much a Functional Skills Level 2 exam costs in 2026. If you are thinking further ahead to teacher training, see Functional Skills Level 2 English for university, nursing and teacher training.
Why future teaching assistants choose Functify Learning
- ✓ Highfield Approved Centre for Ofqual regulated Functional Skills qualifications
- ✓ Exams online from home, booked within 5 days, so you can fit them around childcare or work
- ✓ Small live groups of no more than 10 learners
- ✓ Part of Geek School Tutoring, which has taught more than 1,000 students since 2013
Functional Skills Level 2 for teaching assistants: frequently asked questions
Do I need GCSEs to become a teaching assistant?
Not always. Many schools ask for Level 2 English and maths, which means a GCSE at grade 4 (C) or above or an equivalent qualification. Each school sets its own requirements, so check the person specification for the job you want.
Is Functional Skills Level 2 the same as a GCSE?
It is at the same level, Level 2, as a GCSE at grade 4 or above, but it is a different qualification. That is why it matters whether an advert says “or equivalent”. If you are unsure, ask the school.
Can I start a Level 3 teaching assistant course without Level 2 English and maths?
Some providers ask for Level 2 English and maths before you start. Kingston Adult Education, for example, asks for Level 2 maths and English, such as Functional Skills, or GCSEs at grade C/4 or above. Check with your chosen provider.
Do teaching assistant apprentices need English and maths?
Apprentices who start aged 16 to 18 still need them. Since 11th February 2025, English and maths are optional for apprentices who start aged 19 or older, although the school employing you may still ask for them.
Can I sit Functional Skills Level 2 online from home?
Yes. You sit the exam online from home, and we help you set up your laptop, camera and connection beforehand.
How quickly can I get my certificate?
Your exam is booked within 5 days and your certificate usually arrives within 10 days of your result.
What if I only need maths, or only English?
You can book one subject on its own for £160. You do not need to sit both.
Get your Level 2 sorted before the new year
Book your English or maths exam today, sit it from home, and have your certificate ready for your next teaching assistant application. Not sure where to start? Message us on WhatsApp and we will point you in the right direction.
Discover more from Pass Your Functional Skills - Fast
Subscribe to get the latest posts sent to your email.