Ascentis English & Maths Frequently Asked Questions for Tutors

We often get asked questions about our portfolio of English & Maths qualifications. So we have put together the below FAQ, which will hopefully answer your burning questions.

1. How are they funded for adults?

The Ascentis Extended Awards and Certificates are fundable for adults from Entry 1 through to Level 1. As these are funded qualifications it also means that all of the units that sit within them can be funded as an individual unit.

Therefore individual unit funding is also available for adults.

The Entry Level Extended Awards and Certificates satisfy the condition of funding for study programmes.

Please always double check the funding with your MIS team at your own centre.

 

2. How are they assessed?

Ascentis has chosen not to put unnecessary pressure on learners through exam conditions in possibly an unfamiliar environment with an unfamiliar invigilator but instead have opted for controlled assessments in the classroom which can be delivered alongside normal teaching.

This eliminates the pressure that exams can put on learners and we feel the controlled assessment along with the bite-sized units allow learners to show their full potential, which in turn should boost success rates without undermining the skill of knowledge required to achieve.

Ascentis English & Maths Frequently Asked Questions for Tutors
3. Who are they aimed at?

These qualifications are delivered across the UK by Colleges, Adult Education Centres, Training Providers and Specialist Schools and Colleges.  The English and Maths Stepping Stones can be delivered to many different types of learners. Some of these include learners who are looking to improve their skills to progress onto Functional Skills or GCSEs, adult learners wanting to upskill to progress onto work, Special Educational Needs learners and also ESOL learners.

 

4. How are these qualifications structured?

Ascentis English and Maths Stepping Stones are broken down into individual bite-sized units which enable learners to focus on a specific skills, help build learner confidence and allow them to progress onto Functional Skills, GCSEs or work. The structure of bite-sized units is particularly beneficial for learners with a spikey profile, allowing you to bring their skills up to the same level and enabling them to progress.

 

5. What support is there for tutors?

Our English and Maths Stepping Stones have been designed to be flexible for both learners and tutors. They can be delivered as an Award, Extended Award, Certificate or as individual standalone units. The Extended Award gives you the flexibility to pick and choose the units to make up the qualification. The assessments have been designed with minimum paperwork for tutors in mind with tick box marking throughout the papers.

When you sign up to deliver Ascentis English and Maths Stepping Stones we provide a free half days training with your designated External Quality Assurer. In addition to this, Ascentis run free Regional Quality Webinars throughout the year to enable you to share best practice and standardisation exercises with other centres. Ascentis also hold free Internal Quality Assurance Courses which are aimed at staff in an Internal Verifier role to enable them to become familiar with Ascentis procedures.

If you would like to find out more about our English & Maths qualifications click here. We are happy to answer any additional questions you may have. Click here to email us.

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Leicester Adult Skills and Learning Service Speaking about Ascentis English & Maths Stepping Stones

Ascentis has a fantastic suite of English and Maths Stepping Stones qualifications which enable learners to focus on specific skills, build their confidence and progress onto further learning. This testimonial video features Leicester Adult Skills and Learning Service who outline the benefits to them and their learners of using these qualifications.

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“We are very pleased that we made the move to Ascentis for all our ESOL exams. The exams are appropriate for our learners, and lecturers find the marking manageable. As an organisation, Ascentis is a pleasure to work with. Our queries are always dealt with quickly and we are extremely well supported by our verifier.”

Waltham Forest

13th Mar 2025

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