Skills for life and work
We offer a range of courses for you to develop your skills and knowledge for both life and work. You can enjoy a course starting from beginners’ level all the way to advanced level. Build your confidence in reading, writing, mathematics, and digital skills on a short or long course. Our supportive tutors will help you gain the skills and qualifications to achieve your ambitions.
Most of our courses are FREE if you are on a low income or claiming benefits.
How do I apply?
Step 1: Book an appointment for an assessment at our campus so we can offer you the right course.
Step 2: We will mark your assessment in 7 working days and email you with the courses we can offer.
Step 3: Then complete your enrolment by either calling or visiting the college enrolment team.
How to book an appointment for an assessment?
Call 02045820423 or email universal.skills@citylit.ac.uk
Where will the assessment take place?
Initial assessments take place at our City Lit Campus Keeley Street London, WC2B 4BA on the M floor student learning centre.
- Gateway to maths GCSECourse start date: Wed 27 May 2026 (and 2 other dates)
Location on this date: Keeley Street
Do you want to gain a Maths GCSE but are not ready yet to achieve this in a single year? Do you need to test your abilities before attempting the qualification course? Then this Preparing for Maths GCSE is the course for you. It will prepare you for the accreditation and familiarise you with its content, level and expectation. You will need to complete and pass an initial assessment before starting this course to demonstrate at least a Level 1 Functional Skills level of Maths.
You need to do a pre-course assessment. Contact universal.skills@citylit.ac.uk / 020 8078 0489 for a face-to-face assessment or click the Start Assessment button on this page. Log on with your email address (not name).
This course is FREE if you are employed and on a low wage or you are claiming benefits. For more information Click here
Full fee £209.00 - Getting ready for English Functional Skills (level 1)
Course start date: Wed 14 Jan 2026 (and 1 other date)Location on this date: Keeley Street
This course is FREE if you are employed and on a low wage or you are claiming benefits. For more information Click here
Full fee £129.00 - Getting ready for English Functional Skills (level 2) Course start date: Mon 15 Sep 2025 (and 1 other date)
Location on this date: Online
This course is FREE if you are employed and on a low wage or you are claiming benefits. For more information Click here
Full fee £129.00 - Grammar in practice: advanced (level 2+) Course start date: Wed 7 May 2025 (and 2 other dates)
Location on this date: Online
Is your grammar holding you back? Learn how to communicate more effectively by analysing, discussing and experimenting with English grammar. This course will help you realise that grammar is really about meaning: understanding better the meaning of what someone is saying and expressing yourself more meaningfully.
You need to do a pre-course assessment. Contact universal.skills@citylit.ac.uk / 020 8078 0489 for a face-to-face assessment or click the Start Assessment button on this page. Log on with your email address (not name). The course runs over three terms (though you may start any term, places allowing).
This course is FREE if you are employed and on a low wage or you are claiming benefits. For more information Click here
Full fee £179.00 Senior fee £143.00 Concession £90.00 - Communication skills for business: how to be clear, concise and impacting when you write (level 2) Course start date: Wed 15 Oct 2025
Location on this date: Online
You can have the most amazing business ideas, but if you cannot communicate them, they will be of very little use. Join this course and explore how clear writing leads to clear thinking. You will develop the key skills needed to share information and ideas effectively inside and outside your company whether writing internal memos, emails to line managers, communications to customers, business proposals or reports, By the end of the course, you will be able to organise your business writings to suit the reader, convey ideas clearly, concisely and coherently and be confident you can express complex matters simply and effectively.
Do you manage a team? Are you taking part in work meetings feeling your voice isn't heard? Do you need to give presentations, make sales pitches, or persuade others to follow your proposals? If so, then this course will help you. You will learn different techniques used in drama to enable you to create an effect. You will practise how respond to others so that they engage with you. You will focus on how to manipulate your voice, how to project and how to focus on the emphasising the meaning of what you want to say.
You need to do a pre-course assessment activity to make sure this is the right course for you. Contact universal.skills@citylit.ac.uk / 020 8078 0489 to book a face-to-face appointment. Or click the Start Assessment button on this page.
This course is FREE if you are employed and on a low wage or you are claiming benefits. For more information Click here
Full fee £149.00 Senior fee £119.00 Concession £75.00 - English Functional Skills (level 1) Course start date: Wed 25 Feb 2026 (and 2 other dates)
Location on this date: Keeley Street
This course is free for learners who have not achieved a GCSE grade C (4) and higher in English. For more information Click here
Full fee £379.00 Concession £190.00 - English Functional Skills (Level 2) Course start date: Tue 25 Feb 2025 (and 2 other dates)
Location on this date: Keeley Street
The purpose of the Functional Skills English Level 2 qualification is to prepare learners for work, study and real life situations. Learners who achieve this qualification will demonstrate the ability to read, write, speak, listen and communicate in English. Learners will be able to apply these communication skills effectively to a range of contexts in the workplace and practical situations.
This course is free for learners who have not achieved a GCSE grade C (4) and higher in English. For more information Click here
Full fee £139.00 Senior fee £111.00 Concession £70.00 - Grammar in practice: upper intermediate (level 1-2) Course start date: Fri 9 May 2025 (and 2 other dates)
Location on this date: Online
Unsure when to use present perfect or past perfect? Is reported speech still causing you problems? Do you need to practise your conditionals? Join this course and put your grammar into practice in speaking, writing, reading and listening. Gain confidence in using grammar effectively through high level and engaging tasks
You need to do a pre-course assessment. Contact universal.skills@citylit.ac.uk / 020 8078 0489 for a face-to-face assessment or click the Start Assessment button on this page. Log on with your email address (not name).
This course is FREE if you are employed and on a low wage or you are claiming benefits. For more information Click here
Full fee £149.00 Senior fee £119.00 Concession £75.00 - ESOL: Develop your writing: grammar, vocabulary, expression (advanced) Course start date: Wed 21 Jan 2026
Location on this date: Keeley Street
Do you already have a good level of writing but wanting to take it up to a level suitiable for professional work? Are you wanting to develop your expressive skills in general? This course will help you improve your writing by focusing on meaning and how you can become a more skilful user of English, not concerned only with accuracy. You will work on how you can use grammar in different ways to say different things. You will expand your vocabulary so you can say more with fewer words. And you will work on how you can influence your reader.
You need to do a pre-course assessment. Contact universal.skills@citylit.ac.uk / 020 8078 0489 for a face-to-face assessment or click the Start Assessment button on this page. Log on with your email address (not name).
This course is FREE if you are employed and on a low wage or you are claiming benefits. For more information Click here
Full fee £209.00 Senior fee £167.00 Concession £105.00 - Maths functional skills level 2Course start date: Wed 19 Feb 2025
Location on this date: Keeley Street
Do you need to gain a national maths qualification to show you have a good level of mathematical competence? Functional Skills Level 2 Maths shows employers and others that your maths skills are at a good level and that you can use skills to solve complex issues in a variety of situations. You will develop your maths to become a problem-solver, analyser and decision-maker.
You MUST pass the first 6 weeks of the course. You must attend every class and do the necessary homework. If you do not, you will not be able to continue the course.
You need to do a pre-course assessment. Contact universal.skills@citylit.ac.uk / 020 4582 0423 for a face-to-face assessment or click the Start Assessment button on this page. Log on with your email address (not name).
This course is free for learners who have not achieved a GCSE grade C (4) and higher in Maths. For more information Click here
Full fee £139.00 Senior fee £111.00 Concession £70.00
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