Life and work skills
ESOL
We can help you develop your English language skills to help you with everyday life and work. We focus on reading, writing, speaking and listening and cover topics such as:
- How to find work in the UK;
- Writing CVs;
- Interview techniques; and
- Citizenship.
Find out more about ESOL courses.
English and maths
Functional Skills are the new qualifications which have replaced the Basic Skills Literacy and Numeracy tests. Functional Skills qualifications will help you develop new skills which you can use at home, work, college or further study or to assist you into getting into employment. Qualifications are free and available at a variety of levels.
Find out more about English and maths courses.
Family Learning
- Do you want to know what your child needs to learn?
- Do you want to learn with your child?
Family Learning programmes are free, fun and open to parents, grandparents, guardians' and carers and are offered in schools and community settings across the city.
Our Programmes aim to provide parents with the skills and knowledge to support their children's learning and development and to learn new skills for themselves.
Find out more about Family Learning.
Skills for work
These are the skills needed to get most jobs, but they also help you stay in a job and work your way to the top. We can help you develop the skills you need for the workplace and help you apply more effectively for jobs, as well as gain the qualifications that are appropriate for your chosen career
Find out more about skills for work
NVQs
National Vocational Qualifications (NVQs) are work based qualifications. An NVQ is a qualification where you will both continue to learn at work and also get recognition for skills you have developed and demonstrated in your day to day job.
New Venture - supported internships
New Venture provides real work experience for Newcastle residents aged 16-24 years with learning difficulties and disabilities on a supported internship programme
Find a course today!
Join us for our open days!
We are having two Enrolment and Advice Open Days on Monday 10 December and Tuesday 11 December at Westgate College from 9 am - 7.30pm. If you need advice and support you can speak to our qualified satff who will guide you through the enrolment process. The programme for the days lists when the advice sessions will be, (pdf 112KB). We hope to see you there. Remember, lots of courses are available for quick and easy online enrolment too.
Stay with us in the New Year and take up one of the many progression opportunities available to you. Our latest brochure is available now! Your tutor will speak to you about follow on courses and your next steps too.
Our new learner handbook is now available here (pdf 1.81MB). Packed full of useful information about the service, we hope you will find it helpful. We'll cover a lot of the topics during our new induction process too, and you will be given a copy of the handbook to take away with you at the start of your course.
There have been changes to how education courses are funded for learners over 19 years old. Level 3 and above courses will no longer be funded by the Government (unless you are aged 19-23 years old and it is your first full Level 3 qualification) but you may qualify for an Advanced Learner Loan to cover your course fees.
If this loan is to fund an Access to HE Diploma leading to a completed degree, your Advanced Learner Loan will be written off so you don't have to pay it back.
It doesn't matter about your household income or even credit checks to qualify for a loan, and you don't have to pay anything back until you are earning over £21,000 a year.
Loans are available for people living in the UK on the first day of their course and have lived in this country, the Channel Islands of the Isle of Man for three years immediately before this.
Talk to our centre reception staff to get more details and your course offer letter which will have the information you will need to complete your loan application.