CLaSS

Waltham Forest Community Learning & Skills Service

English & Maths

Our courses will help you to improve your English or Maths and gain a nationally recognised qualification - from beginners to GCSE. Courses are run at many different times and venues. To join a course you must come to an enrolment session. At enrolment we will give you an assessment and talk to you about which class you can go to. Enrolment may take up to 2 hours. We run some classes for people with learning difficulties and disabilities. To join classes to learn to speak English see English for Speakers of Other Languages (ESOL) see here.

To join any English or Maths course, including GCSE, please come to one of the enrolment sessions listed here, or visit or phone one of our centres to find out when the next enrolment session is:

You can also call us to book an assessment between now and January. Please drop into one of our centres listed above, or telephone 020 8520 3843.

English - what can we offer you?

Improving your Reading, Writing, Speaking and Listening Skills

If you can speak English but need help improving your everyday reading and writing these courses are for you. Courses are at different levels and follow the Adult National Literacy Curriculum. At the end of the course you will enter for a qualification. These courses are not listed separately here, but are available day and evening and at different centres across Waltham Forest. Courses run throughout the year and are FREE.

To join a course, come to an enrolment session. Enrolment may take up to 2 hours.

If you need to learn to speak English or if English is not your first language you need to join an ESOL course.

English - Pre-GCSE

These classes help you prepare for a GCSE course. At the end of the course you will take the Level 2 National Literacy test. Come to one of the enrolment sessions to complete an enrolment and join a course.

Note: The Level 2 National Literacy test is equivalent to GCSE grades A* - C

GCSE English

CLaSS offers GCSE English courses.

To join a course come to an enrolment session to complete an assessment - see here for times. There is a fee for this course. You cannot pre-enrol for these courses. Enrolment may take up to 2 hours. You will need to pass the assessment to join the course. If you are not ready for GCSE we recommend a suitable class to help you. For GCSE courses beginning in autumn 2011 come to enrol in September. For GCSE courses beginning in January 2012 with the exam in November 2012 - come to enrol in January.

  • English GCSE courses begin in September, November and January.

Develop your Maths

Our courses help you to improve your Maths and gain a nationally recognised qualification - from beginners to GCSE. To join a course you need to come to an enrolment session. We give you an assessment and talk to you about which class you can go to. Enrolment may take up to 2 hours. We run some classes for people with learning difficulties and disabilities.

Maths - Pre-GCSE

To join a Pre GCSE maths class you can try the assessment below and check your answers. You should try to do this without a calculator. If you get between 15 and 20 questions right you should come along to an enrolment session. Please see above to find out when the next enrolment session will be held At the session will talk to you and give you a further assessment before you join the course.

Pre GCSE Assessment:

Who is the course for?
Learners who want to take GCSE Maths

What will you learn?
The skills that you need to join a GCSE course.

Is there an exam at the end?
You will take a Level 2 Numeracy qualification.

Why are we so strict about who we take on to our course?

We want every learner to succeed and progress on to GCSE Maths. Learners who struggle with the course end up not passing the GCSE or dropping out. This is a waste of your money and time. We want to give you the best chance possible.

If you do not score 15 or above come to one of our enrolment sessions listed below and we can offer you classes at the right level.

GCSE Maths

This course leads to the higher level examination. To join a course cyou can try the assessment below and check your answers. You should try to do this without a calculator. If you get between 15 and 20 questions right you should come along to an enrolment session. Please see above to find out when the next enrolment session will be held. At the session will talk to you and give you a further assessment before you join the course. You cannot pre-enrol for these courses. Enrolment may take up to 2 hours. You will need to pass the assessment to join the course. If you are not ready for GCSE we recommend a suitable class to help you. For GCSE courses beginning in autumn 2010 come to enrol in September. For GCSE courses beginning in January 2011 with the exam in November 2011 - come to enrol in January.

Maths GCSE Assessment:

Maths GCSE courses begin in September, January and February. You will sit the Higher Level exam.

Family Learning, Literacy & Numeracy

To find out more about Family Learning, Literacy and Numeracy, please see here.

  • "I want more cooking skills and I want to learn how to follow a recipe."

    "I'm useless in the kitchen. That's why I'm here. I attempt to cook for my family - but I'm no good at it."
  • "It's the highlight of the week. I really look forward to my Spanish class - and it feels great being able to speak Spanish in Spain."
  • "The standard of most work is excellent, with some better described as exceptional."

    City and Guilds examiner reporting on CLaSS's fashion and textiles work.
  • "I'm getting on for 84 now. I couldn't believe my luck last year when I realised I could attend basic computer classes. I started with the complete basics and I now have qualifications in word processing and databases - and have started my own blog."
  • "My friends in other parts of London are astonished by what you can do here in Waltham Forest. The British Wheel of Yoga Foundation course was inspirational - and I am now well on the way to becoming a fully qualified yoga teacher. Carry on the good work, CLaSS!"
  • "My brother was born deaf. None of us - my parents or my other brothers - ever learnt sign language. I can't believe that now. It seems so wrong. Now thanks to CLaSS I've really learnt to communicate properly with my brother"
  • "I work at an estate agents as a receptionist. I mentioned I was taking a photography course with CLaSS and now I do all the property shoots. I'm even getting paid a bit more!"
  • "I speak four languages and have been an interpreter for five years - but I've never had any formal training before now. This course is amazing - if we discuss something on our course one week,it always comes up at work the next - like not going inside the house before the social worker arrives."
  • "Parenting courses are great! You realise that everyone has the same worries as you - and that there are practical strategies you can learn that really do work. I thank the Lord for the Calm Parent - Calm Children course I attended."
  • "I cook - but I don't follow recipes and amounts. My daughter is doing cookery GCSE at school and I'd like to help her with that."