Scheme of work

The CfEM scheme of work for Functional Skills Mathematics level 1 was developed by teachers in the CfEM colleges, based on the Five Key Principles of Teaching for Mastery in further education (FE).  

It provides an outline of a 30-hour sequence of lessons (20 lessons of 1.5 hours), with links to 16 full mastery lessons that can be used and adapted by FE teachers. 

Download a PDF copy of the scheme of work, including a rationale for its development and links to the lessons here:

Functional Skills level 1: Scheme of Work

The lessons

  • Lesson 1: Attitudes to maths and getting unstuck
  • Lesson 2: Mindsets, resilience and number sense
  • Lesson 3: Graphs and charts
  • Lesson 4: Mean and range
  • Lesson 5: Direct proportion
  • Lesson 6: Scales, maps and scale drawings
  • Lesson 7: Multiplication and estimation
  • Lesson 8: Division and estimation
  • Lesson 10: Basic fractions - have your cake and eat it!
  • Lesson 11: Equivalence between fractions, decimals and percentages
  • Lesson 12: Probability
  • Lesson 14: Using ratio
  • Lesson 16: Properties of 2D shapes
  • Lesson 17: Perimeter of rectangles and compound shapes
  • Lesson 18: Area of rectangles of compound shapes
  • Lesson 19: 3D shapes and volume

In addition, guidance on adapting 7 of the GCSE mastery lessons, developed by the University of Nottingham, can be found in the  Research Lessons section.

The lessons can also be accessed via links in the scheme of work.

Lesson 2: Lesson plan and slides

Lesson 2: Handouts

Lesson 3: Lesson plan and slides

Lesson 3: Handouts

Lesson 4: Lesson plan and slides

Lesson 5: Lesson plan and slides

Lesson 6: Lesson plan and slides

Lesson 7: Lesson plan and slides

  • Multiplication and estimation lesson plan (PDF)
  • Multiplication and estimation lesson plan (Word)
  • Multiplication and estimation slides (PPT)
  • Lesson 7 Handouts Zip folder (PDF)
  • Lesson 7 Handouts Zip folder (Word)

Lesson 8: Lesson plan and handouts

Lesson 10: Lesson plan and slides

Lesson 11: Lesson plan and slides

Lesson 12: Lesson plan and slides

Lesson 14: Lesson plan and slides

Lesson 16: Lesson plan and slides

Lesson 17: Lesson plan and handouts

Lesson 18: Lesson plan and slides

Lesson 19: Lesson plan and slides