How to Opt Out of Functional Skills (English and Mathematics)

Overview of Functional Skills Requirements

Functional Skills (English and Mathematics) are Level 2 qualifications that ensure The Apprentice meets national literacy and numeracy standards. They are mandatory for The Apprentice who started the apprenticeship aged 16 to 18 and does not hold Level 2 qualifications in English and mathematics.

The Apprentice who holds equivalent prior qualifications, such as GCSEs at Grade C/4 or above, can opt out. The Apprentice who started aged 19 or over can also opt out if the employer agrees (see Who Can Opt Out of Functional Skills). For those who take the modules, attempting the Functional Skills Mathematics exam is sufficient to meet Gateway requirements. A passing grade is not mandatory for programme completion in all contexts, but the attempt must be recorded.

Check Section E5 Before Signing the Training Plan

The Training Plan shows the Functional Skills choice in Section E5. The Platform pre-fills this choice from the answer The Apprentice gave in the Induction Form.

The Apprentice must check Section E5 before signing. If the choice is wrong, The Apprentice can change it in the Training Plan before signing. The Apprentice does not need to contact Support at this stage. Check the eligibility table in the next section first.

Once signed, a Training Plan cannot be edited. The Apprentice must then contact Support to have the Training Plan voided and reissued. See the section "Process to Opt Out of Functional Skills" for the steps.

Who Can Opt Out of Functional Skills

The table below shows when The Apprentice can opt out of Functional Skills and what each situation requires.

Situation	Can The Apprentice opt out?	What is required?
The Apprentice started the apprenticeship aged 19 or over	Yes	The Apprentice and the employer must both agree that Functional Skills are not required for the role.
The Apprentice holds Level 2 English and mathematics, such as GCSEs at Grade C/4 or above	Yes	The Compliance Team may ask for evidence of the qualifications.
The Apprentice started aged 16 to 18 and does not hold Level 2 English and mathematics	No	Functional Skills are mandatory. The Apprentice must study towards them and achieve them.

If The Apprentice Does Not Opt Out

For the Apprentice aged 19 or over who stays opted in, the Apprentice must study towards the Functional Skills qualifications and sit the assessments. The Apprentice does not need to pass them to progress to the End Point Assessment. The government funds the training and Multiverse delivers it. The employer must allow access to the training in paid time.

See Functional Skills Learning Support for the support available.

Process to Opt Out of Functional Skills

The Apprentice must follow this specific sequence to ensure the Training Plan is legally compliant and correctly processed by The Platform.

1. Request a Training Plan Revision

The Apprentice must contact the Multiverse Support Team to request that the current Training Plan be voided. A new Training Plan cannot be issued until the existing version is formally voided by a support agent. The Apprentice should explicitly state the intent to change the Functional Skills status to "Opt-Out."

2. Access the Updated Training Plan

The Apprentice will receive the updated Training Plan via email. While most Apprentices use PandaDoc, some Apprentices or those with restricted network access may receive the document via DocuSign. The Apprentice must check the email associated with The Platform for this document.

3. Complete Section E5

The Apprentice must navigate to Section E5 of the Training Plan. The Apprentice must select the "Opt-Out" option. This selection must accurately reflect the prior qualifications held by the Apprentice.

4. Execute Dual Signatures

The Apprentice and The Manager (Line Manager) must both sign the updated Training Plan. The opt-out process is not valid until both digital signatures are captured.

Post-Submission: The Compliance Review Phase

Functional Skills status updates are not instantaneous. After the signed Training Plan is submitted, the Multiverse Compliance Team must manually review and verify the documentation.

Processing Timeline: Manual verification can take several business days.
Status Indicators: During the review, The Platform may display a "Decision Pending" status.
Communication: The Apprentice may continue to receive automated Functional Skills reminder emails while the status is "Decision Pending." The Apprentice must keep following these reminders until The Platform shows the status “Opted Out”. Compliance has not yet approved the opt-out while the status is “Decision Pending.”

Roles and Responsibilities

Role	Responsibility
The Apprentice	Request the voiding of the old plan, select the opt-out in Section E5, and provide proof of prior qualifications (e.g., GCSE certificates) if prompted.
The Manager	Review and sign the revised Training Plan promptly to prevent delays in the Applied Learning journey.
Compliance Team	Verify the validity of the opt-out request and update the records on The Platform.

Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ)

Questions	Answers
Question: Can the Apprentice change the Functional Skills choice before signing the Training Plan?	Answer: Yes. The Platform pre-fills Section E5 from the answer The Apprentice gave in the Induction Form. The Apprentice can change the choice in the Training Plan before signing and does not need to contact Support. After signing, the Training Plan cannot be edited, so The Apprentice must contact Support.
Question: Can the Apprentice change the Functional Skills status after the Training Plan has been signed?	Answer: No. Once a Training Plan is signed and executed, it cannot be edited. The Apprentice must contact Support to have the current plan voided and a new one reissued.
Question: What should the Apprentice do if they accidentally opted into Functional Skills?	Answer: The Apprentice must contact Support to request a new Training Plan. The Apprentice must then select the opt-out option in Section E5 and ensure both the Apprentice and the Manager sign the new document.
Question: Does the Apprentice need to provide proof of qualifications to opt out?	Answer: Yes. The Apprentice may be required to submit evidence of prior attainment, such as GCSE certificates, to the Compliance Team to justify the opt-out.
Question: Can the Apprentice opt out of Functional Skills at any point in the program?	Answer: Yes. The Apprentice can initiate an opt-out at any time by following the training plan revision process, provided they meet the eligibility criteria.
Question: Should Functional Skills emails be ignored after signing the opt-out?	Answer: No. The Apprentice must keep following these reminders until The Platform shows the status “Opted Out”. Compliance has not yet approved the opt-out while the status is “Decision Pending.”
Question: Who signs as the employer when the Apprentice opts out?	Answer: The Manager usually signs as the representative of the employer. An HR contact or a more senior manager can sign instead.
Question: What happens if the employer does not agree to the opt-out?	Answer: The Apprentice stays opted in. Opting out needs agreement between the Apprentice and the employer. The Apprentice must then study towards Functional Skills and sit the exams, unless the Apprentice can provide acceptable evidence of an existing Level 2 qualification in English and mathematics.
Question: Which option should the Apprentice choose in the Training Plan if the Apprentice already holds Level 2 English and mathematics?	Answer: The Apprentice should choose opt-out if the employer agrees. Opting out means the Apprentice does not need to prove the existing qualifications against the Functional Skills Evidence Requirements. The Apprentice should opt in only if the employer requires the qualifications for the role. The Apprentice cannot study towards qualifications that the Apprentice already holds.