---
title: What is the Initial Assessment?
description: What is the Initial Assessment?
---

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# What is the Initial Assessment?

An **Initial Assessment** is a short test. It checks a learner’s basic knowledge of a subject before they start a course.

The goal is simple:

- To understand what the learner already knows
- To find the right starting level for them

After the learner finishes the assessment, they receive a result. This result shows their **initial level**.

### What does the initial level mean?

The initial level helps us choose the most suitable course for the learner.

Every course has a **recommended level range**. This means:

- If a learner’s result falls inside a course’s score range,
  
  → that course is a good match for them.
- In some cases, more than one course may match the learner’s score.
  
  → The learner may see multiple course recommendations.

This helps learners avoid:

- Starting a course that is too easy
- Starting a course that is too difficult

Below is a rough guideline of what your initial level means.

Functional skills Initial Asessments:

![](https://help.passfunctionalskills.co.uk/hs-fs/hubfs/image-png-4.png?width=670&height=312&name=image-png-4.png)

### **How to take the initial assessment**

### 1. This student has sat the English initial assessment but not the maths.

![This student has sat the English initial assessment but not the maths.](https://help.passfunctionalskills.co.uk/hubfs/Knowledge%20Base%20Import/7f4b2ba3-703e-4491-9b88-df205c6eac78.png)

### 2. You can see that they have been recommended to take the level 2 English course.

![You can see that they have been recommended to take the level 2 English course. ](https://help.passfunctionalskills.co.uk/hubfs/Knowledge%20Base%20Import/ab35b426-4e3b-40a6-9e28-d6af8c1db5b9.png)

### 3. To give the maths initial assessment a go, click 'Start the Maths Initial Assessment'

![To give the maths initial assessment a go, click 'Start the Maths Initial Assessment'](https://help.passfunctionalskills.co.uk/hubfs/Knowledge%20Base%20Import/2c8b36c9-6408-4d1a-880f-b5c84974db7c.png)

### 4. Click on Start Initial Assessment and complete all the questions to see what level you are starting at.

![Click on Start Initial Assessment and complete all the questions to see what level you are starting at.](https://help.passfunctionalskills.co.uk/hubfs/Knowledge%20Base%20Import/c5b1f098-f09f-4c6f-97da-608b147e5aee.png)

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