At Functional Skills UK, we believe that learning should be accessible to everyone and that no learner should be held back by barriers that can be overcome with the right support.
Following discussions between our Board and Senior Leadership Team, we were delighted to welcome Kerry Giles to the team in November 2025 as our Additional Support and Functional Skills Specialist.
The appointment reflects our continued commitment to creating an inclusive learning environment and ensuring that learners receive the personalised support they need to succeed.
Bringing Specialist Knowledge to FSUK
Kerry brings a wealth of experience in supporting learners with additional learning needs and is currently studying for a Master's degree in Specialist Education.
As part of her Master's research, Kerry is working closely with FSUK learners, meaning that current best practice and new approaches are directly benefiting both learners and staff across the organisation.
Her knowledge and passion for inclusion have already become a valuable asset to the wider team.
Supporting Learners to Overcome Barriers
Kerry currently supports around 40 learners at any one time, providing a mixture of:
- One-to-one support sessions
- Advice and guidance for tutors
- Dyslexia screening and recommendations
- Support with exam access arrangements
- Adapted learning resources, including coloured paper and accessible fonts
- Anxiety and wellbeing support
- Meeting learners in workplaces and community settings to make learning and assessments more accessible
This personalised approach has helped many learners who may previously have struggled with confidence, anxiety or previous negative experiences of education.
Creating an Inclusive Culture
Kerry has also supported learners on our Skills Bootcamps and Functional Skills programmes by ensuring reasonable adjustments are in place, helping learners access examinations fairly and confidently.
Her work is not only supporting individual learners but also helping to strengthen the culture of inclusion across the organisation.
As part of this, Kerry is leading the development of a three-stage staff CPD programme, helping colleagues continue to build their confidence and understanding around additional learning support.
A Message from our CEO
“Kerry has been a fantastic addition to the FSUK team and continually challenges us to learn more about inclusion and how we can remove barriers for learners.
We are excited for Kerry to lead further staff training and have developed a three-stage CPD programme for all staff to help strengthen our inclusive culture even further.”
Luke Hardy, CEO
Looking Ahead
At Functional Skills UK, we know that inclusion is everyone's responsibility.
By investing in specialist support and continuing to develop our staff, we are committed to ensuring every learner receives the opportunity, confidence and support they need to progress in work, learning and life.