CGP Functional Maths & English books

I have long been a fan of CGP books.

Their Functional Maths and English titles are well worth a look. At long last a publisher is providing an affordable yet high quality option for tutors and students. 

Six titles are available: E3, L1 & L2 for both subjects.

Level 1 maths
An incredibly useful book that I have used many times. I love the way the first 80 page study guide section is split into major topics such as number, measure, etc. This is how I arranged the Scheme of Work for my E3-L1 Functional Maths group this year so is very useful indeed. There are very clear explanations followed by a set of functional practice questions after each topic. I particularly like the coverage of charts & graphs as I always have difficulty finding suitable resources for this topic.

I was slightly surprised to see coverage of volume (this does not appear in the Functional Mathematics criteria until Level 2) and conversion between metric and Imperial measures (again a Level 2 skill, Level 1 only covers conversions within the same system). A list of the Level 1 Functional Mathematics criteria and the related process skills would have also made a useful appendix to the book.

The second section of the book (approx 45 pages) is devoted to 8 beautiful tasks in the style of themed exam questions. Topics include decorating, bike rides, cooking, shopping, etc. The tasks are not as long as an entire exam and would make ideal practice in class or as homework.

The books finishes with a comprehensive answer section (this is wonderful but I would have to remove it for some of my students), a useful glossary and an index.

Each books sells for a recommended retail price of £7.50 but can be bought in bulk for college and schools to sell on to their students at very generous discounts.

Highly recommended