ESOL: Our calls for change and the evidence

Attending ESOL classes at the right level can be life-changing for many, but funding cuts and policy changes mean that many face an uphill struggle to access provision. For workers with long hours or shifts, for example, ESOL in the workplace could be a gamechanger, opening up new opportunities to gain vital language skills.

Despite the main source of funding for ESOL (formerly, the Adult Education Budget) having halved in real terms between 2009/10 and 2016/17, in some areas of the country the prioritisation of ESOL and flexible use of funding has enabled it to be delivered effectively.

Funding rules need to be more flexible and effective at meeting local ESOL demand, so more regions can follow suit. England also needs appropriate funding models in further education to ensure colleges are not disincentivised from offering ESOL provision. Funding models should also be considered which incentivise employers to provide ESOL at work (e.g., via the Apprenticeship Levy).

Many learners struggle to access appropriate ESOL. The current curriculum only aims to provide them with the basic language skills needed to survive, not the level needed to achieve their employment and education aspirations.

A new set of ESOL standards and qualifications should be developed which support effective learning for ESL speakers and provide the language skills they need to succeed in education and employment.

Over recent decades, ESOL policy, strategy and funding has lacked clarity and overall direction. This has left learners facing and ESOL "postcode lottery". Whilst some will benefit from regional authorities having greater freedom over how they use the devolved Adult Skills Fund, enabling them to widen access, other learners face patchy and inadequate provision.

There’s a need for a national strategy for ESOL that articulates a vision and plan for the future of ESOL and the role it plays in both meeting the skills shortage and promoting community cohesion.

There are currently no accurate national data on the numbers of people post-16 who need to learn English and what their levels of proficiency are.

An additional field marker should be added to the individualised learning record (ILR), the data collected about learners from training providers in the Further Education and Skills sector in England, which identifies learners with other language backgrounds.

Better data on the number of people who need to learn English post-16 are key for planning and funding delivery and understanding the needs of ESOL speakers nationally.

The proportion of learners whose first language is not English in education and training provision is high. This means that all Ofsted inspectors are likely to encounter second language speakers on a regular basis. Yet many inspectors do not have the tools, knowledge or skills to evaluate the quality of ESOL provision effectively.

Ofsted has a key role to play in driving system change by raising standards across all educational settings to improve the lives of learners. To do so effectively, an increased focus on provision for ESOL learners in further education and skills is needed, alongside better use of data, and appropriate training for all inspectors.

Moreover, as part of Enhanced Skills Inspections, there is a need for skills and curriculum inspection teams to look beyond discrete ESOL provision to learners’ progression onto mainstream educational/vocational courses and employment. This is key because many learners of ESOL have existing skills, knowledge and experience (e.g., many are fully qualified doctors, nurses, engineers, teachers, and skilled tradespeople).