Our ESOL Skills for Life Qualifications

English Speaking Board (International) Ltd.’s portfolio of ESOL Skills for Life qualifications is designed for multilingual learners above the age of 16 years old who live, study, work or are preparing to work in the United Kingdom. Our Reading, Writing and Speaking & Listening qualifications from Entry 1 – Level 2 are regulated by Ofqual.

Pre-Entry Level Award in ESOL Skills for Life

The ESB Pre-entry Assessment in Speaking and Listening is an unregulated qualification for learners of English for Speakers of Other Languages (ESOL) who have very little literacy knowledge or experience with English but who need English to manage day-to-day life in the UK. Working towards the qualification will be particularly useful to those who have never experienced an external assessment or have not studied in a formal educational environment for
some years.

Qualification InformationSpeaking & Listening
Assessment methodAssessment by external assessors in groups of 2 to 7
GradingPass/Unsuccessful
Cost per learner£33.00
Qualification SpecificationClickable icon to download the Pre-Entry Speaking and Listening qualification specification in ESOL Skills for Life.
Age range14-16, 16-19, 19+
ESB International recommends that each learner have an initial assessment before the start of their programme to identify whether this qualification or ESOL Skills for Life Entry Level 1 would be more appropriate.

ESB Entry Level Awards in ESOL Skills for Life (Entry 1) 

ESB Entry Level Awards in ESOL Skills for Life (Entry 1) are aimed at learners who are starting to learn to speak, listen, read and write in English. These qualifications are based on the National Standards for Adult Literacy and aligned to the Adult ESOL Core Curriculum. They are also regulated by the Office of Qualifications and Examinations Regulation (Ofqual). 

ReadingWritingSpeaking & Listening
Assessment methodExam paper marked by external markersExam paper marked by external markersOral assessment by external assessor
GradingPass / UnsuccessfulPass / UnsuccessfulPass / Unsuccessful
Regulated from01/02/201501/02/201501/02/2015
Cost per learner£15.00£15.00£42.00
Qualification SpecificationsClickable icon to download the Entry Level 1 Reading qualification specification in ESOL Skills for Life.Clickable icon to download the Entry Level 1 Writing qualification specification in ESOL Skills for Life.Clickable icon to download the Entry Level 1 Speaking and Listening qualification specification in ESOL Skills for Life.
Guided Learning Hours (GLH)6090120
Total Qualification Time (TQT)70100130
Qualification number601/5469/X601/5470/6601/5445/7
Age range14-16, 16-19, 19+14-16, 16-19, 19+14-16, 16-19, 19+

ESB Entry Level Awards in ESOL Skills for Life (Entry 2)

ESB Entry Level Awards in ESOL Skills for Life (Entry 2) are aimed at learners who read and understand short, straightforward texts on familiar topics and obtain information from short documents, familiar sources and signs and symbols. These qualifications are based on the National Standards for Adult Literacy and aligned to the Adult ESOL Core Curriculum. They are also regulated by the Office of Qualifications and Examinations Regulation (Ofqual). 

ReadingWritingSpeaking & Listening
Assessment methodExam paper marked by external markersExam paper marked by external markersOral assessment by external assessor
GradingPass / UnsuccessfulPass / UnsuccessfulPass / Unsuccessful
Regulated from01/02/201501/02/201501/02/2015
Cost per learner£15.00£15.00£44.00
Qualification SpecificationsClickable icon to download the Entry Level 2 Reading qualification specification in ESOL Skills for Life.Clickable icon to download the Entry Level 2 Writing qualification specification in ESOL Skills for Life.Clickable icon to download the Entry Level 2 Speaking and Listening qualification specification in ESOL Skills for Life.
Guided Learning Hours (GLH)6090120
Total Qualification Time (TQT)70100130
Qualification number601/5471/8 601/5472/X 601/5447/0 
Age range14-16, 16-19, 19+14-16, 16-19, 19+14-16, 16-19, 19+

ESB Entry Level Awards in ESOL Skills for Life (Entry 3)

ESB Entry Level Awards in ESOL Skills for Life (Entry 3) are aimed at learners who read and understand short, straightforward texts on familiar topics and obtain information from short documents, familiar sources and signs and symbols. These qualifications are based on the National Standards for Adult Literacy and aligned to the Adult ESOL Core Curriculum. They are also regulated by the Office of Qualifications and Examinations Regulation (Ofqual). 

ReadingWritingSpeaking & Listening
Assessment methodExam paper marked by external markersExam paper marked by external markersOral assessment by external assessor
GradingPass / UnsuccessfulPass / UnsuccessfulPass / Unsuccessful
Regulated from01/02/201501/02/201501/02/2015
Cost per learner£15.00£15.00£45.00
Qualification SpecificationsClickable icon to download the Entry Level 3 Reading qualification specification in ESOL Skills for Life.Clickable icon to download the Entry Level 3 Writing qualification specification in ESOL Skills for Life.Clickable icon to download the Entry Level 3 Speaking and Listening qualification specification in ESOL Skills for Life.
Guided Learning Hours (GLH)6090120
Total Qualification Time (TQT)70100130
Qualification number601/5411/1 601/5444/5 601/5407/X 
Age range14-16, 16-19, 19+14-16, 16-19, 19+14-16, 16-19, 19+

ESB Level 1 Awards in ESOL Skills for Life are aimed at learners who have a very good literacy knowledge or experience in English. These qualifications are based on the National Standards for Adult Literacy and aligned to the Adult ESOL Core Curriculum. They are also regulated by the Office of Qualifications and Examinations Regulation (Ofqual). 

ReadingWritingSpeaking & Listening
Assessment methodExam paper marked by external markersExam paper marked by external markersOral assessment by external assessor
GradingPass / UnsuccessfulPass / UnsuccessfulPass / Unsuccessful
Regulated from01/02/201501/02/201501/02/2015
Cost per learner£16.00£16.00£49.00
Qualification SpecificationsClickable icon to download the Level 1 Reading qualification specification in ESOL Skills for Life.Clickable icon to download the Level 1 Writing qualification specification in ESOL Skills for Life.Clickable icon to download the Level 1 Speaking and Listening qualification specification in ESOL Skills for Life.
Guided Learning Hours (GLH)6090120
Total Qualification Time (TQT)70100130
Qualification number601/5473/1 601/5474/3601/5465/2 
Age range14-16, 16-19, 19+14-16, 16-19, 19+14-16, 16-19, 19+

ESB Level 2 Awards in ESOL Skills for Life are aimed at learners who have an excellent literacy knowledge or experience in English. These qualifications are based on the National Standards for Adult Literacy and aligned to the Adult ESOL Core Curriculum. They are also regulated by the Office of Qualifications and Examinations Regulation (Ofqual). 

ReadingWritingSpeaking & Listening
Assessment methodExam paper marked by external markersExam paper marked by external markersOral assessment by external assessor
GradingPass / UnsuccessfulPass / UnsuccessfulPass / Unsuccessful
Regulated from01/02/201501/02/201501/02/2015
Cost per learner£16.00£16.00£54.00
Qualification SpecificationsClickable icon to download the Level 2 Reading qualification specification in ESOL Skills for Life.Clickable icon to download the Level 2 Writing qualification in ESOL Skills for Life.Clickable icon to download the Level 2 Speaking & Listening qualification in ESOL Skills for Life.
Guided Learning Hours (GLH)6090120
Total Qualification Time (TQT)70100130
Qualification number601/5490/1 601/5483/4 601/5467/6 
Age range14-16, 16-19, 19+14-16, 16-19, 19+14-16, 16-19, 19+