Author: Liam Morton

English Speaking Board (International) Ltd. is delighted to be supporting Neurodiversity Celebration Week 2024, an initiative that provides a platform to celebrate the achievements and strengths of neurodiverse individuals and foster a society that truly embraces the diversity of minds.

For 70 years, ESB has been dedicated to unlocking the potential of all of its learners through the development of Oracy and English language. As part of its mission, the organisation has a long-term commitment to supporting neurodivergent learners. Those of our learners who have additional learning needs can have our assessments modified to remove barriers to assessment to enable all to demonstrate what they can do.

It is so vital to ESB that all learners can access and achieve, that we created a unique portfolio of oracy qualifications designed specifically for learners with significant learning needs. These learners are often in specialist settings, an environment and curriculum that enables and unlocks their potential.    

Says ESB’s Chief Executive, Tina Renshaw:

We all want to be seen, be heard and understood, and for our strengths to be appreciated and for barriers to learning to be removed. Our Oracy portfolio is accessible and can be adapted to many of our learners who may describe themselves as neurodivergent. We are proud that this portfolio includes specialist Oracy qualifications for learners with significant learning needs furnish these learners with experiences that can help to remove barriers to learning by enabling access to a wide range of curricula, building relationships and a sense of belonging, and developing self-esteem and a positive self-identity.

Imagine the impact that sense of empowerment and achievement has on any learner but especially learners who often face systemic barriers that they and their families and carers have to overcome to allow them to flourish.

You can hear more about our work from one of our valued centres providing a specialist environment, Aurora Foxes, a residential college and training hotel for 16-25-year-olds based in Somerset. Learn more about how ESB assessments help prepare learners with significant learning needs for work and life.

As part of Neurodiversity celebration week, ESB shines the spotlight on Dr. Kush Kanodia, ESB’s new Patron and a prominent disability rights activist.

Dr Kanodia was drawn to ESB after hearing of its Outreach Campaign, which financially supports organisations and groups whose learners face disadvantage due to poverty, migrant or asylum seeker status, or special educational needs and disabilities.

He is a renowned disability and rights champion and social entrepreneur. He has had a monumental life journey, being a London Olympics Torchbearer in 2012 and being a key driving force for change for disabled peoples’ rights through transforming systems.



Dr Kanodia was the seminal figure in removing NHS England car parking charges at hospitals, which many claim was the most impactful positive change for disabled people since the formation of the NHS. He has recognised systematic barriers and worked with Premier League Football clubs, including Chelsea, to make their stadiums more accessible for disabled people; he has worked on other high profile projects including campaigning for ULEZ fairness for disabled drivers. He also holds an honorary doctorate at Kent University in recognition of his achievements.

On a recent visit to Cornwall, Dr Kanodia was interviewed by Dr Theo Blackmore PHD, a Disability Researcher and host of the ‘Discover Voices’ podcast, on the issue of finding confidence as a disabled person.

Says Tina, “We look forward to Dr Kanodia getting involved in ESB’s mission to remove barriers for learners. I am in no doubt the positive impact that he will bring to our work.”

Are you keen to learn more about ESB’s Oracy qualifications for all learners which can be seamlessly integrated into your curriculum and made accessible?

ESB offers a full suite of Oracy qualifications that can be adjusted for learners. Please click here to find out more.

In addition ESB offers four categories of qualifications for learners with significant special educational needs and disabilities aged 16 and over who do not hold a Level 1 qualification or higher.

For more information, please email us at business@esbuk.org to arrange a meeting with our CEO, Tina Renshaw. We would be delighted to hear from you.

English Speaking Board (International) is committed to continuing its work to support neurodivergent learners and promote neurodiversity awareness in our society.

Oracy assessment: “Preparing for and experiencing an ESB International qualification fosters learner agency and empowers young people to find their place in the world.”

English Speaking Board (International) (ESB) recently participated in the Westminster Education Forum Policy Conference on Literacy and Oracy, discussing the value and efficacy of its Oracy assessment methodology and the ease in which it can be embedded into the curricula across the different phases of education and skills system.

Contributing to the discussion, ‘Teaching and learning literacy and oracy in primary and secondary schools’, ESB’s Chief Executive, Tina Renshaw said:

It was fantastic to engage with other educators and thought leaders in the Oracy and Literacy field and to have the opportunity to highlight the benefits and impact of ESB’s unique Oracy assessment framework.

With tasks targeted to the EY frameworks, the English National Curriculum, Gatsby benchmarks and the Spoken Language Endorsement at GCSE, ESB qualifications are tailored to each year group and can easily be integrated into classroom teaching across various curriculum subjects, providing learners with a unique opportunity to develop their self-confidence and communication skills across multiple areas of study.

Our assessment style is unique, with learners working together within a supportive peer group. The assessment is conducted externally with the completion of the tasks taking place in school, providing a familiar environment where students have the best chance of success.

ESB’s Oracy qualifications are designed to equip individuals with essential skills required to thrive in today’s competitive world, including the ability to express their thoughts clearly and persuasively, work effectively as part of a team, inform, instruct, question, interpret, disagree and advise.

As a contributing member of the Oracy APPG final report – Speak for Change – ESB was also delighted that Lord Watson, Vice-Chair of the Oracy APPG was a speaker at the conference. 

Expressing a keen interest in learning more about how ESB assessments can be integrated into the curriculum, particularly at post-16/FE and specialist provision, he commented:

Oracy is a core component of an effective education that enables a child to flourish in learning and in life. In order to develop confidence and competence in Spoken Language, children and young people need a consistent opportunity to develop and practise these skills throughout their schooling.

ESB 2021-22 National Impact Report

ESB had the opportunity to present data and findings from its2021-22 National Impact Report. This research, from some of ESB’s most disadvantaged primary and secondary schools, demonstrates an impact score of 9/10 and 8/10 respectively, and highlights the significant impact that ESB qualifications have on the Oracy skills of their learners in the wake of the pandemic.

• You can download ESB’s full National Impact Report here.
  
• You can also read ESB’s peer-reviewed article published in the Chartered Teaching Magazine here: ‘A unique opportunity in the curriculum for students to have genuine agency over their choices and outcome’: A study of the impact on learners of employability-focused, externally assessed Level 1 and Level 2 speaking and listening qualifications.

Adds Tina:

I look forward to exploring ideas and continuing discussions around Oracy and Literacy and how ESB can best work with and support other organisations’ work to provide better outcomes for all students in the future.

If you would like to learn more about ESB’s Oracy assessment framework and find out if your organisation is eligible for financial support through our outreach programme, please get in touch with our Business Strategy Team at business@esbuk.org. We would love to hear from you.

Members of ESB’s Customer Experience team, Sue Roberts, Jacqui Lee, and Isaac Hart recently took part in the annual ‘Santa Sprint’ charity event held in Southport.

Dressed in Santa suits, they sprinted (and walked) 5K along the seafront to raise money for a local hospice charity, Queenscourt Hospice.

Isaac performed exceptionally well, finishing in sixth place out of 300 sprinting Santas.

After completing the run, the Santas were presented with their medal and treated to hot chocolate, which was a much-needed reward!

The team were pleased to raise almost £100 for the Queenscourt Hospice. Well done to all!

ESB wishes you all a Merry Christmas and a Happy New Year!

Note about Queenscourt Hospice:

Queenscourt Hospice has been providing Compassionate Care for the people of West Lancashire, Formby and Southport for over 30 years. It cares for patients with serious illnesses, enabling them to achieve the best possible quality of life at each new stage. As Queenscourt receives less than 20% of its costs from the NHS, it relies heavily on charitable donations to keep the hospice running.