ESB is delighted to launch its 2021-2022 National Impact Report which outlines the impact of its externally assessed qualifications on the development of learners’ oracy and personal development.
The report is based on data collected from learners and teachers at primary and secondary schools last year who have benefitted from the support of ESB’s Christabel Burniston Fund.
Says ESB’s Chief Executive, Tina Renshaw, “I’m excited to launch our National Impact Report. For 70 years, ESB has witnessed the life-long impact of our oracy qualifications. We know their impact, and our assessors see it first-hand when they go out to our centres. We hear it from our teachers and our learners themselves, whether it’s on Twitter or their school websites, and we also witness it at magnificent annual events such as our Young Speakers of the Year Showcases.
“However, we know that in our modern, data-driven world, it’s important that we can demonstrate the impact in academic and statistical terms. We wanted to add to the growing national research base about the impact of focusing on speaking and listening skills, particularly in ESB’s case, through a form of assessment that provides a confidence-boosting accredited qualification.”
So, what does the report tell us about the impact of investing in ESB qualifications that focus on oracy?
Impact at Primary Level Teachers told us that:
ESB qualifications have had a huge impact on the speaking and listening skills of their learners in the wake of the pandemic, with a 9/10 impact score.
Learners spoke with an increasing command of standard English.
Learners were judged to be far more competent and confident in their ability to gain and maintain the interest of their peers and to stay on topic, initiate and respond.
Learners improved their group work skills.
Learners also said that they were much happier to read in class after they had completed the assessment.
Impact at Secondary Level
62% of learners told us that the qualifications improved their ability to work well in a group and helped them to stay focused and to collaborate with others.
Teachers said that the impact of completing these qualifications in a post-pandemic world was of significance for these young people, with an 8/10 impact score.
Learners also felt they improved their ability to speak confidently, audibly and fluently, enhanced their vocabulary to articulate better, and improved their own abilities and targets.
ESB would love as many of you as possible to interact with its National Impact Report. So, please do email business@esbuk.org to receive a full copy of the report and give us some feedback. If you would like to be involved in having your learners be part of the dataset, then please also get in touch.
It’s crucial to understand that investing in oracy has its dividends and has both an immediate and life-long impact on learners. ESB looks forward to sharing more information about the impact of its qualifications on learners throughout the year, and in the future.
The event highlighted how learners have flourished into confident young adults after completing their ESB speaking and listening qualification
Live Streamed Celebration: ESB’s Chief Executive (left) with a number of learners at Belfast Metropolitan College
ESB continues its yearlong 70th Anniversary celebrations this week with a live-streamed event hosted by Belfast Metropolitan College’s Centre for Supported Learning.
Celebrating its special milestone, ESB put the focus on success stories from its accredited oracy qualifications designed for neurodiverse individuals and shone the spotlight on the learners who enrich its work.
The celebration, led by ESB’s Chief Executive, Tina Renshaw was hosted at Belfast Metropolitan College and saw many ESB organisations with their learners from around the UK joining the event remotely, including Aurora Foxes Academy, based in Somerset; Wirral Metropolitan College in the North-West of England; TCES Group in East London; University College of Isle of Man; The Link Secondary School in Croydon, and Condover College, based in Shrewsbury.
The ESB team, young people and key representatives from Belfast Metropolitan College, including Michelle Devlin, Assistant Director of Curriculum and Sharon Rivers, Head of Department of Health, Wellbeing & Inclusion, as well as representatives from Northern Regional College, also attended in person, together with sponsors and supporters.
Says ESB’s Chief Executive, Tina Renshaw:
This year, we’re celebrating 70 years of realising the potential of all learners. Today we’re particularly showcasing some of our learners who have additional learning needs or learning disabilities, or we might describe them as neurodivergent. As you’ve seen, ESB qualifications and experiences can help these learners by removing 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.
For over 10 years we’ve provided specialist opportunities for learners with significant additional needs to succeed and this commitment is ongoing. At ESB, we want to reach these learners who face disadvantage and help equip them with the essential life skills they need to thrive in education, training and employment, giving them the life choices and freedoms that they are entitled to. It is ESB’s aim to stretch the most able and support the least confident to achieve their potential and help close the disadvantage gap.
Curriculum Area Manager at Belfast Met College, Michael Patterson, said:
Belfast Met has had the honour of working with ESB and has witnessed first-hand the transformative impact that ESB qualifications have on individuals’ lives. Through our partnership with ESB, we have had the privilege of supporting nearly 2,000 students with learning difficulties and disabilities, helping them to overcome significant barriers. As a result, our students can now communicate independently, not just in the college setting, but also in their wider community.
To honour ESB’s 70th Anniversary, Belfast Met College are planning to plant an ‘ESB tree’ on the College ground during Springtime.
Michael Patterson adds:
This tree will serve as a symbol to our commitment to working with ESB, to support our individuals to achieve their full potential. Just as this tree will grow and flourish with care and attention, so too we can nurture and support those who face additional challenges in their everyday lives and gain meaningful qualifications in employment. Thank you for letting us be part of such a momentous occasion.
Another of ESB’s valued centres, Aurora Foxes Academy, a residential college and training hotel for 16-25 year olds based in Minehead, Somerset, tells us what they like the most about ESB qualifications.
ESB learners at Aurora Foxes Academy baked a classic Victoria Sponge Cake for ESB’s 70th Birthday.
We’d just like to say how honoured and proud we are to join your 70th Anniversary celebrations today. We have a long-standing relationship with English Speaking Board and all of our students have an opportunity to take the assessment each year.
At Aurora Foxes, our aim is to prepare all our students to be ‘work ready, life ready’. Our curriculum provides students with the skills for both life and employability and the English Speaking Board assessment helps us to achieve this.
Curriculum Lead at Aurora Foxes, Kim Williams and Aurora Foxes Principal, Mark Costello
ESB also heard from The Link Secondary School, an ESB centre based in Croydon, providing a quality education for children and young people aged 4-18 with speech, language and communication needs, including autistic spectrum conditions and Pathological Demand Avoidance.
We’ve participated in ESB exams at our school for over 20 years. Over the years, students have gained valuable speaking and listening qualifications. We chose ESB due to the range of courses on offer and the different levels of courses students could study at. It’s had lots of impact on our learners, different things, like structuring and organisational skills, attention and listening, social skills and public speaking skills.
Speech and Language Therapist at the Link Secondary School, Charlotte Yeung
Learners also had the opportunity to share their personal experience of ESB. They commented:
“I really enjoyed doing my ESB Level 1 Speaking and Listening Assessment. I wanted to do it to show my understanding and independence. My whole life has been completely changed and now, I feel like I’m ready to be ‘work ready, life ready’.” ESB Learner at Aurora Foxes Academy, Somerset
“I felt nervous, but happy when I had finished.” ESB Learner at Wirral Metropolitan College, North-West of England
“ESB gives us more confidence to stand up in front of everyone in assembly. We can now speak properly and project our voices better.” ESB Learner at The Link Secondary School, Croydon
ESB learners at Aurora Foxes Academy, Somerset
ESB will continue to “look back and look forward” to celebrate the impact that ESB speech and language qualifications have had, and continue to have, on so many of its learners through hosting more live-streamed events throughout the year.
For more information about ESB’s qualifications, please contact business@esbuk.org. You can also find out whether you are eligible for financial support through our 70/70 campaign – a further initiative launched to celebrate our 70th anniversary.
ESB continues its year long 70th Anniversary celebrations this week, with an event hosted by Belfast Metropolitan College’s Centre for Supported Learning.
The multi-media event will “look back and look forward” to celebrate the impact that ESB speech qualifications have had, and continue to have, on so many neurodivergent learners.
Says ESB’s Chief Executive, Tina Renshaw, “We can’t wait to celebrate with our centres and learners! As demonstrated through our unique portfolio of speech qualifications, we are committed to supporting all learners – empowering them to achieve their aspirations through the development of speaking and listening skills.
“By enabling learners to develop these vital communication skills, they can develop a sense of belonging, encouraging autonomy, as well as facilitating the fulfilment of potential.”
It is ESB’s aim to reach out and to support more organisations where their learners face disadvantage. If you are an organisation interested in ESB’s unique portfolio of Speech qualifications, designed for neurodivergent learners, we would love to hear from you. Please contact a member of our Business Development Team at business@esbuk.org for further information.
You can also find out whether you are eligible for financial support through our 70/70 campaign – an initiative launched to celebrate ESB’s 70th Anniversary this year.
ESB and Europalso have been working together successfully for 15 years – offering high-quality ESOL International assessments to 230,000 young people across Greece.
Watch the video of ESB’s Chief Executive, Tina Renshaw to learn more.
We are always looking for like-minded UK and International centres who share the same goal to improve their learners’ English language skills to work with us.
If you would like to find out more about becoming an ESB centre and you and your learners are based in the UK please contact us. Our ESOL International assessments can be taken online by both UK and International learners.
