Author: Liam Morton

We have amended our ESB Entry Level Award in ESOL Skills for Life (Speaking and Listening) (Entry 3) and ESB Level 1 Award in ESOL Skills for Life (Speaking and Listening) assessments in line with centre feedback.

From Monday 10^th October, the Assessment Criterion 4.3 Plan action with others at Entry 3 and Level 1 is no longer assessed in the Task 4 Discussion. It is only assessed in the Task 3 Role Play, with numerous opportunities for the learners to achieve the criterion in this task.

In the Task 3 Role Play, the role play scenario is followed by the instruction to make a plan. From 10^th October, the assessor will also use an additional prompt (if it is needed) to elicit a plan or arrangement. If the learners have not started to make a plan after 4 minutes, the assessor will then remind them by saying: Please agree on what you will both do next.

The Task 4 Discussion now concludes with a question, or a prompt to discuss, and no longer asks the learners to make an additional arrangement to do something. The assessment will therefore retain its communicative identity, and end with a natural discussion between the assessor and the learners. We have found that the role play task offers ample opportunities to achieve AC4.3 in an authentic context, using appropriate everyday language, and the Task 4 Discussion concludes the assessment by expressing opinions and ideas in a three-way conversation.

Our sample papers are being updated to reflect these changes. If you have any questions, please contact us at product@esbuk.org.   

Data released in a recent report published by the Institute of Fiscal Studies (IFS) shows that inequality in UK education is not being tackled – emphasising the ever-widening gap that continues to exist between disadvantaged pupils and their peers.

The report highlights that over the past 20 years there has been virtually no change in the ‘disadvantage gap’ in GCSE attainment with data showing that “16-year-olds who are eligible for free school meals are still around 27 percentage points less likely to earn good GCSEs than less disadvantaged peers.”

With the report stating that “higher levels of qualifications are strongly associated with better prospects in the labour market”, ESB continues to recognise the importance of tackling educational inequality and is passionate about closing the disadvantage gap.

Says ESB’s Chief Executive, Tina Renshaw:

ESB is committed to empowering all learners – especially those individuals who need it the most – to develop the key communication and language skills they need to achieve their aspirations.

Our wide range of accessible, oracy and English language qualifications, recognised and mapped to the relevant common curriculum requirements, enable learners to develop the tools to thrive in education, training and employment.

Employers continue to tell us that teamwork and communication skills are central to their success and need to be of a higher standard when people enter the workforce. The development of effective communication, alongside an accredited qualification, gives learners a clear advantage when applying for a place in college, university or in the job market.

ESB provides financial support to groups and organisations which are seeking to close the disadvantage gap

The Christabel Burniston Fund, established in honour of our founder, provides financial support to groups and organisations which are seeking to close the disadvantage gap. ESB’s 70/70 campaign, launched to celebrate its 70th anniversary in 2023 provides an expansion on the support it already offers through the Fund.

Not only do Christabel Burniston-Funded centres receive free training for their school staff and a reduction in assessment fees, but they also receive an annual impact report including de-identified learner data that focuses on the progress made.

Over the last 3 academic years, more than 60 centres have benefited from the support provided by The Christabel Burniston Fund with resounding successes shown in the huge improvement of learners’ speaking and listening skills.

Tina adds:

We are steadfast in our determination to reduce the impacts of disadvantage on individuals developing key speaking and listening skills and want to reach more organisations where learners face disadvantage due to socio-economic factors, special educational needs and disabilities, and/or migration status and enable them access to our speaking and listening qualifications.

If you believe your learners or young people would benefit from ESB qualifications, we would love to hear from you! Get in touch to find out whether your centre is eligible for funding and support through our 70/70 campaign. Please email business@esbuk.org.

The report can be read in full here.

We are delighted to announce the appointment of previous ESB Teacher, Assessor, Moderator and Trustee, Kate Forrester as our new Honorary Vice-President.

Kate has demonstrated her ongoing commitment to ESB over the years and will join ESB’s Honorary President, Merriel Halsall-Williams in ensuring that ESB founders, Christabel Burniston and Jocelyn Bell’s vision is kept alive.

Says Kate, “It’s an honour to be invited to be Honorary Vice- President of English Speaking Board following in the footsteps of three such influential women, Christabel Burniston, Jocelyn Bell and Merriel Halsall-Williams.”

Kate’s extensive ESB experience covers many different learners as she explains:

“On taking up a post at Plymouth College of Technology in 1969, I was responsible for preparing a range of students from Dockyard workers to Police and Merchant Navy Cadets, to Retail workers and student nurses for ESB assessments. Subsequently, in every school and college I taught, I entered learners ranging from very young children to adults.

“My first outing as a trainee assessor was with Christabel Burniston, daunting! In those days reports were handwritten and at the end of the day, before I had a chance to check what I’d written or the marks I’d awarded, Christabel gathered them and I next saw them with comments and corrections made by Jo Bell!

“Years later I became a Moderator, chaired the Moderating Panel, worked on syllabus development and was a Trustee. Fortunate to assess in this country and overseas, most notable in the Far East, it was always a privilege to be invited into schools and colleges to listen to, support and encourage learners to share their work.

“Through ESB I have learned a great deal and made wonderful friends; I hope I can be of help and support as ESB approaches its 70^th anniversary and on into the future.”

ESB’s Chief Executive, Tina Renshaw, says:

I would like to congratulate Kate on her appointment as Honorary Vice-President. As Kate highlights, 2023 is our 70^th anniversary year and we have a number of events planned where we will look back on – and forward to – the impact of the skills, outcomes and experiences of ESB qualifications.

As part of the celebrations, we launched our 70/70 campaign, which aims to find and financially support centres where their learners, children, young people or community members face disadvantage and would be supported in their aspirations if they could achieve an ESB qualification.