Author: Liam Morton

• 

• 

English Speaking Board (International) celebrates its 70^th anniversary in 2023 and one of its longest-standing centres – Moreton Hall in Shropshire – has been with it every step of the way!

To celebrate its 70^th anniversary, ESB has recently launched its 70/70 Campaign, which will make access to our suite of speech and language qualifications more available to groups and organisations which are seeking to close the disadvantage gap. ESB is aiming to find and financially support by 2023, 70 centres where their learners, children, young people or community members face disadvantage due to socio economic factors, disability or migration status. ESB will support them financially to access its assessments, support and training.

Backing the campaign is loyal ESB centre Moreton Hall school, led by its Head of Spoken English as well as ESB’s Honorary Vice-President, Merriel Halsall-Williams. Merriel has been championing the power of oracy through ESB’s speech assessments since its inception.

Her enduring relationship with ESB began in 1953, when as a 15-year-old she took part in a public speaking competition and was adjudicated as the winner by Christabel Burniston, the founder of English Speaking Board (International). From an ESB learner, Merriel went on to become an outstanding ESB teacher and later fulfilled a range of roles for ESB.

At Moreton Hall, Merriel took over the teaching of ESB from Norah Godwin, the teacher who introduced ESB assessments all those years ago.  Merriel continues to incorporate oracy education at Moreton Hall through ESB assessments. It is part of the school’s English syllabus, with the importance of the spoken word being truly recognised. Merriel’s involvement with ESB and her impact on public speaking has been described as ‘unique and immeasurable’.

Says Tina: “To this day, Moreton Hall continues to give a clear focus to Oracy education, thanks to Merriel. In 2009 she was appointed ESB’s Honorary Vice-President and in 2018 she was awarded ESB’s Richard Ellis Lifetime Achievement Award in recognition of her invaluable work and for her promotion of ESB’s values. Merriel continues to nurture and equip ESB learners at Moreton Hall with the confidence and skills to communicate effectively and has been nothing less than inspirational throughout her whole career. Generations of Moretonians have honed their oratory skills by taking part in ESB assessments!”

Says Merriel: “Here at Moreton Hall, ESB plays a significant part in equipping all of our learners with the vital oracy skills needed for today’s world.  ESB is part of the English syllabus for Years 7, 8 & 10 and every girl in the Lower 6th does one hour a week of Spoken English, leading to the Level 3 Grade 8 Graded Examination in Speech. ESB equips them with the skills and confidence to support them through their studies and become effective communicators. Christabel would have been thrilled with the 70/70 campaign as her ethos was always to stretch the most able, support the least confident and realise the potential of all by closing the disadvantage gap.”

For further information about ESB’s 70/70 campaign, please click here.

English Speaking Board (International) celebrates its 70^th Anniversary in 2023! To honour this special milestone, we are launching a significant outreach campaign that will make access to our suite of speech and language qualifications more available to groups and organisations which are seeking to close the disadvantage gap. We hope to support organisations where their learners face disadvantage due to socio economic factors, disability or migration status. We will support them financially to access our assessments, support and training.

English Speaking Board (International) and Articulacy share a common aim to help young people communicate more effectively and confidently to allow them to reach their aspirations – and follow their dreams.

Launched to mark ESB’s achievements over the past 70 years and to mirror the innovation of our founder, Christabel Burniston, our 70/70 Campaign aims to find and financially support by 2023, 70 organisations where their young people or community members face disadvantage due to socio economic factors, disability or migration status and would be supported in their aspirations if they could achieve an ESB qualification. ESB will support them financially to access its assessments, support and training.

This is not the first time that we have provided financial support to grant learners access to our qualifications. The Christabel Burniston Fund has supported more than 40 centres over the last three academic years.  The 70/70 Campaign is an expansion on the support we already offer and amongst other things, aims to give young people a clear advantage as they progress through secondary schools, FE colleges, and employment.

Inspiring high quality communication in people of all ages is something ESB and Articulacy continue to recognise, with both organisations being engaged in the value of oracy as a vehicle for social mobility.

ESB began its fruitful relationship with Articulacy in 2016. Established in 2012 by Julia Ward and Ali Shorer, the company specialises in offering workshops that build confidence and raise self-esteem through spoken English. They work with businesses, on individual projects and in education from primary schools through to universities across the South West of England and inspire learners regardless of age or ability to become self-assured and articulate speakers.

Like ESB, Articulacy is a member of the Oracy Network, a group of organisations passionate and dedicated to supporting speaking and listening skills in children and young people. This group played a key role advising the work of the Oracy All-Party Parliamentary Group Inquiry ‘Speak for Change’. With the subject of Oracy fast becoming a hotly debated subject, and its impact on young people, the All-Party Parliamentary Group published its Final Report in April, endorsing ESB’s assessment methodology as a valuable part of teaching Oracy to learners and highlighted the positive impact that oracy education has on progression.

Articulacy has been using ESB qualifications to add additional value to their workshops for some years after reaching the same conclusion as the APPG Final Report. By incorporating ESB into their workshops, learners are awarded with an accredited qualification at the end of their training, giving them a sense of achievement as well as evidence of their progression.

Julia Ward, says: “Our mission is to inspire all young people, regardless of age or abilities, to become confident and articulate speakers. We run week-long workshops for disengaged youngsters, within each school’s curriculum, using the framework of an ESB qualification to provide focus and direction. These young people start the week with no experience of public speaking and most believe, the challenge is too great. However, by the end of the week it is astonishing to see how much they progress. It is so rewarding to see them attaining their ESB accredited qualification and to share in their sense of achievement and progression”.

Tina Renshaw, ESB’s Chief Executive explains: “Articulacy is a centre that is using ESB to further its cause, across a number of schools and university outreach programmes, but ESB would like to help many more. We are passionate about stretching the most able and supporting the least confident to realise their potential by closing the disadvantage gap. Articulacy and ESB have a shared belief that good communication skills lie at the heart of social mobility and share a similar goal of creating a future where class background is no barrier to what you can achieve.

“Under the umbrella of our 70/70 campaign, we hope to support hundreds of young people to gain speaking and listening qualifications that may not have been previously possible. ESB would love to hear from you!”

Who can apply for funding from the 70/70 campaign?

Education Sector	Third Sector
Primary Schools Secondary Schools Further Education Special Schools Pupil Referral Units Prisons	Charities Community Groups Youth or Adult Societies

We use two main sets of indicators for state schools: The percentage of pupils receiving Pupil premium and the Government’s Indices of Deprivation for the area that your school serves. For third sector organisations we will look at your current income and external funding and the Government’s Indices of Deprivation for the community your organisation supports.

How can you apply for funding?

If you are interested in finding out whether your centre is eligible for funding and wish to know the options available to you, please email business@esbuk.org. Additional information on how to apply will also be provided.