Established in honour of our founders, the Christabel Burniston Fund provides support to centres which might not otherwise be able to access assessments.
At ESB International we are committed to ensuring our qualifications are accessible to every learner, and we are always looking to identify new ways of helping our centres get the most out of our qualifications.
If you wish to make a donation to the fund, please contact our Business Development Manager, mark.wynne@esbuk.org.
It is with great sadness that we learn of the passing of ESB International’s co-founder and Honorary President, Jocelyn Bell.
Jocelyn was involved with English Speaking Board (International) Ltd. (ESB) from its inception and remained involved with the organisation, its philosophy and practices, almost up to the time of her passing.
ESB International was formed in 1953, by Christabel Burniston, aided by Jocelyn, Christabel’s professional colleague. Jocelyn and Christabel shared the same educationalist’s vision that true development of personality, and security in social relationships, could only grow through the confidence of speaking and listening. Jocelyn worked closely with Christabel on several projects to promote the organisation and pioneer a radical new approach to oral skills and communication.
Jocelyn and Christabel receiving flowers at the Annual General Meeting in 2003
Jocelyn believed that assessments should provide sympathetic environments where young people and adults could be encouraged to share interests, achievements and ideas.
In the 1960’s, ESB International became English Speaking Board (International) Ltd. as it extended its influence overseas. Jocelyn, together with Christabel, successfully took the organisation’s philosophy to New Zealand, Australia, South Africa, Malta and Canada.
Postcard to Jocelyn from partners in New Zealand in 1973
In addition, Jocelyn was instrumental in writing numerous books in collaboration with Christabel. These publications include ‘Rhymes with Reasons’ and, ‘Into the Life of Things: An exploration of language through verbal dynamics’.
Before going into teaching, Jocelyn trained under the great Elsie Fogerty who founded The Central School of Speech Training and Dramatic Art in The Royal Albert Hall in 1906. In 1957, it was established in The Embassy Theatre, Swiss Cottage and later recognised as The Royal Central School of Speech and Drama. Jocelyn developed Fogerty’s approach to what was then called ‘voice and diction’ or ‘elocution’ where the focus was entirely on the mouth and naval cavity. Fogerty included the lungs in her teaching and further included the importance of the whole body. Jocelyn called this revolutionary approach to the teaching of voice production ‘verbal dynamics’.
As part of their vision, Jocelyn and Christabel abandoned the word elocution and the manicured constraints imposed on rich regional accents and class identity. In their book, ‘Into the Life of Things’, they wrote that “the voice and words at a physical level are infinitely complicated movement sequences and that the voice sound movement encapsulates each individual’s essence and who we are”.
Jocelyn was also a qualified as a librarian and studied at The Rose Bruford school of Speech and Drama. She was an actor in The Sheffield Repertory Company and appeared on stage with Rachel Kempson and the great Alec Clunes. She gave up her professional acting career in order to look after her sick father, who lived near Nottingham. She later joined the war effort in an arms factory. Being an only child with elderly parents, her childhood was solitary. She hated school, particularly games which she avoided by climbing up a tree and reading. She loved Shakespeare and read every book written about him. In later years she studied theosophy, astrology and practiced yoga.
Christabel’s daughter, Elizabeth Macfarlane, says:
“Jocelyn’s steadfast sense of loyalty and dedication to her friend and colleague Christabel Burniston and to the importance of the English Speaking Board was an anchor and inspiration to us all”.
ESB International’s Chair, Pippa Quarrell, says:
“Jo was there from the start when Christabel first announced her idea about starting an Awarding Organisation to assess Spoken English. She worked as an assessor for several years before setting up the formal recruitment and training procedures for ESB assessors.
“As the first Examination Training Officer, her input was invaluable in creating a forward-thinking, professional organisation. After 10 years, she moved into the role of ESB’s Honorary Vice-President and then into the role of Honorary President in 2007.
“Without Jocelyn’s ground-breaking and intuitive ideas, her relentless energy for excellence and her great love of teaching, ESB would not be the same as it is today. Her passion to promote clear communication and to recognise the potential of all is still the mainstay of our wonderful organisation. ESB International will be forever grateful for Jocelyn’s dedication and commitment shown over many years to learners all around the world.”
ESB International’s Chief Executive Tina Renshaw, was instrumental in creating a special award to commemorate the work of both Christabel and Jocelyn. She says:
“Each year, the Burniston Bell Award recognises the exceptional work of ESB teachers who are keeping Christabel and Jocelyn’s vision alive today. The award ensures their legacy continues to live on.
“From small beginnings, ESB continues to grow. 2023 will see the 70th anniversary of ESB so we are announcing a significant outreach campaign to honour that milestone. ESB International hopes to financially support each year until 2023, 70 organisations from the third sector and the education sector by committing funding up to £70,000. We want to reach out to community groups, charities, schools and colleges where their learners and communities are facing disadvantage that prevents them from developing those oracy and language skills to which ESB is dedicated.
“This 70/70/70 campaign is part of our purpose to stretch the most able and support the least confident and realise the potential of all by closing the disadvantage gap. There could be no better way to honour the memory of both Jocelyn and Christabel than reaching out and literally investing in our future. The huge impact their work and leadership has had within the organisation will always be remembered.”
A lovely letter from The Society of Teachers of Speech and Drama
The Christabel Burniston Fund
Established in honour of our founders, the Christabel Burniston Fund provides support to centres which might not otherwise be able to access assessments.
At ESB we are committed to ensuring our qualifications are accessible to every learner, and we are always looking to identify new ways of helping our centres get the most out of our qualifications.
If you wish to make a donation to the fund, please contact our Business Development Manager, mark.wynne@esbuk.org.
Students at Belfast Metropolitan College have been spreading Christmas Cheer.
As part of the Enterprise and Lifestyle Programme, learners have been making rice-filled sock snowmen and cooking tasty Irish Whiskey marmalade which sold like hot cakes for charity!
The Centre for Supported Learning students complete ESB’s Entry Level Award in Developing Oral Interview Skills (Entry 2) qualification which includes a role play interview based on real life work experience.
Ian Patterson, ESB Trustee and Course Coordinator of Adult SEND Provision, says:
“The Pop-Up Shop activities give our learners a sound CV and lots of skills to talk about! This programme positively encourages creative thinking and aims to develop real business skills to include marketing and sales.
“Underpinning the curriculum, the learners practise their communication and speaking and listening skills. What better way to do this than to work as a team in making seasonal themed gifts for fellow students and friends.”
Belfast Metropolitan College is Northern Ireland’s largest college, with over 37,000 enrolments. Out of 400 students enrolled in full time and part time programmes at Belfast Metropolitan’s Centre for Supported Learning, 270 students are enrolled on ESB qualifications this year.
Juliet Meighan, Associate Lecturer and Tutor in the Centre for Supported Learning was awarded this year’s Burniston Bell Award at our 2019 Young Speakers of the Year Showcase. This accolade named in honour of our founder, Christabel Burniston and our Honorary President, Jocelyn Bell, recognises teachers who demonstrate exceptional commitment to teaching ESB in their centre.
Says Juliet:
“ESB qualifications enable exciting and dynamic learning pathways for the centre’s young learners. We actively engage in real life work, positively equipping our students for work and independence. We take great pride in the accredited ESB programmes our students follow.”
Course Tutors, Lara Thompson and Debbie Cusack also interpret the taught curriculum in a creative way:
“We constantly seek to add meaning to our learners’ vocational training. Access to sheltered employment often requires some background in a work setting which many of our students struggle to gain. We set up simulated industry experiences and then using ESB as our assessment tool we try to actively equip our students with job search skills, including using the telephone and participating in an interview.”
To find out more about out our Employability Skills qualifications, please click here.
One of ESB’s fastest growing centres – Articulacy – is branching out!
Based in the southwest of England, Articulacy operates in and around Plymouth and its aims closely match those of ESB’s of promoting excellent oracy skills for all.
Articulacy’s mission is to inspire all people regardless of age or abilities to become confident and articulate individuals capable of delivering their messages in all situations both professional and personal, no matter how challenging.
Now this successful organisation is developing a sister company called TalkTastic, a not for profit Community Interest Company (CIC) which aims to increase the confidence and communication skills of those who have to fight to be heard.
The fledgling CIC held its first major project, ‘Plymouth’s Got Talent’, and it was a resounding success.
Funded through Plymouth City Council, the four-week programme helped children entitled to free school meals to develop fundamental skills whilst taking part in enjoyable activities. Through an interactive and varied drama-based approach, participants developed vital skills including communication, teamwork and creativity, culminating in an ESB assessment.
Julia Ward, Director of TalkTastic and an ESB Trustee, says:
“Plymouth’s Got Talent was designed to empower young people with skills and confidence for future success! The group finished the four weeks with brilliant memories, enhanced skills, new knowledge and increased confidence, together with the added bonus of gaining an ESB Group Speaking qualification. Parents and carers were so impressed with the results that they are requesting the programme return next year.
“As a Community Interest Company, we are motivated and driven by our passion for utilising our knowledge to give back to the community and helping those whose voice is not one society is used to listening to. We are a values-based organisation, and we seek to run projects that allow us to achieve goals shaped by these values, whilst working with collaborators whose drive and vision compliment our own.”
Julia adds:
“ESB qualifications are a very important part of TalkTastic’s toolkit. Students are proud to gain a qualification that provides them with valuable skills that will last them a lifetime!”
