AO of the year

Birmingham School highlights the invaluable benefits of our speech qualifications for learners with special educational needs and disabilities

One of our loyal centres, the Wilson Stuart School, a Special Academy located in Birmingham has voiced its positive views on the quality and value of our qualifications for learners with special educational needs and disabilities in a letter of support for continued Government funding.

Trish Bowden, Director of English & Communication at Wilson Stuart School states, “Each of these qualifications has provided the correct level of content and challenge for our adult learners, particularly those with speech, language, and communication needs.

“The emphasis on adult outcomes has always been beneficial: phone calls, interviews, CV writing, answering questions and responding to others appropriately and listening skills – many of our adults achieve supported, paid employment and for others volunteering in the community becomes more achievable – so these qualifications have been invaluable in preparing them for employability and volunteering.

“We have also found the visits from the external examiners to be another invaluable part of the process – the interaction with an unfamiliar person provides another ‘real life’ experience in a very constructive way.”

ESB Chief Executive, Tina Renshaw adds, “I was thrilled to read this letter of support for the case to Government to continue funding these qualifications as part of a Government Review of the ESFA funding program and to hear about the fantastic impact that our assessments continue to have on our learners. These qualifications support learners to develop key communication skills which remove barriers to learning by enabling access to a wide range of curricula, building relationships and a sense of belonging, developing self-esteem and a positive self-identity.”

If you wish to read the full letter of support for funding of our qualifications for learners with special educational needs and disabilities, please click here.

Our purpose is to support all learners to possess the oracy skills they need in order to achieve their aspirations. Particularly in that purpose we seek to realise the potential of all by closing the disadvantage gap. ESB International is dedicated to the outcome that this group of learners have the opportunities to develop and demonstrate their Oracy skills and build their confidence to lead full and productive lives.

Interested in our Speech qualifications? There is no time like the present, so don’t hesitate to get in touch with us today! Read about the qualifications that we have on offer here, or alternatively if you simply wish to have an informal chat about our qualifications, please contact a member of the Product Development Team at product@esbuk.org.

Back