External Funding

Introduction

Did you know that a lot of our qualifications are approved for funding by the Education and Skills Funding Agency (ESFA) which is the government’s accountable body for funding education, apprenticeships and training for children, young people and adults in England? 

ESB already works with approved FE colleges, Independent Training Providers (ITPs), schools and academies who receive annual funding allocations from the ESFA whose vision is the same as ours; to support, develop and help fund world-class education and skills provision for every learner to reach their potential, regardless of their background.

Understanding the funding landscape in England can be a bit of a minefield, so we have provided some key information below that relates specifically to the types of funding available for ESB qualifications.

We highly recommend that you refer directly to government and ESFA websites for the most up-to-date information, as funding rules and information does change on a regular basis.

Click here to visit the The Learning Aims Database, also known as ‘The Hub’: The Hub provides information on the type of funding and how much funding is available, per learner for ESB qualification.

The Hub will allow you to set your search criteria. Use fields such as ‘Funding stream’ to refine your search.

Types of funding

14-16 years

Further education and sixth-form colleges are able to enrol and receive funding from the ESFA for students aged 14 to 16 years old. These students complete full-time study programmes that include technical qualifications alongside general qualifications, including English and mathematics, within the Key Stage 4 curriculum. Some requirements for 14-16 funding:

Some requirements for 14-16 funding:

  • Colleges must have have either an Ofsted Grade 1 (outstanding) or Grade 2 (good).
  • ESFA will only fund 14-16 students enrolled and recorded on the Individualised Learner Record (ILR) RO4 return submitted by one college before, or in December, for that academic year.
  • The amount of funding available is dictated by a complex formula, (found here) and the programme weighting for each ESB qualification can be found in The Hub. Contact your college funding team to find out how much funding you can draw down for our qualifications.

    16-19 years

    The ESFA funds schools, academies, colleges and independent learning providers who deliver Ofqual regulated qualifications to 16-19 year olds. They calculate funding using the 16 to 19 national funding formula, which is driven by student recruitment and includes factors including:

  • Student retention
  • Higher subject costs
  • Disadvantaged students
  • Area costs.
  • The 16-19 how it works page includes further information about each element within the 16 to 19 national funding formula. For more information on the funding rules for 16-19 year-olds, click on the following this link.

    Adult Education Budget (AEB) Funding

    The Adult Education Budget (AEB) funds learners aged 19+ in England for approved qualifications that are regulated by Ofqual.

    The ESFA manages the majority of these contracts, with the exception of devolved authorities, where funding is managed at a local level.

    The devolved areas include:

  • Greater London Authority (GLA)
  • Greater Manchester
  • Liverpool City Region
  • West Midlands
  • Cambridgeshire and Peterborough
  • Tees Valley
  • The ESFA provides further guidance on funding in developed areas here.

    Key funding information relating to AEB funding for ESOL qualifications:

  • The ESFA will fully fund individuals aged 19 and over on the day they start their ESOL qualification, where they are unemployed (defined within the guidance).
  • The ESFA will co-fund all other individuals aged 19 and over on the day they start their ESOL learning qualification (see guidance for co-funding information).
  • Where learners are employed, the low wage flexibility may apply, please refer to paragraphs 161 to 162 in the ESFA guidance document below.
  • The ESFA will fund ESOL learning up to and including level 2.
  • Providers offering ESOL qualifications may need to deliver additional learning to individual learners that incurs additional cost above the qualification rate. There may be additional funding available for this – click on the funding guidance link below to find out more.
  • On The Hub, 19+ AEB funding will be visible as ‘Adult Skills’
  • AEB Funding Rules

    ESFA Funding Approval Principles

    ESF Level 3 or 4 Funding

    The European Social Fund (ESF) is part of the European Structural and Investment Funds Growth Programme for Englan. The Programme’s priorities are to increase labour market participation, promote social inclusion, and develop the skills of the potential and existing workforce.

    Colleges and training organisations that deliver higher level skills training through the ESF can ask us to include qualifications and/or their components in the European Social Fund (ESF) qualification offer. These qualifications and/or units must be in Ofqual’s Register of Regulated Qualifications, and must be at level 3 or level 4.

    For more information, please follow this link.

    For further information, please contact us.


    ESB International Qualifications Approved for Funding

    Qualification NameQualification Number14-16 Funding16-19 Funding19+ FundingESF Level 3/4 Funding
    ESB Level 4 Award in Professional Presentation Skills600/0557/7xx
    ESB Entry Level Award in ESOL Skills for Life (Speaking and Listening) (Entry 1)601/5445/7x
    ESB Entry Level Award in ESOL Skills for Life (Speaking and Listening) (Entry 2)601/5447/0x
    ESB Entry Level Award in ESOL Skills for Life (Speaking and Listening) (Entry 3)601/5407/Xx
    ESB Level 1 Award in ESOL Skills for Life (Speaking and Listening)601/5465/2x
    ESB Level 2 Award in ESOL Skills for Life (Speaking and Listening)601/5467/6x
    ESB Entry Level Award in ESOL Skills for Life (Reading) (Entry 1)601/5469/Xx
    ESB Entry Level Award in ESOL Skills for Life (Reading) (Entry 2)601/5471/8x
    ESB Entry Level Award in ESOL Skills for Life (Reading) (Entry 3)601/5411/1x
    ESB Level 1 Award in ESOL Skills for Life (Reading)601/5473/1x
    ESB Level 2 Award in ESOL Skills for Life (Reading)601/5490/1x
    ESB Entry Level Award in ESOL Skills for Life (Writing) (Entry 1)601/5470/6x
    ESB Entry Level Award in ESOL Skills for Life (Writing) (Entry 2)601/5472/Xx
    ESB Entry Level Award in ESOL Skills for Life (Writing) (Entry 3)601/5444/5x
    ESB Level 1 Award in ESOL Skills for Life (Writing)601/5474/3x
    ESB Level 2 Award in ESOL Skills for Life (Writing)601/5483/4x
    ESB Entry Level Certificate in ESOL Skills for Life (Entry 1)601/5541/3x
    ESB Entry Level Certificate in ESOL Skills for Life (Entry 2)601/5540/1x
    ESB Entry Level Certificate in ESOL Skills for Life (Entry 3)601/5537/1x
    ESB Level 1 Certificate in ESOL Skills for Life601/5543/7x
    ESB Level 2 Certificate in ESOL Skills for Life601/5544/9xxx
    ESB Entry Level Award in Graded Examinations in Speech (Entry 1) (EAL-A1)603/0553/8xxx
    ESB Entry Level Award in Graded Examinations in Speech (Entry 2) (EAL-A2)603/0616/6xxx
    ESB Entry Level Award in Graded Examinations in Speech (Entry 3) (EAL-B1)603/0621/Xxxx
    ESB Level 1 Award in Speech (Grade 1)501/1665/4xxx
    ESB Level 1 Award in Speech (Grade 2)603/6757/Xxxx
    ESB Level 1 Award in Speech (Grade 3)501/1662/9xxx
    ESB Level 2 Certificate in Speech (Grade 4)603/5192/5x
    ESB Level 2 Certificate in Speech (Grade 5)501/1668/Xxxx
    ESB Level 2 Certificate in Speech (Grade 6)501/1669/1xx
    ESB Level 2 Certificate in Speech (Grade 8)501/1667/8xx
    ESB Entry Level Award in Preparing for Performing Within a Team (Entry 2)600/2968/7xxx
    ESB Entry Level Award in Communicating with Drama (Entry 1)600/3596/1xxx
    ESB Entry Level Award in Communicating with Art (Entry 1)600/3618/7xxx
    ESB Entry Level Award in Communicating with Music (Entry 1)600/3620/5xxx
    External Funding for ESB Qualifications – Eligibility Table
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