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 and sixth-form 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 change on a regular basis.
Schools (4-16)
Learners in state school primary and secondary education are all categorised as full-time learners and are therefore ineligible for government funding of ESB qualifications.
Learners in private fee-paying schools are also ineligible for funding of ESB qualifications.
Further Education (FE) and Sixth-form colleges and Independent Training Providers (14-19)
Learners who are 14-19 and in FE and Sixth-form colleges may be eligible for funding of ESB qualifications, depending on several factors, for example:
- If they are enrolling on an ESOL Skills for Life qualification from Pre-entry to Level 2.
- What else the learner is doing (if anything):
– ESB qualifications can be incorporated into Study Programmes, however a learner cannot be funded for two study programmes at the same time. Learners can start a new programme of study in the same academic year, once the first one has finished.
– If learners are completing A-levels, T-levels or an Apprenticeship, they won’t be eligible for funding for an ESB qualification.
– Learners in private fee-paying further education are ineligible for funding of ESB qualifications.
Further Education (FE) and Sixth-form colleges and Independent Training Providers (19+)
Adult learners (19+) may also be eligible for funding of ESB qualifications. Again, this is dependent on several factors, for example:
- Previous qualifications, for example if they have already completed a full level 3 or above qualification.
- If they are already being funded for another ESFA funded qualification.
The below link will take you to a flow chart, which is very useful in identifying if funding is available for different learners who are 19+.
19+ funding eligibility flow charts
Key funding information relating to AEB funding for ESOL qualifications:
- AEB funding for ESOL depends on residence status. Asylum seekers are eligible for funding after they have been in the UK for 6 months.
- 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 fund learners aged 16-19.
- Where learners are employed, the low wage flexibility may apply, please refer to 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’
- Pre-entry funding is available for our Speaking and Listening qualifications, supporting learners who are not yet ready for Entry 1. The ESB Pre-entry Assessment in Speaking and Listening is a non-regulated qualification, so it is eligible for funding via non-regulated Z codes and quality assured through the RARPA process (Recognising and Recording Progress and Achievement). You can find out more here.
Additional information
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.
Useful links
There are other eligibility rules that dictate whether learners can be funded and also the amount of funding that can draw down, for example, residency in previous 3 years, area of residency, employment status and previous qualifications.
For more information, please follow the links below:
Which ESB qualifications are funded?
| Qualification Name | Qualification Number | 14-16 Funding | 16-19 Funding | 19+ Funding | ESF Level 3/4 Funding |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| ESB Level 4 Award in Professional Presentation Skills | 600/0557/7 | x | √ | x | √ |
| ESB Entry Level Award in ESOL Skills for Life (Speaking and Listening) (Entry 1) | 601/5445/7 | √ | √ | √ | x |
| ESB Entry Level Award in ESOL Skills for Life (Speaking and Listening) (Entry 2) | 601/5447/0 | √ | √ | √ | x |
| ESB Entry Level Award in ESOL Skills for Life (Speaking and Listening) (Entry 3) | 601/5407/X | √ | √ | √ | x |
| ESB Level 1 Award in ESOL Skills for Life (Speaking and Listening) | 601/5465/2 | √ | √ | √ | x |
| ESB Level 2 Award in ESOL Skills for Life (Speaking and Listening) | 601/5467/6 | √ | √ | √ | x |
| ESB Entry Level Award in ESOL Skills for Life (Reading) (Entry 1) | 601/5469/X | √ | √ | √ | x |
| ESB Entry Level Award in ESOL Skills for Life (Reading) (Entry 2) | 601/5471/8 | √ | √ | √ | x |
| ESB Entry Level Award in ESOL Skills for Life (Reading) (Entry 3) | 601/5411/1 | √ | √ | √ | x |
| ESB Level 1 Award in ESOL Skills for Life (Reading) | 601/5473/1 | √ | √ | √ | x |
| ESB Level 2 Award in ESOL Skills for Life (Reading) | 601/5490/1 | √ | √ | √ | x |
| ESB Entry Level Award in ESOL Skills for Life (Writing) (Entry 1) | 601/5470/6 | √ | √ | √ | x |
| ESB Entry Level Award in ESOL Skills for Life (Writing) (Entry 2) | 601/5472/X | √ | √ | √ | x |
| ESB Entry Level Award in ESOL Skills for Life (Writing) (Entry 3) | 601/5444/5 | √ | √ | √ | x |
| ESB Level 1 Award in ESOL Skills for Life (Writing) | 601/5474/3 | √ | √ | √ | x |
| ESB Level 2 Award in ESOL Skills for Life (Writing) | 601/5483/4 | √ | √ | √ | x |
| ESB Entry Level Certificate in ESOL Skills for Life (Entry 1) | 601/5541/3 | √ | √ | √ | x |
| ESB Entry Level Certificate in ESOL Skills for Life (Entry 2) | 601/5540/1 | √ | √ | √ | x |
| ESB Entry Level Certificate in ESOL Skills for Life (Entry 3) | 601/5537/1 | √ | √ | √ | x |
| ESB Level 1 Certificate in ESOL Skills for Life | 601/5543/7 | √ | √ | √ | x |
| ESB Level 2 Certificate in ESOL Skills for Life | 601/5544/9 | √ | x | x | x |
| ESB Entry Level Award in Graded Examinations in Speech (Entry 1) (EAL-A1) | 603/0553/8 | √ | x | x | x |
| ESB Entry Level Award in Graded Examinations in Speech (Entry 2) (EAL-A2) | 603/0616/6 | √ | x | x | x |
| ESB Entry Level Award in Graded Examinations in Speech (Entry 3) (EAL-B1) | 603/0621/X | √ | x | x | x |
| ESB Level 1 Award in Speech (Grade 1) | 501/1665/4 | √ | x | x | x |
| ESB Level 1 Award in Speech (Grade 2) | 603/6757/X | √ | x | x | x |
| ESB Level 1 Award in Speech (Grade 3) | 501/1662/9 | √ | x | x | x |
| ESB Level 2 Certificate in Speech (Grade 4) | 603/5192/5 | √ | √ | √ | x |
| ESB Level 2 Certificate in Speech (Grade 5) | 501/1668/X | √ | x | x | x |
| ESB Level 2 Certificate in Speech (Grade 6) | 501/1669/1 | √ | √ | x | x |
| ESB Level 2 Certificate in Speech (Grade 8) | 501/1667/8 | √ | √ | x | x |
| ESB Entry Level Award in Preparing for Performing Within a Team (Entry 2) | 600/2968/7 | √ | x | x | x |
| ESB Entry Level Award in Communicating with Drama (Entry 1) | 600/3596/1 | √ | x | x | x |
| ESB Entry Level Award in Communicating with Art (Entry 1) | 600/3618/7 | √ | x | x | x |
| ESB Entry Level Award in Communicating with Music (Entry 1) | 600/3620/5 | √ | x | x | x |