Proposed Funding Changes to ESOL and other Provision

This is an extract from an article first published in issue 20 of Update magazine.

On 18 October 2006, the Learning and Skills Council (LSC) published its funding strategy for 2007/08, including a successor to last year’s Priorities for Success document, setting out the funding priorities for the forthcoming year. This announced an additional £668 million investment in learning, as well as confirming the aim to rebalance the public and private contribution to the cost of learning, so that it better reflects the benefits and financial returns to learners and employers.

Building on a commitment in last year’s Priorities for Success document, the LSC set out this year a number of changes which will affect Skills for Life funding and planning, responding to the changing landscape, but continuing to reflect the Government’s significant commitment to Skills for Life.

Non-accredited provision

Good progress continues to be made towards our targets for basic skills. The latest Skills for Life qualifications figures show that by summer 2006, 1,416,000 learners had achieved qualifications contributing to the targets.

However, the proportion of non-accredited Skills for Life learning opportunities which do not offer learners the essential qualifications they need for employment and progression remains high.

From 2007/08, at Levels 1 and 2, only approved literacy, language and numeracy qualifications will be eligible for funding as Skills for Life provision.  At pre-entry and entry level, courses outside the qualifications framework will continue to be eligible provided they are mapped to the Skills for Life standards.  The LSC will work with colleges and providers to ensure that the balance of 80% of Skills for Life provision leading to nationally approved qualifications is realised.

English for Speakers of Other Languages (ESOL)

Since the beginning of the Skills for Life Strategy in 2001, many learners have recognised that improving their English language skills opens up opportunities and want to enrol on courses. Since 2001, the Government has supported over 1.9 million ESOL learners with demand for ESOL courses tripling over this period. Government levels of investment have responded, but as the National Institute for Adult Continuing Education (NIACE) Report on ESOL provision published early in October made clear, the funding situation is not sustainable and it isn’t best serving those learners in our priority groups – some of whom have to wait too long to get a place on an ESOL course.

Given the scale of demand and the pressure on resources, we must focus public investment on provision for those most at risk of disadvantage; and we should not support large scale demand from those who can pay for their language learning. That is why from 2007/08 ESOL learning will no longer attract automatic fee remission. Free tuition will only be available to priority groups – primarily people who are unemployed or receiving income-based benefits – for whom access to ESOL provision is important both for community cohesion and integration and economic purposes. Those who can afford to pay will make a contribution of 37.5%, with the remainder continuing to be subsidised by Government.

New ESOL qualifications

We also recognise a need to ensure greater choice for both individuals and employers in the ESOL qualifications we offer to ensure that people can make decisions about which English language qualifications best suit their needs.  That is why the Qualifications and Curriculum Authority (QCA) is accrediting a range of new ESOL international qualifications which will support a shorter, more job-focused, practical approach to English language skills appealing particularly to migrant workers. The new qualifications are expected to be available for August 2007.

Asylum seekers

We have also been reviewing the suitability of public support to ensure that this is best targeted as well as to ensure a consistent approach across government. From 2007/08 asylum seekers aged 19+ will no longer be automatically eligible for publicly funded Further Education provision. Only those who are granted refugee status, humanitarian protection or discretionary leave by the Government will be eligible.

We will continue to work with our partners, especially LLUK – the Sector Skills Council responsible for the professional development of the FE workforce – and the new Quality Improvement Agency (QIA), to improve the teaching and learning infrastructure across all Skills for Life provision, to ensure that every learner has a good quality learning experience and is able to derive maximum benefit from the learning.

Question and Answer

Q. When will these proposed changes come into effect?

A. From the start of the 2007/08 term.

Q. What groups will continue to receive fee remission for ESOL provision?

A. Those who are entitled to claim under the LSC’s standard fee remission rules will continue to receive free provision - this is broadly those on income related benefits and those in receipt of the higher levels of Working Tax Credit (WTC).

Q. How will the new International ESOL qualifications be funded?

A. Initially in the same way as other language qualifications, with a programme weighting of 1.0 and no automatic uplift, rather than the enhanced weighting for basic skills.

For further information on the Annual Statement of Priorities, download the document from: www.lsc.gov.uk/Aboutus/LSCStrategy/AnnualStatementofPriorities