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FAQs

Below is a list of frequently asked questions with appropriate responses. If you have a question that isn't covered here, please use the form located on the 'Contact Us' page to request more information.

How long is the consultation open for and when does it close?

The consultation will run from the 4 January for 12 weeks and will close on the 4 April 2008.

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Which stakeholders have you been working with in the development of the consultation?

We have been working with representative bodies such as the TUC, CBI , LSC NIACE, local learning partnership members, providers and community groups in developing this consultation. We have also consulted with other government departments including the Home Office, DCLG, DWP.  We will continue working with these partners during the course of the consultation as well as engaging learners and other member of the general public on the subject of English for Speakers for Other Languages (ESOL).

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Who does the Government want to respond to this consultation?

This consultation is an open public consultation so we welcome everyone’s response and would encourage as many people as possible to reply. We hope to gain responses from those who work with people with English language needs including in local authorities, schools, further or higher education orgnisations, voluntary and community sector, private sector providers of English language training and ESOL learners themselves.

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What are the next steps after the consultation?

The consultation will close on the 4 April 2008. The Government will publish a "next steps" document once the results of the consultation have been analysed within 3 months of the consultation closing. Any policy changes will happen from September 2008 at the earliest.

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What is ESOL?

English for Speakers of Other Languages (ESOL) is state-funded English language provision for adults who lack basic English skills. ESOL courses lead to qualifications at a range of levels at the basic and intermediate level. Most ESOL is delivered through Further Education colleges, but it is also delivered in a variety of other settings including community based learning, family learning through schools and in adult education colleges and in learndirect centres.

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What is the scale of the change proposed in the consultation document?

Since 2001, the Government has invested significantly in support for people to improve their English language skills. Changes to funding arrangements were introduced in August 2007 to help refocus public funding towards the most vulnerable learners. This consultation is being developed to take this work further and will help us target much more effectively those who have been identified as being the hardest-to-reach in settled communities.

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Why doesn't the Government just spend more money on ESOL?

The Government has already demonstrated its commitment to ESOL by spending over £1 billion and supporting almost 2 million learners between 2001 and July 2006. We have a limited funding pot and that means we have to make choices about what the Government pays for and where and how others contribute. English skills are important, and the Government will protect the most vulnerable. But we cannot and should not fund English learning for everybody because they want it. We must support English provision in partnership with individuals and employers.

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Who is going to pay for these changes and how much are they going to cost?

This consultation is part of wider Government work around the prioritisation for the existing spend on ESOL. Due to the high demand for ESOL courses, the Government is looking at how other sources of funding can be used to contribute to this agenda. This includes individuals making contributions to the cost of courses and also employers paying for their workers to improve their English skills through qualifications such as ESOL for work.

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What is Community Cohesion?

The Commission for Integration and  Cohesion report "Our Shared Future", published in 2007, defines community cohesion as working towards a society in which there is a common vision and sense of belonging by all communities; a society in which the diversity of people’s backgrounds and circumstances is appreciated and valued; a society in which similar life opportunities are available to all; and a society which strong and positive relationships exist and continue to be developed in the workplace, in schools and in the wider community.

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Why do you think community cohesion should be more linked to ESOL?

The Commission for Integration and Cohesion stated that learning English is the primary way to allow integration into life in this country. It is important that those given leave to stay here are empowered to integrate and enjoy the rights and responsibilities of living in the UK.  Knowledge of English gives individuals the power to communicate with others in the community and this in turn reduces the risk of them becoming marginalised.

However, ESOL, which is state-funded English learning must be prioritised at those most at risk of social exclusion rather than those here on a short-term basis. This consultation seeks to lay out a number of funding priorities and a system for allowing this to happen more effectively.

Alongside this, the Government is placing an increasing emphasis on helping migrants to become economically self-sufficient as this gives them a greater sense of self-worth and also benefits the economy of the UK. Home Office research (conducted by Christian Dustmann in 2004) shows that migrants with English language skills have a 20% better chance of getting a job.

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