Form

Question 1

a) We have proposed an indicative list of national priorities. Are there any other groups we should consider for inclusion in this list and if so, how high a priority do you consider them to be?

b) How would local plans demonstrate that those identified in the plan are in the nationally specified priority groups and, if not, why they are considered a local priority?

c) What evidence should be collected to ensure that the priority groups are reached?

d) How would local authorities apply the national list of priorities in their area and how well do you think these priorities would meet local cohesion needs?

e) How far have local authorities already assessed the priority of English language needs being met in local areas to meet the objective of community cohesion?

Setting ESOL priorities, planning and funding

We are looking for views on how ESOL priorities could reflect indicative national priorities but with local areas taking responsibility for targeting funding, in response to local community cohesion needs. We see several elements to this, including critically the need for a locally determined plan of English language needs. Local authorities and their partners will determine how ESOL funding allocations are best aligned against community need and the national priorities. As now, the LSC will remain accountable for managing ESOL spend.

We currently have an opportunity to improve the coherence of local planning. Local Area Agreements are the plans that deliver the strategic vision set out in local Sustainable Community Strategies and are monitored by the Local Strategic Partnership. The White Paper Strong and Prosperous Communities announced that a single set of outcome-based indicators covering important national priorities would be published by the Department for Communities and Local Government this year. The Local Area Agreements have targets and priorities that are agreed between central Government, the local authority and its partners. ESOL needs could be reflected within the skills and/or the community cohesion components of the wider indicator set.

Nine regional Learning and Skills Council offices currently oversee the work of the local partnership teams. The local, bottom-up plans developed by local partnership teams would be aggregated to form a commissioning plan at regional level. In this way, the commissioning of ESOL provision can be integrated within the mainstream LSC funding allocations.

Question 2

a) Is the proposition outlined, building on existing arrangements, appropriate for commissioning ESOL to support community cohesion?

b) How will this be done most effectively?

For example

• How do we build on the work to identify and engage the hardest to reach that is already being undertaken locally by the LSC and their local authority and other community based partners?
• How can we better link providers to existing planning arrangements and priorities so that they can better target their resources to develop their communities' engagement in ESOL and other learning?
• Are there new partners who should be involved in this process and what would be needed to engage them?

c) How could the effectiveness of the proposed arrangements in supporting community cohesion be measured?

Question 3

Given the role for local authorities and the variety of funding sources other than the LSC, how might local planning processes influence the setting of priorities and the allocation of funds in a way that complements the mainstream system for allocating FE funds?

Outreach provision and the voluntary and community sector

We want to explore in this document how we can ensure the learners identified in our list of priorities are encouraged to take up ESOL provision. Partly this is about creating places for these people by setting a national list of priorities but also addressing why certain groups have not participated in ESOL provision in the past. The voluntary and community sector provide a good deal of ESOL outreach provision in our communities engaging many of our hardest to reach learners through community-led and neighbourhood based programmes. To achieve positive community cohesion outcomes through focussed ESOL provision, we believe it is absolutely crucial to develop a more coherent and better supported system of outreach and that we must find ways of encouraging the public, private and voluntary and community sector to collaborate more effectively.

Question 4

a) How can existing outreach work be strengthened to support focusing ESOL on community cohesion?

b) How can volunteers and the voluntary and community sector be better involved in supporting this outreach work and general ESOL provision in general and what support will they need to do this?

Quality and Training

We recognise there will be a need to ensure quality in ESOL provision. We will ensure Initial Teacher Training and professional development for teachers and supporters of learning includes content relating to community cohesion.

Question 5

What programmes/resources are currently available to support professional development for teachers and others involved in improving ESOL delivery to help the community cohesion agenda and what else might be needed?

Employer engagement

We are engaging employers in a wide range of ESOL initiatives through our developing strategy and we want to gain your views on what more we can do to promote the benefits to employers of investing in their employees who have ESOL needs.

Question 6

What would incentivise employers to encourage them to contribute to their employees who have ESOL needs?

Local authorities

Question 7

It would be particularly helpful if local authorities respondents could indicate how the indicative list of priority groups would be applied in their areas and which other groups they would propose to make priorities in drawing up a local strategy based on the need for community cohesion.

Question 8

Any other comments or suggestions not previously covered?

The information you provide in your response will be subject to the Freedom of Information Act 2000 and Environmental Information Regulations, which allow public access to information held by the Department. This does not necessarily mean your response can be made available to the public as there are exemptions relating to information provided in confidence and information to which the Data Protection Act 1998 applies. You may request confidentiality by ticking the box provided, but you should note that neither this, nor an automatically-generated e-mail confidentiality statement, will necessarily exclude the public right of access.

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Name:

Organisation (if applicable):

Address:

Type of respondent

What do you do?

Other - please state:

If you work with people with English Language needs, which best describes the organisation you work in?

Other - please state:

Region

Ethnic background (optional)