ESOL Strategy for England - 2016

In 2014 the DEMOS report ‘On Speaking Terms’ advocated a national ESOL strategy for England as the key measure to ‘help to unlock migrant capabilities, save costs to public services in the long term and promote a more integrated and socially cohesive society’. Since then a number of ESOL stakeholders have echoed the call - they include NIACE (now Learning and Work Institute), Cambridge English, NATECLA and most recently from HOLEX (national network of community learning and skills providers).

Find out more:

• Towards an ESOL Strategy for England: The main document (October 2016)
• How far have we got one year on? The progress report (October 2017)
• Lobby your MP: email templates and lesson plans
• Related reading material

Towards an ESOL Strategy for England: The main document

Entitled ‘Towards an ESOL Strategy for England’, NATECLA has put together a strategy document based on a consultation carried out amongst ESOL teachers, managers, students and other key stakeholders in the field.

This document is intended primarily for policymakers and funders not just in the field of ESOL (English for Speakers of Other Languages) itself but in other sectors such as employment services, health services, combined authorities, and Local Enterprise Partnerships. It outlines why England needs a strategy for ESOL and contains a range of proposals. It represents a consensus of views across a wide range of ESOL stakeholders, from practitioners and learners to awarding bodies and trade unions.

• Download the full document
• Download the supplementary report
• View our press release on the launch of this important 

How far have we got one year on?

On Wednesday 11th October 2017, MPs, policymakers and other key people from across the ESOL sector and beyond gathered in Westminster to discuss progress made on the Towards an ESOL Strategy for England campaign, exactly one year after the initial document was released. The meeting was hosted by campaign supporter Heidi Alexander MP and was attended by over 50 delegates. 

At the meeting, the progress report 'Towards an ESOL Strategy for England: How far have we got one year on' was distributed and updates were presented by key people in the field.

• Download the progress report, Towards an ESOL Strategy for England: How far have we got one year on
• Read our press release: 'Progress made towards national ESOL strategy but more needs to be done'

• Short notes from the meeting
• Address by Laura Mackay and Liz Maddocks from the Syrian Refugee Resettlement Programme (SVPR)
• Address by Ruth Dawson, National Association for Voluntary Teaching of English (NAVTE)
• Address by Philida Schellekens: What might happen if there is not an ESOL strategy?
• Address by Pauline Blake-Johnson - What has the Scottish ESOL strategy done for them?
• Address by Fiona Vale from Basic Educational Guidance in Nottinghamshire (BEGIN)
• Address by Alex Stevenson from the Learning and Work Institute
• Statement by Dr Sue Pember, Director of HOLEX (The lead body for adult community education and learning) : What will happen if there isn't an ESOL strategy
• Overview of the English Language for resettled refugees programme lead by Dr Linda Morrice at the University of Sussex
• Migrant women, active citizens: Empowerment through education briefing paper by Olivia Derby and Dr Sheila McDonald
• A national ESOL website, James Simpson, University of Leeds

Lobby your MP: Email templates and lesson plans

• Write to your MP - student materials
• Write to your MP - teacher materials
• Email template - student version

Related reading material

Reports and policies

• Refugee Action 'Let Refugees Learn' report, May 2016 which calls for an ESOL strategy in England amongst a number of other measures
• DEMOS report investigating the state of ESOL provision, August 2014, 'On Speaking Terms'
• The ESOL manifesto 2012 by Action for ESOL
• 'Welcoming our Learners' : Scotland's ESOL Strategy, 2015-2020
• ESOL Policy for Wales- June 2014
• 'Why do immigrants require quality ESL classes?', The Australian Council of TESOL associations
• Adult Migrant English Program- Australia
• Norway's Introduction act of 2003 which states that refugees and asylum seekers are to be offered a two-year introductory programme which includes Norwegian language training for newly arrived immigrants.

In the press

• FE News piece by Keith Hatch, 20th October 2016 'Trade unions have a role in supporting ESOL'
• EL Gazette piece by Melanie Butler, October 2016 'UK missing an ESOL strategy'
•  TES article by Stephen Exley as part of ESOL special in the publication, 7th October 2016, 'Give asylum seekers free ESOL classes, say teachers' 
• TES 4 page special edition on ESOL (hard copy edition of the magazine only), 7th October 2016. Articles included 'Give the Esol sector the stability it deserves' by Julia Belgutay, 'Death by a thousand cuts' by Stephen Exley and 'There's more to teaching English than speaking it' by Sarah Simon. 
• TES article by Jenny Roden (National Co-chair for NATECLA), January 2016, 'We need to pull together for a national Esol strategy' – full access for subscribers only
• TES article by Sue Pember, Director of policy and external relationships at Holex, December 2015, 'Opinion: ‘Why England is crying out for a national Esol policy’
• Piece in FE Week supplement, Reading between the Lines by Dr Nick Saville, Director of Research and Thought Leadership at Cambridge English, 'Making a strong case for ESOL investment' (page 7 of supplement)
• FE News article by Rob Peutrell, NATECLA committee member, founder member of Tutor Voices and an ESOL teacher in Nottingham, October 2015, 'Defend ESOL'
• Blog article on NIACE website by Alex Stevenson,19 August 2014, 'New report on improving ESOL provision making headlines'
• TES article by Alan Tuckett (President of the International Council for Adult Education), October 2014, 'A vital conversation everyone should join'