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LSC Annual Statement of Priorities-Raising our game

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18 October 2006

The Learning and Skills Council (LSC) Annual Statement of Priorities for 2007-08 'Raising our game' English for Speakers of Other Languages (ESOL) (page 25) 'ESOL provision and funding have expanded well beyond the expectations in the original Skills for Life strategy – but demand has risen even faster. 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. This is in line with the Government’s strategy for rebalancing costs of adult learning, and the principle that public funding should be directed towards those with the greatest need for support. 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. Further details on how changes to ESOL will be implemented will follow. To extend learner choice and provide suitable qualifications for people studying English language mainly for work, the Qualifications and Curriculum Authority is accrediting a range of new ESOL international qualifications. These will support a shorter, more job-focused, practical approach to English-language skills that is particularly attractive to migrant workers. The new qualifications are expected to be available for August 2007. These new qualifications will be eligible for funding in the same way as other language qualifications – with a programme weighting of 1.0 and no automatic disadvantage uplift, rather than the enhanced weighting for basic skills. Asylum seekers The Government has been reviewing the public support available to asylum seekers awaiting the outcome of their applications, to ensure consistency of access to benefits. To bring FE funding into line with other government departments, ministers propose that asylum seekers aged 19+ should no longer be automatically eligible for publicly funded FE provision from 2007/08. Only those who are granted refugee status, humanitarian protection or discretionary leave by the Government will be eligible. Asylum seekers aged 16–18 will remain eligible for funding.

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