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DfE Consultation on L2 and below

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25 April 2022

Department for Education consultation on qualifications at Level 2 and below

A message from Greg Dugdale, Co-chair of NATECLA: "From an ESOL perspective, there are positive indications in the recently published interim review of post-16 qualifications.  However, until the review is concluded, it is vitally important that we reaffirm our position on the proposed changes and provide insight on the potential impact of wider changes summarised in the review on ESOL learning. 

The DfE will be in a much better position to understand this through a greater volume of responses.  The deadline for completion of the latest survey is this Wednesday, April 27th."

The DfE has proposed that ESOL qualifications should continue to be funded at all levels including Level 2.  This is GREAT news! Thank you to all who responded to the first consultation last spring. But we still need to reconfirm our support for this.

The DfE is now asking for confirmation of their proposals and more justification from us.  While NATECLA is submitting a comprehensive response, we need you to endorse our viewpoint on five key questions and to provide examples of how these changes will impact on ESOL learners and their life chances.

NATECLA wants to make it clear that

  • we agree it is essential to keep ESOL qualifications Q29
  • if the National Literacy Standards are revised (ESOL qualifications are based on these) we must have NATECLA/ESOL representation on the revision panel Q27, 28
  • the new pre-technical qualifications they are proposing must not take funding away from ESOL programmes Q23
  • employability and personal development qualifications must continue to be funded Q30

If you have views on the above, and, ideally, examples to support these views, we urge you to respond to these five consultation questions and ask your colleagues to do so too.  You can ignore all the other questions! If you are a manager, you may want to also respond to some other questions that concern funding and defunding – there are some notes in the crib-sheet.

Please see our crib sheet with suggested responses and a link to the consultation questionnaire - deadline Wednesday 27 April 2022.

Here is a link to the DfE Consultation.

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