NIACE Good Practice Seminar: ESOL for Life and Employment

Meeting the expectations of the Skills Funding Agency and JobCentre Plus (JCP)

Tuesday 16 October 2012; 9:30am to 3:45pm

Lambeth College, Brixton Centre, 56 Brixton Hill, London SW2 1QS

Background

Job seekers who Jobcentre Plus advisors consider to be in need of English language development are referred to Agency-funded providers for locally-designed periods of employability training. Those referred include recent arrivals into the UK as well as long term settled claimants.

ESOL providers have to respond to two apparently contradictory messages on how to measure and evaluate the quality of their provision.  The tension is between existing measures of success based on exam outcomes and a more recent emphasis on employability and assisting learners, particularly those referred by JCP, into employment.
How do we square this circle?  This seminar will explore this tension and hear from ESOL providers who believe they have found a way forward.

NIACE has invited a representative from BIS and DWP to participate in this good practice seminar.

Aims:

At the seminar, participants will increase their knowledge and understanding of Skills Funding Agency and JCP expectations, explore the tensions that may exist and hear examples of good practice.

The seminar aims to:

• examine the current regulations pertaining to funding, learner eligibility and learner attendance;
• critically examine the tension between the expectations of the Skills Funding Agency and JCP;
• share insights and learn from good practice.

Audience

• All ESOL providers
• ESOL curriculum managers
• ESOL teachers

Reserve a place here