ESOL funding & qualification changes 2014 How ESOL is funded now • On GLH per learner up to 450 hours per year: ESOL will no longer be calculated on Guided Learning Hours (GLH) Instead, ESOL will be listed on the Qualification Credit Framework (QCF). Currently, providers are paid for delivery up to 450 hours, 1 Standard Learner Number (SLN) so if a student completes a course of study in 100 hours, the provider is paid for 100 hours; if she does 420 hours, the provider is paid for 420 hours. • Learners are unaccredited or take ESOL qualifications E1- L2 First the good news.... some unaccredited provision remains • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • Categories of non-regulated provision approved for funding 69.Non-regulated provision eligible for funding in 2014/2015 must be one of the following. 69.1. Provision for learners with learning difficulties or disabilities as part of a personalised learning programme where there is no appropriate vocational or non-vocational regulated qualification available. 69.2. Provision for English for Speakers of Other Languages (ESOL), where there is no appropriate regulated qualification available. (You must take account of the introduction of new ESOL Skills for Life QCF qualifications before enrolling an individual onto non-regulated provision). 69.3. Provision in the area of Preparation for Work, where there is no appropriate alternative regulated qualification available. (We expect the volume of your provision in this area to be at the same level as in recent years.) 70.For any non-regulated provision we fund in the categories above, you must: 70.1. apply the Recognising and Recording Progression and Achievement (RARPA) standards and keep the necessary evidence within each Learning Agreement; and 70.2. provide the learner with a clear record of their achievement. This can be in the form of a certificate. 71.Any non-regulated learning aims not in one of the categories above will not be available for funding in 2014/2015, with the exception of learners who are continuing learning aims. Changes in the funding structure • • • • The funding goes from GLH to listed qualifications on the QCF In 2014 to 2015 existing ESOL adult basic certificates will be funded at the same published rates as 2013 to 2014. These were based on historical national delivery patterns and awarding organisation recommended guided learning hours (glh). Unaccredited provision: during the extension, if any ESOL learner needs to progress before starting a regulated ESOL qualification or needs to broaden their learning beyond the scope of the regulated ESOL qualification, these additional requirements can be recorded using ‘learning aim class codes’ and will be funded using providers’ planned guided learning hours. This is the same as for nonregulated ESOL provision and is defined and explained in appendix H of the ILR specification. Learning support is also available for ESOL learners where required in accordance with our funding rules. In summary, funding for existing ESOL qualifications and units in 2014 to 2015 will be based on: – – – • the published rates for the adult basic certificates in ESOL skills for life non-regulated ESOL provision learning support to meet an identified need Once there are new ESOL qualifications available from awarding organisations for delivery providers will be expected to deliver them to new students. These will be funded in line with the Adult Skills Budget approach and not on the basis of these interim arrangements. How the QCF works • All qualifications are built up from units • Each unit has a credit value of 1 or 2 credits in the case of English and Maths • Each credit covers a notional 10 hours of learning and c. £50 of funding in E&M. • Units are bound together to form an ward ESOL qualifications are now listed Please note these figures are approximate Qualification Programme Weighting (PW) Programme Weighting (PW) Programme Weighting (PW) Programme Weighting (PW) Programme Weighting (PW) D – High E – Lower Specialist or G* & (Credits) n/a A –Base B – Low C –Medium – Higher Specialist (un-weighted rate) Award (1-4) £148 £166 £193 £237 £255 Award (5-12) £336 £376 £437 £537 £578 Certificate (13-24) £724 £811 £941 £1,159 £1,246 Certificate (25-36) £1,265 £1,417 £1,645 £2,025 £2,176 English& Maths Listed Qualifications Please note these figures are approximate Qualification Funding Band Funding Functional Skills in English and maths Certificate (13-24) £724 Functional Skills in IT Award (5-12) £336 Free Standing English Awards Entry Level Award (5-12) £336 Free Standing Maths Awards at Entry Level Award (1-4) £148 Award (5-12) £336 When do the new qualifications begin? • • • • • New skills for life qualifications In February 2013 we set out the principles to shape the future suite of new skills for life (SfL) ESOL qualifications. Since that time awarding organisations have been developing a number of new ESOL SfL qualifications and some of these have been submitted to Ofqual for accreditation. To enable providers to complete their planning for 2014 to 2015 and to ensure there is time to prepare for the delivery of the new qualifications we have agreed with BIS and Ofqual to put in place interim arrangements to continue funding the existing ESOL adult basic certificates and ‘units’ for a further period up to 31 December 2014. Ofqual are writing to awarding organisations with provision to extend the end dates of the existing suite of qualifications and associated assessments. Once the new ESOL qualifications are accredited and approved for funding, we will update our funding lists. Providers should also speak with their awarding organisations as they will know the exact switch over point for their individual qualifications.