Around one in 50 people of working age in England have limited proficiency in English. This impacts on their ability to function in daily life, contribute to the economy and integrate into communities.
As it is, ESOL provision and funding has decreased significantly over the last 15 years, while demand has risen. So, it is concerning to hear of councils which are considering reducing or removing funding for ESOL provision, which is key to upskilling those who speak English as a second language and creating benefits for the learner and contributions to the country’s economic growth.
Councils have legal duties under the Equalities Act and are required to undertake an equalities impact assessment. Therefore, cutting ESOL funding and access would be counterproductive. It could limit both the employment prospects of people with protected characteristics who don’t speak English as a first language, and affect community cohesion.
Meeting new English language requirements
Speaking English to a good standard is high on the government’s agenda, but an often-overlooked fact is that, of those people of working age who reported that they cannot speak English well or at all, 35 per cent have British nationality (2021 Census).
In the recent post-16 education and skills white paper, we were reassured that the current adult ESOL offer would be reviewed to ensure it meets the needs of individuals to enable progression into employment or training.
For this government’s aspiration to become a reality, there must be accountability about how money is spent locally. This is both the challenge and opportunity of devolution – an opportunity to be responsive to local employer needs, but equally with a possibility to frustrate central government ambitions.
Maintaining ESOL provision isn’t enough
Skills England has stated that the UK’s priority sectors will need 900,000 more workers by 2030. Upskilling is essential to realising this long-term growth.
If we are to address our skills shortage effectively, not only investing in, but rejuvenating our current ESOL offering can be the key to meeting skills gaps. However, it must be done in a way that is relevant for both learners and employers.
I am in agreement with those in the sector who have argued that positioning language development more firmly within the essential skills framework could, if managed well, strengthen pathways and progression.
Indeed, this wider debate overlooks the fact that current ESOL provision offers mainly just the lower level of learning. There is a need for quality English language provision that equips workers with the specific technical language required for skilled employment.
Having this in place could help realise the untapped potential of those skilled workers who come to the UK to fill skills gaps and contribute to the economy.
Much existing provision is not sufficient for equipping learners with the English language skills they need to access higher-level work or for further study, with 85 per cent of learners leaving ESOL provision with entry level 1-3 qualifications.
In the coming years, our biggest challenge will be ensuring that any investment in ESOL is implemented with the needs of these learners in mind.
A national vision for ESOL
English language learning helps people develop skills for our economy and participation in our communities. It is a vital stepping stone for individuals both new to the UK and for the third of the UK population who do not speak English well.
All this points towards the need for a national vision for ESOL. Any vision must be based on the principle of equitable access to high-quality, place-based ESOL across England.
Key ingredients to deliver this vision include clear and stable funding streams, regional coordination of provision, and qualification standards that meet language needs for life and work.
Ultimately, adults who have high English proficiency are more likely to be employed – and so prioritising ESOL offers a saving to the public purse by equipping everyone with the language skills to contribute.
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