Autumn- Winter 2020 Version 1

Message from our Chief Executive

CEO

Tina Renshaw, Chief Executive

Delivering assessments for our centres

I am delighted to welcome you to this Autumn/ Winter edition of ESB News. We wanted to get back in touch with you to let you know that English Speaking Board (International) Ltd. remains fully committed to supporting centres and learners during these unprecedented times and we are working hard to continue providing our personal contact and straightforward processes which we know you appreciate. We are delighted to report that we are fully operational during these times to take new bookings and support you with any queries you may have. With the recent introduction of Ofqual ’ s Extended Extraordinary Regulatory Framework(EERF), allowing Awarding Organisations to adapt assessments, if necessary, for learners to access and achieve qualifications, assessment bookings can be made with confidence that they will be able to take place. Responding to the current lockdown in England and our face to face assessments At times like these, we understand that community is more important than ever and out of respect, we are not sending any of our assessors to centres. Following the Prime Minister ’ s recent announcement of a month-long lockdown in England, from 2 nd November until 2 nd December, ESB International assessments will now take place remotely, using the video- conferencing facility that centres habitually use and one that your learners are used to. We have already offered this adaptation in the summer, and the learners, assessors and teachers found it to be valid, reliable and a very positive experience. The assessor conducts and assesses the learners ’ assessment in real-time and the

assessment has the same content and procedure as face to face assessments.

Detailed information about each qualification, how we are adapting it, and what centres and learners need to do to prepare for this current lockdown, when assessments cannot be held in person with the assessor coming to the centre, are set out in the guidance documents below.

ESB Centre Guidance for ESOL Skills for Life Assessments from 2 nd November

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ESB Centre Guidance for Speech Assessments from 2 nd November

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Any questions centre staff may have about these guidance documents or delivering adapted assessments, please email product@esbuk.org. We are ready when this current lockdown finishes in England to offer face to face assessments again or if there are local restrictions in place, to continue to offer adapted assessments. So again, you can be confident of continuing to prepare your learners for their assessments in the Spring and Summer terms. We do hope you enjoy reading this abridged edition and keep up to date about the work we are doing. We are always keen to hear your feedback and your opinion on the content of what you would like to see in future ESB news ’ editions is very much welcomed. On behalf of all the team, we look forward to supporting your learners to achieve during all of the challenges that we face and take this opportunity to thank you for your continued support. We very much looking forward to working with you in 2020 and 2021.

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