ESB News Autumn.Winter 2022

NEWS

@ESBUK (+44) 01695 573439 Autumn/Winter Edition 2022 COVER PHOTO: ESB ESOL Learners at Stanmore College

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CONTENTS

Message from our Chief Executive

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Join in our 70th Anniversary Celebrations

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Supporting more centres through our 70/70 Campaign!

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British Red Cross

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Centre in the Spotlight

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New impact reports on closing the disadvantage gap

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CEO attends Wirral Met College

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Launch of 'Your Milestone' Competition

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ESOL International in the UK - Stanmore College

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ESB learners in Greece

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Delivering training sessions at our ESOL Centres

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What you need to know as a centre

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New Speech Resources now available!

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ESB Assessors put through their paces

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Meet our ESOL Skills for Life Assessors

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ESB has a new Senior Assessor for Speech

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Say hello to our new team members

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Message fromour Chief Executive

ESB’s Chief Executive, Tina Renshawwelcomes you to our Autumn/Winter edition of ESB News

Thirdly, you can read about our accomplishments with ESOL Skills for Life at one of our UK centres, Stanmore College, providing its learners with further opportunities to develop their English language skills by completing ESB’s Ofqual regulated ESOL International portfolio of qualifications online. In addition, we have also launched brand new Speech resources and updated handbooks for each of ESB's centres which are available to download with immediate effect. New support webpages are also available to facilitate the ease by which information can be found. You can also read about the 'MyESBHub’ Webinar Training Sessions we are now offering to new and existing centres in placing their ESB bookings which are online training sessions delivered by our Customer Experience Team. Finally, we do hope that you enjoy reading this ESB News and feel that it keeps you up-to-date with what's happening. We would love to hear from you about anything you would like to see in future editions so please don't hesitate to get in touch. We would love to hear from you! Together, we can continue to raise the achievement of our learners. Best wishes, Tina

Welcome to this Autumn/Winter 2022 edition of ESB News, keeping you connected with the work we are doing to improve ESB. Firstly, we would like to let you know about the multi-media events that we will be hosting to celebrate ESB’s 70th anniversary in 2023. We are extremely excited to look back on – and forward to – the impact of the skills, outcomes and experiences of ESB qualifications. You can also read how we continue to reiterate our commitment to closing the disadvantage gap – financially supporting more and more centres to access our Speech and ESOL qualifications as part of our 70/70 campaign. Secondly, we introduce you to the launch of our “Your Milestone” competition. What better way to celebrate our own special milestone, than by giving our learners the opportunity to showcase their skills and talent!The competition is open to all Speech and ESOL learners and we would ask all centres to encourage their learners to get involved.

PHOTO: ESB’s Chief Executive, Tina Renshaw with learners at Broadfields Primary School, London

70/70 Campaign

JOIN INOURMULTI-MEDIA 70THANNIVERSARYCELEBRATIONS!

ESB is celebrating its 70th anniversary in 2023, offering the perfect opportunity for all members of the ESB family – both past and present learners, centres, assessors, and staff - to get together and recognise their achievements, and to share their fond memories of their ESB experience. We will be hosting a total of nine engaging multi-media events to include our Speech, ESOL Skills for Life and ESOL International centres – all live streamed to our social media accounts (Twitter and LinkedIn) - and we would love to invite you to join in and be an integral part of the celebrations. Enabling its learners to reach their full potential is ESB’s main focus which continues to be at the forefront of our work so we are delighted to announce that a number of our learners from several different centres will have the chance to showcase their communication skills and ESB achievements at these events. We will also see several ESB Ambassadors (previous ESB learners) talk about their journey and how ESB has helped shape their life to become who they are today, as well as Centre Organisers/Tutors and Teachers who will have the chance to talk about their ESB experience and its impact on their centre and students.

There will also be plenty of time to socialise and enjoy a slice of ESB’s 70th Birthday Cake! Much has changed since 1953 when Christabel Burniston founded ESB, pioneering a new approach to oral communication. Nevertheless, ESB’s early ethos to inspire and place great value on every individual still holds true today. Please let us know if you or your learners would like to participate in our multi-media celebrations. We are SO excited to look back on – and forward to – the impact of the skills, outcomes and experiences of ESB qualifications. More details about our celebrations will be coming soon…

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70/70 Campaign

Supportingmore centres through our 70/70 Campaign! Surrey’s Broadwater School has recently registered as an ESB centre and is looking forward to commencing their oracy journey with ESB.

Broadwater School is a smaller than average 11-16 year old secondary school in Surrey. The percentage of pupil premium is considerably higher than that of the Surrey average and their EHCP intake is one of the highest in the country with 47 children with EHCPs (close to 9%) - the national average being 3.7% and Surrey average below 3%. Passionate about oracy and introducing oracy education into their Year 7 and 8 curriculum through our qualifications, Lizzi Matthews, Headteacher at Broadwater School lets us know her thoughts on starting their ESB journey: “Broadwater School is excited to be taking our first steps with English Speaking Board this year. "The importance of building young people’s oracy skills through careful and deliberate practice is critical for their long term success. In just a very short time we have seen our children’s confidence grow and they are thoroughly enjoying the journey towards their assessments.”

ESB CEO, Tina says: “ESB has been successfully offering oracy qualifications to learners for nearly 70 years and knows its impact as a valid pathway to promote oracy in schools. We are delighted to continue to provide equal opportunities for all and enable learners access to our assessments through The Christabel Burniston Fund. "We are excited to learn more about how ESB assessments continue to impact learners at Broadwater School. With the support of ESB, we look forward to seeing where their oracy journey takes them."

Did you know?

82% of ESB’s Speech Qualifications are Accredited by Ofqual. ESB’s Level 3 Graded Examinations in Speech qualifications and our Level 3 Debating qualification carry UCAS tariff points for university and HE entry. ESB learning acts as Ofsted evidence. Adding ESB’s Speech qualifications can enhance an ambitious curriculum, offering learners more opportunity to achieve knowledge, skills and externally assessed outcomes.

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We are looking forward to providing equal opportunities and supporting learners at British Red Cross, to help them overcome barriers to access support and services and to enable them to develop key English language skills through our ESOL Skills for Life Assessments. Charity to complete ESB's ESOL assessments: British Red Cross

ESB's CEO, Tina, says: "I am delighted that these learners will have the opportunity to attain the vital English language skills to support them in daily life, integrate into the community and encourage progression into further learning and employment. “With the aim to embrace inclusivity and to empower all its learners to reach their aspirations, ESB’s ESOL Skills for Life qualifications are a clear path for English language success, enabling every learner to realise their potential, whatever their circumstances. “We are eager to start developing a close working relationship with British Red Cross As part of its 70/70 campaign, ESB is providing match funding to the charity to enable their individuals to access our ESOL Skills for Life assessments. The British Red Cross is a registered charity that has been helping millions of people in the UK and around the world get the support they need when crisis strikes. It is the UK’s largest independent provider of services and support for refugees and people seeking asylum. Every year the British Red Cross helps over 30,000 people in the UK, at all stages of the asylum process.

Gloria Ho, Destitution Service Manager at British Red Cross, says: "The British Red Cross Destitution Service supports asylum seekers and refugees in London who are destitute. We have been running English classes for a number of years at the Hackney Centre and many of our beneficiaries have enjoyed being able to learn and improve their language skills. "We are really looking forward to working with ESB to enable the students to be assessed and progress in their language learning journey. This is a fantastic development for the students, and we are very excited to be able to offer this to them. The assessments will be very valuable in helping to access different opportunities in the future. "The option to do these assessments remotely is an added bonus as our beneficiaries have very unstable living arrangements and may have to relocate quite suddenly."

and can’t wait to see where ESB assessments will take its learners."

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In the Spotlight: Ormiston Sir Stanley Matthews Academy Thanks to the financial support provided by ESB’s Christabel Burniston Fund, learners from Ormiston Sir Stanley Matthews Academy (OSSMA) in Stoke-on-Trent continue to access One learner in particular, Khadija, took her mask off for the first time in two years since the COVID pandemic to speak to our Speech Product Development Officer, Lauren

221 learners from Year 9 recently completed ESB’s Level 2 Certificate in Speech (Grade 4) Speech for Employability qualification. Here's what some learners said ... and benefit from our speech assessments. Ormiston Sir Stanley Matthews is a mixed Secondary Academy part of the Ormiston Academies Trust located in the Blurton area of Stoke-on-Trent, Staffordshire. The proportion of students eligible for pupil premium funding is higher than the national average - around 44.2%.

Kearney. Listen to what she has to say about the impact that ESB assessments have had on building her confidence.

ESB's Impact

Designed for Year 9 and 10 students, ESB’s Speech for Employability pathway qualification enhances learners’ interview and communication skills. It is mapped to National Curriculum requirements in Spoken Language at Key Stages 3 and 4 and provides excellent opportunities to achieve Gatsby benchmarks through the content of talks, interviews and role-play scenarios. Teachers completed a baseline assessment identifying how competent learners were before they began preparing for ESB’s qualification, and the baseline assessment for learners was completed again after their assessment had taken place. The teachers made judgements about learners’ competencies in 6 areas, with statements drawn from the National Curriculum for KS3 in spoken language and reading. In total, 60% of learners improved in at least one statement of competency during their time preparing and being assessed for the ESB qualification.

"I enjoyed doing ESB because it let me show and build up my confidence when doing the speech as I was doing it in front of an assessor and students that I don't normally do it in front of. I think that this will be a great qualification to put on my CV as it will separate me from others who are competing for the same job. This was all round a great experience and I am grateful for the opportunity." Rebecca Turner

"I thought my ESB speech was a great opportunity to show off my skills and knowledge on my chosen career path. This opportunity has given me the chance to show the assessors my qualities. I think this is an amazing opportunity for anyone because it gives people a chance to come out of their comfort zone." Ralexia Till

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70/70 Campaign

How do we support centres through the Christabel Burniston Fund?

We financially support centres whose learners face disadvantage due to socio economic factors, disability or migration status through the Christabel Burniston Fund, established in honour of our founder, Christabel Burniston MBE.

Learner Pre and Post Assessment Data Teacher Baseline Assessment Data Qualitative Data collected from questionnaires. An annual national report on ESB’s impact on closing the disadvantage gap is also coming out later this term so keep an eye out for this! Tina says: “We are steadfast in our determination to reduce the impacts of disadvantage on individuals developing key speaking and listening skills and want to reach more organisations and enable them access to our speaking and listening qualifications.” New impact reports on closing the disadvantage gap Not only do Christabel Burniston-funded centres receive free training for their school staff and a reduction in assessment fees, but this half term, these centres will also have access to an individual impact report on how ESB qualifications are helping them to close the disadvantage gap experienced by their learners. The reports will highlight the extent to which a focus on oracy using external assessment has a quantifiable impact on learners’ knowledge, skills and personal and social development. The reports will use data provided by schools and learners such as:

The percentage of pupils receiving Pupil Premium. The Government’s Indices of Deprivation for the area that your school serves. Who is eligible for financial support through The Christabel Burniston Fund? If you are a centre that shares the common belief that communication lies at the heart of social mobility and you think your learners could benefit from our qualifications but are concerned about fees, please get in touch. We use two main sets of indicators for state schools: For third sector organisations we will look at your current income and external funding

and the Government’s Indices of Deprivation for the community your organisation supports. Please get in touch and find out whether your centre is eligible for financial support through our Christabel Burniston Fund via email to business@esbuk.org.

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ESB’s CEO attends the Grand Opening of the new Independent Living Suite at one of its centres - Wirral Met College

“We have also worked well with ESB over many years and are excited to continue and develop our relationship with them. I look forward to expanding what we offer our students in terms of providing more of ESB’s excellent qualifications over the coming year.” Tina adds, “It was a pleasure to attend the opening event of this incredible new facility and witness the positive impact this new educational environment has on its learners, and those who also complete ESB assessments. I was hugely impressed by the confidence shown by Prep for Life learners on the day and the improvement in their communication skills was clear to see! “ESB and Wirral Met share the same goal to enable all neurodiverse learners to achieve their aspirations and we can’t thank ESB organiser and Manager of Prep for Life, Henry Cottier and his outstanding team of teachers enough for further supporting our learners to achieve better outcomes, preparing them for life and enabling them to achieve and thrive through the development of this new Independent Living Suite.” Wirral Met College have been reaping the benefits of ESB’s Building Confidence in Communication qualifications since 2016 and ESB is extremely excited to continue empowering more learners at the college through our assessments. As demonstrated by its 70/70 campaign, ESB is passionate about closing the disadvantage gap.

ESB Teacher, Laura Byrne (left) with two ESB learners, Molly & Page and ESB’s CEO, Tina Renshaw (right)

ESB’s Chief Executive, Tina Renshaw was delighted to attend Wirral Met College’s official opening of its new Independent Living Suite – designed for learners with significant learning needs. Developed as a direct response to the increase in demand of students requiring skills for independent living as part of their Education, Health and Care Plans (EHCPs), the new open plan suite replicates a ‘home living’ environment thereby enabling learners enrolled on the Prep for Life course - offered to young people aged 16-24 with learning difficulties or disabilities - the opportunity to learn the skills they need to live and work independently in a friendly and supportive environment. At the event were two ESB learners Molly and Page - enrolled on the College’s Prep for Life Course, as well as other Prep for Life Students who were on hand to show the Mayor and Mayoress, as well as ESB’s CEO and other guests around their new suite, which they were integral in designing. ESB Organiser and Manager of Prep for Life, Henry Cottier says, “The college decided to do this to meet the needs of the students. The intention of Prep for Life is to raise the aspirations of young people with special educational needs and disabilities in four main areas. One of those areas is independence. We’ve done it very well over the years, but this is just taking it to a whole new level.

9 PHOTO: Prep for Life students in the living suite's new sensory room

70/70 Campaign

Classroom News | 07 May, 2023 "YourMilestone" Competition is now open for entries

WHY ENTER?

ES B is thrilled to launch our ‘Your Milestone’ Competition!

A great way to gain recognition and social media exposure for your centre as we will be featuring winners’ videos across all our media channels. 1 st prize winners will be awarded a £50.00 voucher and 2nd prize winners will also be awarded a £25.00 voucher of their choice within each category. All learners who receive a Highly Commended Award will also receive a certificate highlighting their accomplishment.

What better way to celebrate our own special milestone –70th anniversary in 2023 – than by giving our learners the opportunity to showcase their skills and talent. The competition is open to all Speech and ESOL learners and we encourage them to enter and to get involved. It is not necessary for learners to have completed their assessment prior to entering.

Hone your learners’ communication skills in a fun and competitive environment.

WHAT'S INVOLVED?

Learners will simply need to create and video themselves delivering their spoken piece (in the form of a speech/poem/rap/ piece of drama/story) about an important milestone in their life. The spoken piece should last no longer than 3 minutes.

Centres whose learners are awarded the first prize will also have the additional bonus of receiving a £40.00 voucher.

HOWTO ENTER?

Please send in your video (taken on a mobile phone is perfectly acceptable) together with your Application Form (click here to download) and signed Parental/Guardian Video and Photograph Consent Form to ESB’s Communications

Learners can submit their video entries from one of the following six categories:

1. Speech (KS1 & 2) 2. Speech (KS3) 3. Speech (KS4 & 5) 4. Speech SEND 5. ESOL Entry Level 6. ESOL Level 1 & 2

Officer, Cassie Anderson at cassie.anderson@esbuk.org.

The closing date for submission of entries is Friday 11th November, 2022.

Please feel free to share and print the poster on the next page and display around your centre for all learners to see!

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'YOUR MILESTONE' COMPETITION

Simply create and deliver a spoken piece about an important milestone in your life and send ESB your application form and video (taken on a mobile phone is perfectly acceptable).

Your entry could be in the form of a speech/poem/rap/presentation/piece of drama/story and should last no longer than 3 minutes.

Any significant event that has impacted your life can be described as a ‘milestone’.

Examples include:

a particular achievement that you are proud of a time that you used your voice to make a positive impact starting life in a new place.

The following prizes will be awarded:

First Prize: £50.00 voucher of your choice Second Prize: £25.00 voucher of your choice Highly Commended: All learners will receive a certificate highlighting their achievement. The winning entry will be assessed on the delivery and presentation, and will be the one that reaches the heart of the listener the most. We are looking for that little bit of magic!

SEND YOUR APPLICATION FORM & VIDEO TO: cassie.anderson@esbuk.org

THE CLOSING DATE FOR SUBMISSION OF ENTRIES IS FRIDAY 11TH NOVEMBER 2022.

ESOL International in the UK

ESOL

Learners at one of ESB’s valued centres – Stanmore College – take the next step in their English language journey by completing ESB’s Ofqual Regulated ESOL International assessments. With the increased demand for a higher level of English language skills in the UK for immigration, employability, and further education purposes, ESB Centre, Stanmore College in Middlesex was eager to enrol its ESOL Skills for Life learners to complete ESB’s Level 1 Certificate in ESOL International All Modes - (B2) qualification online. The Communications Team visited the College to talk to ESOL staff and learners about their ESB experience. ESB provides ESOL learners with further opportunities to develop their English Language Skills

“My students who are interested in taking ESB ESOL International assessments are those who are in a hurry to get a qualification that can help them with immigration, work and enable them to go to university. “The majority of the time, ESOL learners who come to the UK from other countries have high levels of education in their country of origin, so they find the language barrier difficult when they come to the UK. "ESB ESOL International assessments enable students to prove their English language skills. Those students who completed it were in a hurry to take these qualifications and were extremely excited about accessing them and the benefits that will come with them. “We have some very ambitious learners here, so ESB ESOL International qualifications are a great way to enable my learners to reach their goals.” ESB Organiser and Tutor at Stanmore College, Mafa Ardestani said: ESB provides the option of online assessments for its B1 - C2 ESOL International qualifications - offering numerous benefits such as heightened security and fully automated proctoring using artificial intelligence to detect cheating. Not only does the completion of online assessments reduce carbon footprint but is also more efficient.

Comms Officer, Cassie (left), Stanmore Tutor, Mafa (centre) & Liam Morton (right) with ESOL Learners at Stanmore College

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“I have been in the UK since 2018 and wanted to improve my English to get a job, to help my children and to speak in everyday life. After this course I would like to work towards a teacher qualification.” “I can now speak with school teachers and can call the GP by myself to make an appointment. Now I do not need any help to do these things. It’s great.” “I have been in the UK for 4 years and wanted to improve my English to study, to work and to go to university. After the ESB examiner started talking to me, I was not nervous anymore. They were very kind and helpful.” “I have to learn English because of my job. I have a nursing degree so when I came here, I was not able to speak English and I had to learn from the beginning. I am happy with what I have learnt so far.” We caught up with some other ESB ESOL learners

ESOL Learners with ESOL Tutor Mafa Ardestani

“I love ESB! The communication is always there and the process is easy. Everything is done externally so the pressure is off teachers and we can just prepare learners for their assessments, so it is great. We have been with ESB for about 7 years now and it has always been consistent and of high quality!” ESB Organiser, Mafa Ardestani tells us what sets ESB apart from other awarding organisations ….

ESB’s External Method of Assessment One of the benefits of preparing learners for our qualifications, and then having them assessed by rigorously trained and standardised external assessors, is that teachers and tutors are able to focus on developing their learners’ English language skills against a set of clear criteria, whilst raising the value and understanding of these skills in the classroom and beyond.

We provide ESOL Skills for Life qualifications from Entry 1 to Level 2 and ESB ESOL International qualifications online from B1 to C2 - enabling every learner to realise their potential, whatever their circumstances. Please contact a member of ESB’s Business Development Team at business@esbuk.org i f you wish to enrol your learners to complete our ESOL assessments.

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ESOL

Successfully supporting more learners in Greece to develop key English language skills through our ESOL International Assessments

Did you know that we also offer a digitised ESOL International assessment option for both UK and International centres? Our ESOL International assessments (B1 - C2 level) can also be taken online by both UK and International learners. If you are a centre that believes your learners would benefit from our ESOL International qualifications, we would love to hear from you. Please email business@esbuk.org. ESB’s successful association with Europalso began more than eight years ago. Currently the largest certified organisation of foreign language centres in Greece, Europalso operates our ESOL International qualifications, with some of its largest centres in Athens, Thessaloniki and Larissa. ESB offers a wide-ranging portfolio of accessible ESOL International qualifications from A1 to C2 level. ESB's B1 - C2 qualifications are regulated by Ofqual and learners can also receive up to 36 UCAS points at Level 3 (C2), a great steppingstone into further learning or employment.

During the Summer months, nearly 12,000 learners in language schools across Greece completed ESB’s ESOL International assessments thanks to our exclusively licensed centre in Greece - Europalso - the Panhellenic Association of Language School Owners. With the December exam series hot on the heels, ESB is delighted that more learners in Greece will have the opportunity to sit its ESOL International assessments. Tina says, “Well done to all learners who completed our ESOL International assessments back in May. We do hope our assessments provided you with the English language skills needed to achieve your aspirations, enabling you to gain access to further and higher education and enhance your employability skills. “ESB is looking forward to strengthening its working relationship with Europalso and having more language schools and learners completing its ESOL assessments in December.”

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Delivering training at two of our valued ESOL Centres

An outline of each assessment, how to navigate our website and details of the resources ESB provides. Information about our assessment criteria and what is required of learners, identifying examples of what type of language ESB assessors are looking for. Example learner writing paper task. An opportunity for tutors and staff to ask any questions. Clarification of processes and procedures. aimed to provide support to tutors to help them successfully prepare their students for their ESB ESOL skills for life assessments. The sessions included: Says Nicola, “The training was a joy to deliver to the really experienced team who were keen to identify the best ways to prepare their learners for the assessments. It was lovely to see the groups working together to share ideas and give their opinions on the writing examples shared. It was so rewarding to get feedback from tutors saying that the session was really useful.” ESB’s Senior Assessor, Nicola Rose, recently visited two of our ESOL Centres - Gateshead College and Bristol College to deliver in depth training sessions to its tutors and staff. Covering all three modes (reading, writing and speaking and listening) at all 5 levels (Entry 1 - Level 2), the training sessions

Following on from the training session, a review left by one of the tutors at Bristol College on our Trustpilot account reads: “Nicola took us through ESB Skills for Life levels, was very clear and informative and involved us in the Writing decision-making in small groups as a faculty which was really useful. She was friendly and invited questions throughout.” With Gateshead College commencing their ESB ESOL journey back in 2016 and Bristol College in 2017, ESB is thrilled to continue to have the opportunity to make such a positive impact on learners at these centres through its ESOL assessments. ESB would like to thank the colleges and their staff for their continued and valuable support. If you would like to discuss the training options available for your centre, please email business@esbuk.org. We are looking forward to more of our ESOL centres booking their assessments this Autumn/Winter term! Please contact a member of our Customer Experience Team at customer@esbuk.org if your centre requires support in placing your booking(s) and they will be more than happy to help you with your query.

Alternatively, you can also visit our Bookings Webpage by clicking here.

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Administrative Updates

What you need to knowas a centre

ESB releases updated handbooks for each of its centres – available to download today. Designed to streamline the ESB journey for our centres and to enable them to find information more easily, our master Centre Handbook has been split into three new individual Centre Handbooks. Please read about the following updates below: If you are an existing ESB centre, please start consulting the new Centre Handbooks with immediate effect. They are available to download on our Policies and Procedures page. Refreshed Centre Handbooks

Centres offering ICE qualifications

Speech

ESOL Skills for Life

Step-by-step booking process Links to useful videos Assessment rules and regulations poster for you to display Guidance for assessment timings and recommended learner numbers per day New ESB Handbook for Speech Centres based in the UK: For Speech Centres operating outside of the UK, we already have a Handbook for your centre here.

Our centres delivering ESB ICE qualifications can also access detailed guidance regarding centre-assessed components within our brand new ESB Handbook for Centre Assessed Qualifications . The following items are discussed in this Handbook but please ensure that it is used in tandem with your Speech Handbook.

New ESB Handbook for Skills for Life centres:

Learner preparation Step-by-step booking process

Plan your assessment day by creating an efficient running order Planning your Reading and Writing assessments including instructions for your invigilators

Centre staff requirements Internal quality assurance Moderation process and feedback

We are passionate about providing a seamless assessment experience for both our centres and learners. You can access all the information you need to facilitate ease of booking and to prepare your learners for their ESB assessments on the webpages below. New Support Webpages

Plan your Assessment Day

Book your Assessments

ESB will be reissuing its updated centre agreement to all exisiting centres and you will be required to review and sign it. The update provides clarity in the following areas: - data protection - conflict of interest - confidentiality - general legal clauses - issuing results and certification We have also updated our contacts and marketing unsubscribe option. Updated Centre Agreement

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New Speech Resources nowavailable!

ESB Entry Level Awards in Speech (Entry 1, 2 and 3) ESB is determined to provide continual support to teachers, helping them to fulfil the potential of all their learners. With this in mind, we are delighted to launch brand new resource packs for the following qualifications: ESB Level 3 Certificate in Speech (Grade 8) ESB's new speech resources are designed to provide new and existing centres with ready to use lessons and activities to support teachers and learners along their ESB oracy journey. We hope these resources will allow new centres to access our qualifications more readily by reducing the workload for centre staff, and by providing clarity on the objectives and criteria in the qualifications. For our existing centres , who are already experienced and skilled in preparing their learners for ESB qualifications, we hope that these new resources will be a great way to reinforce the great work you already do. The resources cover all four sections of the assessments and aim to address some of the common questions that even our most experienced centres sometimes have. Finally, we know that when staff move to new positions and pass on responsibility for teaching ESB qualifications, or centre organisers change, it can be challenging to get to grips with a whole new set of specifications. By providing these resources, we hope to ease these transitions.

‘MyESBHub’ Webinar Training Sessions

ESB offers new and existing centres extra support in placing their ESB bookings through online training sessions delivered by our Customer Experience Team. If you would welcome a training session to help you navigate the MyESB Hub, please contact customer@esbuk.org.

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ESBASSESSORS PUT THROUGHTHEIR PACES

ESB continues to focus on delivering high quality assessments for all of its centres, with Speech and Language Assessors recently attending its Annual Training Session in Loughborough. Integral to ESB’s quality assurance procedures, the training weekend provided a great opportunity to monitor assessors’ performance ahead of the new academic year and enabled them to get together and to give feedback on their experiences. Says Chief Assessor Ben Jackson, “It was fantastic to finally meet all of our wonderful Speech and Language assessors face-to face after two years of online training. The event was well received and it was great to see the consistency of marking across a range of ESB qualifications. Standardisation activities are key to ensuring high quality assessment, that is the same regardless of where in the country learners are assessed, and who is assessing them – having an external assessment model and such professional, knowledgeable and experienced assessors are key to this." Assessor Annual Training Event

Training sessions touched base on report writing, diversity and bias, setting the standard and good practice. We are delighted to hear that our assessors enjoyed the annual training and found it a valuable exercise. ESB’s assessors are invaluable to the overall ESB experience. They are annually standardised to make sure that their marking is consistent and that they bring to every assessment session a passion for ESB’s core values of providing supportive and enjoyable assessments. Sympathetic to each individual’s background and situation, from the moment an assessor meets your learners, provision for ongoing support and encouragement is given.

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ESOL

Meet a fewof our ESOL Skills for LifeAssessors

At ESB, our team of high-quality assessors come from all walks of life, but they share a common goal – to bring out the very best in every learner. We are delighted to welcome additional ESOL assessors to the ESB family, including Clare Courtney who runs her own community based ESOL project teaching through the medium of cookery, Laura Priego Luque, an ESOL lecturer, currently working with learners on a community integration programme and Linda Ulrich, who recounts an inspirational story about one of her ESB ESOL learners. Read about what some of our experienced ESOL assessors have to say …

Clare Courtney

“I've been working in ESOL for over 13 years in many different contexts. My love of food and ESOL led me to start my own educational, non-profit food organisation called Heart & Parcel where we work with people learning English from different communities to develop their English skills through food and cooking. The practical and task-based aspect of preparing, cooking and eating a delicious recipe from start to finish with your classmates is a really effective realistic environment in which to learn a language. "This is why I really love the ESB language assessments as they really focus on a learners' authentic English-speaking experience making it a positive atmosphere for both the assessor and learner from start to finish.” Laura Priego Luque “After completing my PGCE nearly 10 years ago I began teaching ESOL. I worked at an innovative community charity in East London where I taught a range of ESOL classes. For the last 8 years I have worked at Redbridge Institute in Greater London. We teach all levels of ESOL and prepare our learners for the ESB assessments. “More recently I have also been involved with The ESOL for Integration Fund which is funded by the Department for Levelling Up, Housing and Communities (DLUHC) and aims to help residents with low levels of English to integrate into their local communities, access local services and improve social interaction. “Having experienced my own learners taking ESB assessments I knew how supportive and encouraging the assessors were. As an experienced ESOL teacher I am sympathetic to learners and skilled at bringing out the best in them. I've found the ethos behind ESB assessments to be really positive and always create a welcoming and relaxed environment in the assessments where learners are able to showcase the best of their ability.” “Last year a lady came to see me at the charity where I teach ESOL. A local college had assessed her at Entry Level 1 but she didn’t feel comfortable in the class. I thought she was more like Entry Level 3 and enrolled her in the class where I teach ESB assessments. She has since passed her ESB Entry Level 3 Reading and ESB Level 1 Speaking and Listening qualification!” Linda Ulrich

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ESB has a new Senior Assessor for Speech - Julie Collins

WELCOME JULIE!

ESB congratulates Julie Collins on her new appointment to the role of Senior Assessor for Speech having recently replaced Lulu Dale who is stepping down. Working both as an assessor and moderator for ESB over the last 9 years, Julie has not only used her expertise to assess throughout the United Kingdom but also to fulfill contracts in Singapore, Malaysia, China, Hong Kong and Trinidad. Alongside her ESB work, she has been teaching Oracy for the last 4 years at Dorking’s Moon Hall School and enjoys having the opportunity to develop and enrich the communication skills of her students. Prior to this, she held the position of Head of Drama at Cranmore School for 17 years, where she introduced the ESB syllabus to all year groups. Her wealth of experience, as teacher, assessor and moderator, allows her to bring in a unique and insightful perspective to the team. We are delighted to have such a talented individual who is passionate about ESB’s ethos - to stretch the most able, support the least confident and realise the potential of all by closing the disadvantage gap - on board. Welcome to the family, Julie!

Says Julie: "I feel a huge privilege at becoming the Senior Assessor for ESB. When I was asked to write a few words about my route from novice assessor to this appointment, I was unsure where to begin. "My history with the organisation began when I implemented the assessments into my school curriculum, too long ago to remember! After successfully teaching it for many years, I was approached by an assessor and asked if I would consider joining the ESB team. My reply was, ‘What me?!’ I eventually conceded and gave it my best shot, in so doing I found a new passion in life. "I rose to the rank of Moderator, enjoying both the traveling and the interactions with staff and learners alike. Earlier this year I was asked about applying for the position of Senior Assessor. My reply was again, ‘What me?!’ I feel a healthy mixture of excitement and trepidation of the steep learning curve the forthcoming months present."

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Ahuge thank you to Lulu

Sadly, this means we have to say goodbye to Lulu Dale, who is relinquishing her position as Senior Assessor due to commitments elsewhere. Lulu has been an invaluable member of the ESB Team for many years – having been appointed as ESB’s Senior Assessor for Speech back in 2016. Prior to this, she had worked for several years as an ESB assessor and moderator. We can’t thank her enough for her fantastic and invaluable contribution to ESB – continually upholding ESB’s ethos and being a great Ambassador for ESB. From all of us at ESB, thank you SO much Lulu!

"There have been many memorable moments such as the child who introduced her talk with, ‘We didn't go to school on Monday. It was insect day’, the one who introduced the title of her poem......’By astronomous’ and the boy who said, ‘Our teacher said that if we get all our words right, we could get extinction!"

" When I applied to become Senior Assessor, I remember saying at the interview that I saw that part of my role was to support and nurture assessors and I hope at the very least I have achieved this. "ESB has seen many changes in structure, and I have been involved on many levels in terms of revising and updating policies, doing training for centres, providing ESB resources, leading student and teacher workshops, being filmed for ESB and making videos for our flip books, as well as planning and leading Annual Training (Speech). "I have also been involved in many interesting projects along the way which have included contributing to specifications with Product Development, most recently our Level 1 and 2 pathways. I have also been involved in judging internal competitions and attending Young Speaker of the Year events to name but a few. I have also enjoyed representing ESB at events and a highlight for me was when Tina invited me to attend parliament for the Oracy review. It was my first big event after illness and was a huge tonic for my confidence that hot summer’s day! Lulu talks about her time as Senior Assessor:

"But perhaps the best part of being involved with ESB which I have valued the most is that the role has always provided opportunities for me to put forward ideas and the team has made me feel valued. The ethos of kindness that ESB holds dear to its heart resonates with everyone I have worked with both internally and externally as well as myself and I have always tried to find ways to be kind in my dealings with others. "As an assessor trainer and in the words of our founder Christabel Burniston I would like to think that I have continued to follow her belief that assessors should “have the sensitivity to discern the presence of gifts in others and the skills to bring them to light”. "Much as I am sad to step back from the role due to commitments elsewhere, I will still be very much a part of ESB and its family and hope to see some of you on the circuit in due course in my capacity as a Speech Assessor and Moderator."

PHOTO: Lulu with ESB learners at London’s Sir William Borough Primary School

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TeamUpdates

SAYHELLOTOOURNEWTEAMMEMBERS

Our head office in Ormskirk has recently had an influx of new faces. We are delighted to welcome the following who are now fledgling members of our ESB family! TomWilson & JackMiller Customer Experience Officers

Effectively administering the customer experience process for our clients, from bookings right through to certification, Tom and Jack recently joined our Customer Experience Team.

TomWilson Having previously worked in a variety of customer service and administration roles, Tom is maximising his organisational and administrative skills to help achieve deep customer engagement for our clients. Outside of work, he spends most of his spare time outdoors - hiking, kayaking, cycling or playing team sports. He also enjoys spending time with friends and family. Says Tom: “Since joining ESB in September, I have been made to feel very welcome and have enjoyed starting my role in the Customer Experience Team. I joined ESB a few years after finishing my degree, with previous work in various administration and customer service roles. I like the ESB ethos which puts all our learners at the forefront of what we do – making the job worthwhile. I am looking forward to progressing further with ESB and continuing to grow my knowledge in this new and exciting role."

JackMiller Jack initially joined the Customer Experience team as a Student Administrative Assistant on a temporary basis to help the team out during the peak Summer assessment period. Having accepted ESB's offer to work on a part-time contract to fit in with his Business and Management Undergraduate University Degree, we are now delighted to welcome Jack as a fully-fledged member of the team. Jack is a sports enthusiast who enjoys playing cricket, taking part in charity and long distance running, and also likes to play football both after work and at the weekend. Jack says, “Since joining ESB as a student temporary member, I have found everybody in the business to be so kind and supportive. I feel very lucky to have joined ESB and appreciate the opportunity to join the Customer Experience Team as a part-time member of staff whilst completing my Undergraduate degree. It is an amazing place to work and I can’t thank everybody enough for being so welcoming!”

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JohnMcLoughlin Finance Officer

Having recently graduated with a 1st Class degree from Royal Holloway University of London with a BSc in Economics, John joins the ESB team to provide support to the Finance Manager and to process the sales and purchase ledgers. He also shares the responsibility of overseeing the maintenance of our ESB offices to ensure Health and Safety standards are met. Outside of work, John relishes any opportunity to travel and enjoys learning new languages and immersing himself in different cultures. He has studied Spanish for many years and is currently learning Korean – having recently mastered Hangul - the Korean alphabet! Says John, "The whole team has been so welcoming and supportive, and I feel as if I’ve slotted in very quickly. I appreciate all the opportunities I’ve been given to grow my skillset and build my experience in the finance sector. It’s a brilliant place to work!”

Josh Lawton IT Support With IT at the core of everything we do, Josh is responsible for the operational support of IT Services as well as developing technology systems to support the business. As part of our growing IT support service we aim to focus and improve this experience for our centres over the coming academic year. Josh says: "I am really enjoying providing IT Support at ESB. The whole team has been so welcoming and it’s a brilliant place to work."

Welcome to the ESB family!

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