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NATIONAL ESOL  PANEL

Meeting on Monday 7 December 2009 at 11 am

MINUTES

Attendees

.
Euan Reid (ER)	Chair
Peter Beaumont (PB)	SG/LLD
Clare El Azebbi (CE)	SG/LLD
Isabel Russell (IR)	SG/LLD
Andrew Brawley (AB)	HMIE
Morag Campbell (MC)	SFC
Roland Tye (RT)	SFC
Fiona Balloch (FB)	SC
Robert Quinn (RQ)	SQA
Mhoraig Green (MG)	COSLA
Anne Simpson (AS)	CLDMS
Jayne Stuart (JS)	Learning Link Scotland
Wendy Burton (WB)	STUC
Paul Hambley (PH)	LLUK (Guest Speaker)
Rose Tweedale (RT)	Secretariat

1. Welcome and Introductions 

ER welcomed everyone to the meeting and advised that Paul Hambley from LLUK would attend the end of the meeting to talk about qualifications and teachers of ESOL in the UK. ER also welcomed Fiona Balloch of Glasgow Metropolitan College who was representing Scotland's Colleges.

Apologies
Apologies were received from:
Andy Willox, FSB
Douglas Guest, EHRC
Philippa Clark, Unison
Robin Ashton, SC
Jackie Borge, SG/LLD

2. Minutes of meeting on 7th September 2009

The minutes of the previous meeting were agreed and the secretariat was requested to post the final version on the website.

Action: Secretariat to update minutes and put the final version on the website.

3. Matters arising

PB had an action point from the previous meeting to provide a Best Practice Framework for ESOL. The paper (download here, Word, 148Kb) was issued to members before the meeting. PB asked the Panel members to look at page 2 which stated the purpose of the framework and asked for comments on the document.

Comments from the National Panel:

• FB said that it was a really useful document but felt it was more of an evaluative framework than a best practice framework. PB said that he would be happy to rename the document;
• JS noted that it shows the key principles and priorities – the sector needs to be enabled to input them and achieve the principles;
• RQ thought that the document was very useful for practitioners and it would help them to understand the key priorities. He said that he would like the words, "if you wish" removed from section 3.4 as he felt that qualifications should be an entitlement;
• CE suggested that the word "encourage" could be changed to "have the opportunity to" or it should say that learners are working towards the most appropriate qualifications and all are given the opportunity to get accreditation;
• RQ said he was happy with that but he wanted to make it clear what qualifications are about. He said that progress had been made on evidence gathering and awarding appropriate accreditation;
• PB noted that the document would be a working document and subject to change;
• AS said it was a useful document and a lot of the principles are already included in the How Good is our Community Learning and Development evaluation document;
• CE noted that it could be used as a toolkit. Tutors, organisers, managers and partners could concentrate on one key element/issue to develop and reflect on;
• PB said that he could incorporate that into the introduction; and
• ER said that the document would be put on the ESOL Scotland website once all of the comments had been received.

Action: RT to incorporate feedback into the Best Practice Framework and post on ESOL Scotland website

4. Update on Current/Future Funding for National Developments

PB said that he had previously advised the Panel of a potential underspend of £140,000 Since then, Scottish Government has met with SQA to progress the Professional Development working party recommendations. Scottish Government also had a meeting with Joanna McPake to agree how the Curriculum Framework working party recommendations could be taken forward. This will utilise £40,000 of the £140,000 underspend. PB noted that £50,000 would be clawed back by Scottish Government but the remaining amount could be split equally between all colleges and local authorities (as CLD partnership leads) with each organisation receiving £700 - £750.

CE updated the Panel on 4 national development pieces of work:
i. Scottish Government have received drafts of the 18 case studies that were commissioned to highlight effective practice in TESOL for family, workplace and engaging with settled minorities ESOL.. There is a cross-sectoral advisory group overseeing the case studies. Some are really good and some need further work. They will be ready in March 2010 and will be put on the ESOL Scotland website. It is really interesting to note that the contractors have reached diverse delivery organisations from churches through to colleges across the country.
ii. The contract for the Initial Assessment Tool has been awarded to Stevenson College. This will carry forward to the next financial year in terms of development and dissemination. The preliminary meeting will take place on 17 December 2009. Again there will be an advisory group to guide this project.
iii. We had a successful conference at Stirling Management Centre which was attended by 150 delegates. Over 100 delegates attended the practitioners seminar at Stevenson College the following day and we reached people that had not attended ESOL events before. There was an in depth question and answer session with Professor Joe Lo Bianco which went very well. The main issues were around securing funds, feeding into Single Outcome Agreements and having the knowledge and skills to present a case. There are also challenges around reaching settled minorities and young people.
iv. Scottish Government have been working with SQA on developing the trainers pack for delivering the level 6 PDA: Introduction to Tutoring in ESOL. This will be launched across Scotland in March 2010.

Comments from the National Panel:

• RQ noted that SQA had looked at Robin Ashton's suggestion of producing materials around speaking and writing tasks. SQA have identified a pot of money and realistic timescales to produce units which will be useful for both schools and adult learning;
• FB noted that these are really needed. With regard to using the underspend she said that you could identify where the biggest waiting lists are and target the money to these providers;
• MC advised that from an SFC point of view, the administration involved in distributing £700 to each college would not be cost effective. She felt that it would be better to identify greater demands in certain areas or a partnership organisation for use of these funds;
• JS felt that the money would have more impact if used on a project that had national significance;
• FB said that although the case studies were useful they were targeted at specific groups. She felt that it would be useful to focus on best practice for bigger groups;
• CE advised that these were useful points and they could be looked at for the next financial year. She also felt that research was very important as an evidence base was required to keep ESOL on the national agenda;
• AS said that showing the importance of ESOL, perhaps by preparing a DVD or similar method of 'showcasing' effective provision could be useful for elected members and other officials in local authorities. She felt that marketing was required;
• PB said that it was important to use the money quickly and it should be on a basis that reflects need; and
• CE said that a challenge fund could be organised where organisations could bid in for say, 5 lots of £10k grants. A key aspect for this fund could be to develop partnership work in order to develop and deliver ESOL. Members agreed with this suggestion.

5. Update on Current/Future Funding for Colleges and CLDP

AS noted that it was a difficult time in local government. Funding will still be available during 2010/11 so this will ensure that provision continues. However, if the additional funding ends, ESOL will be a discretionary activity and it may disappear from 2011. There is a mixed picture for the number of learners in the local authorities. In some areas learner numbers are going down but in other areas, such as Peterhead, it has risen to around 15% of the population. There are still waiting lists in Dundee. Current provision is good. The funds are being used well and are achieving good results.

Comments from the National Panel:

• PB noted that the best way forward is for partnerships to make the case to convince elected members and officials of the importance of ESOL; and
• AS noted that there was good partnership working between the local authority and the 3 colleges in her area.

6. COSLA - Scottish Government ESOL Review

MG advised that during September and October COSLA and Scottish Government had met with representatives from 2 community planning areas within Glasgow and 4 other local authorities to carry out an ESOL review. The areas visited were:
South East Glasgow;
North Glasgow;
Scottish Borders;
Moray;
Perth and Kinross; and
Falkirk.

MG is working on analysing the information and a draft report should be available by the end of the year. The review looked at:

• how demand was measured and how learners were made aware of courses;
• planning of ESOL;
• delivery;
• funding;
• how planning was linked to SOAs and community planning;
• how ESOL linked into other services;
• planning of output and how it can be improved;
• what initial assessment processes are in place; and
• progression and qualifications.

Partnership working was a theme that covered all of the discussion topics.

Comments from the Panel:

• PB said that partnership working was the key theme and asked if it was a positive picture or were there areas for concern;
• MG said that there were some good examples and all areas had some form of partnership working. However, in some areas there was no clear evidence to show positive outcomes from the partnership meetings; and
• MC noted that it would be valuable to show good practice of how to feed into SOAs.

7. Working Parties - Progress Update
Professional Development
ER noted that the working party produced a set of complex recommendations for which there is widespread support. There is strong support for a Scottish qualification which will interlink with the Cambridge and Trinity qualifications. SQA have agreed to develop the level 9 qualification. They have identified work that they will be able to complete during the current financial year and follow up work for the next financial year.

Comments from the National Panel:

• RQ noted that Anne Mearns will lead this development. He said that the unitised nature of the qualifications allows them to be used for a wider range, for example, school teachers can use some of the units for professional development; and
• FB asked if there would be an assessed teaching practice component and ER confirmed that this would be part of the qualification.

Curriculum Framework
ER noted that he had met with Joanna McPake and Scottish Government to agree a follow up to the development of the framework. CE is currently in discussions to take this forward.

Comments from the National Panel:

• CE noted that a bit more planning on what the framework will look like is required before it goes on-line. Scottish Government are currently working on the next stages of this.

Funding Principles
MC tabled a paper for the Panel to consider. She noted that the discussions at the conference had been lively but inconclusive. Most providers said that they prioritised on a first come, first served basis. She said that we have to consider what the key drivers are and if it is possible to consider prioritising ESOL learners. One of the problems with prioritisation is that there is currently no national database for entry to college so learners could be on a number of waiting lists. The Panel members discussed the 2 questions that MC raised in her paper.

Action: CE to take forward work on the Curriculum Framework recommendations

8. ESOL Annual Report to Ministers

PB noted that a formal annual report had not been completed but Ministers were updated prior to all ESOL events. Over the next couple of months Scottish Government will draft a report to Ministers which will cover:

• the returns the providers have given;
• the COSLA, Scottish Government ESOL review; and
• what the National Panel has achieved.

Comments from the National Panel:

• FB said that it would be good to have an appraisal of the adult ESOL strategy at the forefront of the report.

Action: PB to draft an annual report for Ministers

9. Future of the National Panel

ER noted that the Panel members had been asked to consider 3 options for the future of the National Panel. He said that the majority view had been for a smaller, overall supervisory body, meeting less frequently, coupled with working parties which would focus on specific issues.

PB had prepared a paper (download here, Word, 46Kb) which was issued to the Panel members before the meeting outlining the options and recommendations. This was discussed and a 2 part approach was suggested with the majority of Panel members present indicating their support:

• National action groups would be formed when necessary to focus on professional development and curriculum framework. This group would consist of ESOL professionals, for example, senior lecturers from colleges and CLD managers.
• Key stakeholders from sectors could meet twice a year to advise and update on the strategy.

10. Any Other Business

PB thanked the Panel members for their contribution over the past 2 years. He gave particular thanks to ER for chairing the Panel with authority, objectivity and patience.

11. LLUK - Qualifications and Teachers of ESOL in the UK

Paul Hambley discussed the following issues with the Panel;

• Recognising prior accredited and experiential learning within each UK nation;
• Recognising accredited professional development between the UK nations;
• Relationship of accredited professional development for tutoring in ESOL and accredited generic tutor education;
• Relationship of accredited professional development for tutoring in ESOL and tutoring in literacies;
• Accredited professional development for experienced ESOL practitioners;
• ESOL and the learning support workforce;
• Training the trainers – accredited opportunities; and
• The nature of ESOL tutoring workforce – data collection.

ER thanked PH and closed the meeting.

Summary of Action Points

Action	Responsible
Update minutes and put final version on the website	Rose Tweedale
Update Best Practice Framework and post on ESOL Scotland website	Rose Tweedale
Take forward work on the Curriculum Framework recommendations	Clare El Azebbi
Draft an ESOL annual report for Ministers	Peter Beaumont

 

Return to the National Panel minutes page.