English as an Additional Language Service (EALS) Budget 2022/23

 

 

1.         English as an Additional Language Service (EALS) is a service that is currently run by the Local Authority (LA) from funding pooled (de-delegated) from East Sussex maintained primary schools and on a traded basis with maintained secondary schools and academies. Provision of this service is not a statutory function of the LA. There is an agreement in place for the LA to consult with all schools every two years to continue to offer this service on their behalf.

 

2.         There is also an agreement with the East Sussex School’s Forum to offer schools a choice of funding models to be available for academies, and schools who vote not to de-delegate, every two years.

 

3.         Schools were asked through a survey in March 2021, to indicate a preference for the model that will be available to schools and academies after the vote to de-delegate in September 2021.  The choice was between:

·         Model 1: that enables schools to choose between buying into an advisory service with the opportunity for further buy-in of teaching or BSO support (by committing 25% of their EAL funding), or the full service of advice, specialist teaching and BSO support (by committing 100% of their funding)

·         Model 2: which includes the options from Model 1 and Model 3

·         Model 3: a subscription only service which provides access to a selection of advice, guidance, and model policy documents, and the opportunity for further buy-in of teaching or BSO support.

 

4.         The LA received 66 responses from 57 primary schools and 9 secondary schools.

 

5.         Respondents ranked the models in order of preference, with 1 being the first preference:

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 


           

 

 

 

 

 

6.         The overall ranking, factoring in all 3 preferences, shows models 1 and 2 are almost equal in popularity:

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 


7.         It is therefore recommended that Model 2 is the one the LA adopts for non-de-delegated access to the EAL Service during the period April 2022-2024. It is requested that schools forum ratify this recommendation.

 

8.         Model 2 contains the options from model 1, which has successfully run for 2 years and had the most first preferences and provides a range of options for schools who did not commit funding over the last 2 years.

 

9.         It is important to note that there will be a minimum buy-in required in September 2021 for the EAL Service to be viable.  The preference remains for schools to commit 100% or 25% of their EAL funding to secure the required level of funding to run the service and provide the opportunity for further trading with schools.

 

10.       Asking schools to provide a preference for the model that will be used after the September vote has caused some confusion, with some schools thinking they were being asked to commit funding at this stage. 

 

11.       It is proposed that model 2 fulfils the agreement with schools forum to offer schools a choice of funding models to be available for academies, and schools who vote not to de-delegate, every two years.  It is recommended therefore that de-delegation and model 2 should be adopted as the funding model going forward.

 

12.       If there is no de-delegation from schools, then it is extremely unlikely that income from traded work will generate enough funding for the service to continue and the LA will have no other choice but to move to close the service. The statutory duty to support EAL students would of course remain the responsibility of schools.

 

13.       The LA is confident that the EAL service continues to deliver high quality support to EAL children, families, and schools. It is in the interests of all that schools commit funding to the service in order that this group of learners, who are vulnerable to underachievement and social isolation, are given the very best chance of achieving their academic and social potential and progressing to being successful members of the community in adulthood.

 

 

 

 

Appendix 1

 

Timeline

Activity

22nd February –

8th March 2021

LA consult all schools via a survey to establish the preferred trading model.

19th March 2021

Schools’ Forum paper: summarising the consultation and presenting feedback from schools who did not buy in

14th May 2021

Schools’ Forum presentation: outcome of consultation responses, preferred trading model

 

Further information on the service offer for the EAL service and ESBAS

17th September 2021

 

 

Schools’ Forum vote: maintained schools vote on de-delegation for the EAL Service and Education Support, Behaviour and Attendance Service (ESBAS)

September 2021

Seek agreement from schools/academies for funding commitment to the EAL service to the preferred model (that was established in May 2021)

October 2021

Schools/academies notified if the EAL service will continue to operate from 1 April 2022