Resources - BSW Training & Education

ESOL / English Language support for Health and Social Care Staff across BSW

Across health and social care, we are fortunate in our attraction of staff from diverse backgrounds. In Banes, Swindon, and Wiltshire we want to provide all our staff with support and development opportunities to allow them to find satisfaction in their role, to feel skilled and confident in all aspects of communication and to underpin further career and skills advancement and development.

Confidence and attainment of qualifications in numeracy are key areas of this.

Our local Further Education colleges offer a range of qualifications to meet the need of those for whom English is not their first language which are designed to help you build your skills and confidence in English grammar, vocabulary, speaking and listening, writing, reading and in all functions of English.

There are courses for all levels and purposes including to support those who require support to register as Nurses or other healthcare professionals in this country and for those who need to achieve levels of English attainment to access further training and development offers.

The majority of these offers are usually free of charge and if not, your organisation will usually have a budget to fund and support you.

Find out more by selecting your local area below:

Bath

English Language School | Bath College

ESOL College Certificate (RARPA) Part-time English courses run for 4 hours per week (two 2-hour classes). You will develop your skills in reading, writing, speaking, and listening. There will be emphasis on communicative skills, but you will also work on grammar, vocabulary, and pronunciation.

ESOL Qualification courses. There are classes at different levels based on Common European Framework –CEF. 10-week courses at 5 levels: E1, E2, E3, L1 & L2. End-of-course exam with a qualification in reading, writing, or speaking & listening View CEF Levels Table.

CELTA Free Evening Classes delivered by trainee teachers. There are free general English classes every Wednesday night during college term time delivered by our trainee teachers supported by our qualified staff. The classes start at 6pm and finish at 8pm.

Higher Level courses. Cambridge Exams: C2 Proficiency, C1 Advanced, B2 First Cambridge exams and IELTS Exam preparation courses. There is a fee for these courses, and they run in response to demand or in partnership with local employers or organisations.

Costs and funding:

Pre assessment required, appropriate visa will be needed to study, the courses are usually free of charge for people who are not working and in receipt of benefits, or for those who are working but earn less than £18,525 per year. The funding is slightly different for people who do not live in BaNES, Bristol, or South Gloucestershire.

Swindon

New College Swindon

ESOL L2 – This course is for people whose: First language is not English and who live permanently in the EEA and have ‘home status’.

Our programmes vary depending on the length of the term. You can choose daytime or evening classes to suit your work/personal commitments.

ESOL L1 – If English is not your first language and you need to develop your language skills in Speaking, Listening, Reading, or Writing, we have groups at different levels to help. The course is part-time and aims to develop your English skills for everyday use.
ESOL is for people:
whose first language is not English
who live permanently in the EEA and have ‘home status’.

Costs and funding:

Some courses require a fee some are funded – not stipulated in what circumstances, functional skills also offered, and requirements stipulated re visa, employability skills are included at L2.

Wiltshire

Wiltshire College & University Centre

ESOL – Skills for life (entry levels 1,2,3) This course is aimed at 16–18-year-old students whose first language is not English. You may be a young person who has attended school in the UK but need to improve your level of English in order to study other subjects. You may have just arrived in the UK and want to study English before you do another course at the College. FOC – 1 year course.

Part Time ESOL courses for 2021/22 start – 15 week Speaking and Listening course from 13th September 2021 to 20th January 2022. The Reading and Writing course is available from 31st January to mid-June 2022. 4 week ‘ESOL & Employability Skills Summer School’ in June/July 2022. Part-Time ESOL classes are either 2 mornings or 2 evenings a week, with a total of 5 hours of study per week.

Preparation for IELTS and Academic English – £185. This is a 12-week course which aims to improve your English level to reach a sufficiently high standard to gain entrance to British universities. It is also used by some employers and professional registration bodies which require proof of English language skills as part of their recruitment or admission procedures.

Costs and funding:

Some are cost free – some with costs as listed above. Other part time options may be available to suit individual needs, and these are discussed following application. This may involve opportunities to study ESOL alongside vocational courses and opportunities to study for Functional Skills Maths alongside ESOL qualifications.