Below you will find answers to the most common questions we are asked about our ESOL qualifications.
They are broadly grouped by topic covering:
If you have a question that isn’t answered below, please contact us and we will ensure it is answered, we may even add to the list below!
Yes, there are standalone awards in Speaking and Listening, Reading and Writing. There is an overarching ESOL Skills for Life certificate which is awarded free once all three skills area are all achieved.
No, the credit values differ depending on the skill area.
The different credit values are:
The recommended Guided Learning Hours for each skill are:
The qualifications have been developed for learners aged pre-16, 16-19 or adult learners.
All qualifications and units are assessed through an assessment externally set by Gateway Qualifications.
Speaking and Listening assessments at all levels and Reading and Writing level entry assessments can be contextualised.
The Qualification Specification and Sample Assessment materials are available on the Gateway Qualifications website/by clicking the links.
Entry levels and level 1 Reading and Writing and all levels of Speaking and Listening are downloaded from a bank of papers in MyQuartz therefore does not require an assessment booking to access. level 2 Reading and Writing are allocated on assessment booking and are available to download 5 days prior to assessment sitting.
Guidance on scheduling an assessment can be found here.
All Gateway Qualifications’ ESOL assessments are available on demand, with no fixed assessment windows. So you are free to schedule assessment to fit within your teaching pattern whenever learners are ready to take the assessments.
A 10% sample of Speaking and Listening assessments must be audio or video recorded. Guidance on conducting the Speaking and Listening assessments is detailed in the Qualification Specification (section 4.10).
The use of monolingual dictionaries or glossaries is permitted during the assessment of Reading. Dictionaries are not allowed in the Writing or Speaking and Listening assessment.
All our ESOL assessments are paper based at present.
If the learner is still present at the same location a new registration is not required again for the same component
Level 2 Reading and Writing would require a new assessment booking, where a new paper will be allocated 5 working days prior to assessment date.
For the Entry levels and level 1 Reading and Writing and all levels of Speaking and Listening proceed to select a new paper from the paper bank.
For the Entry levels and level 1 Reading and Writing and all levels of Speaking and Listening learners can retake a singular task from a current valid paper in the paper library.
Ensure to select a new paper and assign the relevant task within.
This is not permitted for Level 2 Reading & Writing.
That depends on the qualification. Level 2 Reading and Writing is externally marked, while all other qualifications are internally marked. Further details can be found in the ESOL Qualification Specification. (pages 28-29)
Our ESOL qualifications are competitively priced and are charged, per learner, as follows:
Certificates are awarded at no additional charge once a learner has successfully completed all three components. Certificates are awarded at the level of the lowest achieved component.
There is no charge for resits.
Our ESOL Skills for Life qualifications are funded for eligible adults and are included on Find a Learning Aim (FALA). They are also approved by the ESFA as part of a Study Programme.
Gateway Qualifications provides webinars, on-site training, written guidance, access to subject experts via telephone and email.
Centres are provided with access to the:
Yes. Our Entry Level Award in Introduction to English for Non-Native Speakers (Entry 1) is available for learners who are not yet ready for an Entry 1 ESOL course, including those who: