Thank you all for your replies on this. It seems that we are to have regional coordinators for ESOL provision. As NATELA note, having regional coordinators in place in each region to map provision, support local authorities in commissioning services, and develop best practice and co-ordinate volunteers (all tasks outlined in the South East commissioning document) is a great opportunity and we should support those who are selected for the roles. However, for us to support their work, and more importantly for them to be accountable to us and the rest of the ESOL community, we will need to know who they are and how they intend to work.

I agree with NATECLA that these posts should be sustained, but I am dubious as to whether an extra six months will be enough to bring greater coherence to ESOL provision over such large areas, particularly as the coordinators are unlikely to hold much power to create new provision.

If they are to work independently (and there is no sign that the work of the coordinators themselves will be coordinated in any way) then we will have nine regional strategies for ESOL instead of a national one.  Some form of central coordination of the coordinators will be needed to ensure that each coordinator builds on existing understandings and that good practice is shared among them. Local variation is important, but we also need coherence nationally, particularly where funding is concerned.

Another concern is that the funding for the coordinators is being taken from the money previously announced for the support for newly arrived Syrian refugees. This is not new money and it is to be hoped that there will be money left over to pay for the extra classes that are needed.

Coordination is necessary and anything that brings greater coherence to current provision for ESOL is to be welcomed, but the coordinators will need to do much more than just map and measure if they are to make the real positive impact that is needed.