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Award in ESOL (Reading and Writing)

Essential English language skills for life long success.

Course description

Accredited by City and Guilds.

The course will equip you with the confidence to use written English language effectively in a variety of contexts. 

Your course content will include:

Reading examples

  • Reading and understanding simple texts such as advertisements, notices, or short articles.
  • Answering questions about the text.
  • Following written instructions to complete a task.

Writing examples

  • Writing short messages, postcards, or notes.
  • Simple sentences: Constructing simple sentences to communicate basic information.

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Course level

Entry Level - Qualifications at Entry 1 to Entry 3 recognise basic knowledge and skills used in everyday life or in the workplace, and help to build confidence.

Who is this course for?

Residents of Calderdale aged 19+ whose first language is not English and who may be new to the UK or have lived in the UK for a while, but never had the chance to learn English.

To attend this course you may already have some basic grammar skills, read short words and small sentences, you will also be able to write very basic words in English, fill in simple forms i.e. name, address, nationality and email address.

You will be ready to sit an exam to achieve a nationally recognised qualification.

What do I need to bring?

  • A pen – black or blue.
  • Highligter pens

You will use Google Classroom throughout your course to view work from your lessons, receive messages from your tutor, and access online resources. You can access this on your smartphone, tablet, or laptop/computer. Your tutor will support you to log-in during your first lesson, and the Learner Support team is always on hand to help with any issues. 

Assessment process

We want you to build on the skills you already use. During the assessment process you will complete a paper-based initial and diagnostic assessment. This will inform you about your current level of grammar and vocabulary and the areas you need to strengthen. Your teacher will use the assessment results to plan lessons to support your progress.  

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Course information

Start date: Various
Time: Various
Day: Various
Venue:  Various

Course length: 18 weeks
Course code: Various
Course level: Entry 1/Entry 2

Fees

Full fee: £495
Fee waiver available: Yes
Additional costs: No

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Course dates and times

Venue Course code Level Start date Day and time How to enrol
Halifax Academy ESL01/RW/1 Entry 1 11th February 2026 Wednesday
9.30am to 12.30pm
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King Cross Library ESL02/RW/1 Entry 2 10th February 2026 Tuesday
12noon to 3pm
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Additional information

Learning delivery method

We have the skills, resources and dedication to help you access the learning you need to enrich your life. Your course will be delivered by a highly qualified, experienced and knowledgeable tutor via classroom-based learning: face-to-face teaching at Heath Campus or other venue in Calderdale, combined with use of Google Classroom to access electronic learning resources, coursework set by your tutor, collaborative work and online sessions if required.

What will be expected of me?

Your course is either fully or co-funded by the government through the West Yorkshire Combined Authority and all Calderdale Adult Learning (CAL) learning is subject to Ofsted inspection. As such you will be required to carry out various learning activities so that we can ensure you are making the expected progress. 

You may have to undertake additional work outside of session times to extend your learning or comprehension where applicable, and you are expected to be punctual, attend regularly and show commitment to achieve successful completion of the course. 

If your attendance drops below 88% or you have not attended three consecutive classes without informing CAL, you may lose your place.
 

How will I know if I am making progress?

An Initial Assessment activity at the start of the course will enable your tutor to assess your starting point. For non-accredited learning this will be completed using a set tutor assessment relevant to the subject area. For accredited courses this requires learners to complete an assessment on the BKSB learning platform. In every class we acknowledge and accommodate for different levels of skill and experience, so learners will be encouraged to identify and work on their own areas for improvement.

You will have a Learner Journey where, with your tutor, you will set the individual learning targets you would like to meet. Throughout the course you will have opportunities to discuss your progress with your tutor, complete regular assessments and be given feedback (both verbally and written) on work produced.

Support for your progression and next steps

Please refer to the advice given to you by your course tutor towards the end of your course or speak to CAL’s IAG Officer for information on how you can progress. 

You can also visit www.calderdale.gov.uk/adultlearning to see the latest course opportunities available at CAL.  If you need support in literacy, numeracy, IT or employability skills please speak to your tutor in the first instance.

 

Information, advice and guidance

CAL Service has been awarded the matrix Standard, the national quality standard for organisations delivering IAG on learning and work.

CAL aims to help learners progress through their chosen course of study. Tutors, learning support staff and our IAG Officer are always available to give you support to help you decide whether a course is appropriate for you. If the course is not appropriate we will aim to put you in touch with an alternative provider. 

For more detailed and specific careers advice, we work in partnership with the Education Development Trust. You can email them at enquiries@educationdevelopmenttrust.com.  If you feel you would benefit from either an individual appointment with them, or a class visit, please ask your tutor in the first instance. 

You can also contact the National Careers Service on 0800 100 900. Their website is also an excellent source of information on careers, finding a job, courses and learning: National Careers Service.

Contact us

Calderdale Adult Learning
Heath Campus
Unit 4, Free School Lane
Halifax HX1 2PS

Telephone: 01422 392820
Email: cyps.cal@calderdale.gov.uk

Normal office hours: 
Monday to Thursday 9am to 4pm. 
Fridays 9am to 1pm.