## **Annual Report of the Trustees 2023-24**
**National Association for Teaching English and Other Community Languages to Adults** _A Charitable Incorporated Organisation (CIO) Registered in England and Wales_
## **Scope of report**
This report covers the period from **1 May 2023** to **30 April 2024** .
## **Organisational details**
**Charity Registration Number:** 1198388 **Registered address:** NATECLA National Centre South & City College, Hall Green Campus, Cole Bank Road, Birmingham B28 8ES **Trustees:** Rachel Öner (Co-Chair until 20 January 2024) Greg Dugdale (Co-Chair) Paul Sceeny (Trustee from 13 October 2023; Co-Chair from 20 January 2024) Nafisah Graham-Brown (Treasurer) Mary Osmaston Jenny Roden **National Centre Manager:** Lisa Thompson (until August 2023) Laura Plotnek-Jones (from September 2023) **Bankers:** NatWest Bank PLC (Current) Santander Bank PLC (Deposit) **Independent Examiner:** Kerry Butcher Accountancy Services Exchange House Centre, Exchange House, Attleborough, Norfolk NR17 2AB
**NATECLA** | natecla.org.uk
## **Structure, governance and management**
## **Objects**
NATECLA is established to advance all aspects of education and training in English for adult speakers of other languages for the public benefit in the United Kingdom. In furtherance of this the CIO will, in particular but not exclusively, provide a professional forum for:
- teachers and those organising provision of English to adult Speakers of Other Languages (hereinafter known as ESOL) resident in the UK
- teachers of community languages
- others concerned with multi-lingual language issues in post-16 education.
## **Organisational structure**
The CIO is governed by an ‘Association model’ Constitution, reflecting its status as a membership organisation.
## **Management Council**
The CIO and its property is managed and administered by the Management Council (MC), comprising the Trustees and other members that have either elected by their respective NATECLA Branch (see ‘Branch activities’) or co-opted to serve on the MC.
Three MC meetings take place over the course of each financial year (usually in September, January and April), with the Annual General Meeting (AGM) normally coinciding with NATECLA’s Annual Conference held in June.
## **Trustees**
The following five Trustees served throughout this period: Greg Dugdale, Nafisah GrahamBrown, Rachel Öner, Mary Osmaston and Jenny Roden.
Paul Sceeny was appointed as an additional Trustee on 13 October 2023.
## **Co-Chairs**
The CIO normally operates with two of the Trustees acting as Co-Chairperson. Greg Dugdale served as Co-Chair throughout this period; Rachel Öner served as Co-Chair until 20 January 2024; Paul Sceeny served as Co-Chair from 20 January 2024 for the remainder of the period.
## **Ruth Hayman Trust**
NATECLA has a long-established relationship with the Ruth Hayman Trust (Charity Registration Number 287268), which awards educational grants to people who have come to settle within the United Kingdom and whose first language is not English. The Ruth Hayman Trust was established in 1983 in memory of Ruth Hayman, a South African lawyer who received a Banning Order for her opposition to apartheid before moving to London and helping to establish NATECLA’s forerunner, the National Association for the Teaching of English as a Second Language to Adults.
The Ruth Hayman Trust receives no direct funding from the CIO, although encourages NATECLA members to support and donate to the Trust where they are in a position to do so.
**NATECLA** | Annual Report of the Trustees 2023-24 | Page 2
## **Key activities**
## **Aims, objectives and purposes**
NATECLA was established as a forum and professional body for ESOL and community language teachers. The CIO seeks to develop and facilitate a community of practice, as well as to promote and protect the teaching and learning of ESOL and community languages.
## NATECLA’s work includes advocating for:
- independence and professionalism in language education
- ESOL and community language practitioners to be supported in their work
- practitioners’ access to high quality and relevant training opportunities
- diversity and multilingualism.
Within the requirements of Charity Law on Political Activity, the CIO campaigns to improve ESOL and community language services, provision and conditions at local, regional and national levels for students and all practitioners.
The CIO seeks to do this by:
- securing funds for the CIO
- offering training, and advice on training, to its members
- making representations concerning the availability of funding on behalf of members and students
- sponsoring and encouraging research in relevant areas
- disseminating new ideas and monitoring new developments in relevant areas
- publishing and making available new materials relevant to the objects of the CIO
- representing the interests and concerns of members on local, regional, national and international bodies
- fostering good inter-community relations and combatting all forms of discrimination
- engaging in any other activity necessary to attain the objects of the charity alone or in co-operation with any other agency, organisation or statutory body.
During this period, the CIO was particularly engaged in organising conferences, webinars, training events and networking meetings. It provided expert advice to government bodies and other agencies, as well as publishing its own part peer-reviewed journal.
## **Public Benefit**
When reviewing NATECLA’s objects, aims and objectives, and when planning its current and future activities, the Trustees are required to have regard the Charity Commission’s guidance on Public Benefit, in particular requirements set out in PB1 (the Public Benefit) and PB2 (Running a Charity).
They confirm that they have complied with the requirements of Section 4 of the Charities Act 2011 in having due regard to the above Public Benefit guidance. The achievements and activities outlined in this report demonstrate the Public Benefit arising from the CIO’s activities.
## **Events and conferences**
NATECLA’s Annual Conference is the CIO’s largest undertaking each year, held over two days at the end of June. The 2023 Conference had 222 attendees and included 38 workshops.
The latter part of this period included much of the preparation work for the 2024 Conference.
An Events Sub-Committee oversees the organisation of all events.
**NATECLA** | Annual Report of the Trustees 2023-24 | Page 3
Other notable conferences and events that took place during this period included:
- NATECLA Scotland Conference.
- NATECLA East of England Conference.
- (in partnership with Cambridgeshire and Peterborough Combined Authority).
- NATECLA Island of Ireland Showcase Evening.
- NATECLA Cymru WSOLE (Welsh for Speakers of Other Languages other than English) information event.
- Four ESOL Research Community events.
- Thress ESOL Managers’ Network events.
- Four NATECLA Scotland Teacher Training Toolkit (TTT) events, with topics including
- Dyslexia in the ESOL Classroom
- Self-Expression.
- Thirteen Branch Forum events, with topics including:
- Access to Higher Education for Migrants
- Issues and opportunities for ESOL learners.
- Eight webinars, with topics including:
- Bias, Belonging and ESOL
- AI for ESOL
- Maths and ESOL.
NATECLA was also an organising partner for the Learning & Work Institute’s Annual Maths, English and ESOL Conference held on 9 November 2023, along with the University College London Institute of Education (UCL-IoE), Research and Practice in Adult Literacies (RaPAL) and the University and College Union (UCU).
## **Training and consultancy**
NATECLA offers bespoke training and consultancy services to a range of organisations, including:
- further education colleges
- adult and community education services
- independent training providers.
Whilst these services are tailored to the specific needs of the organisations and individuals seeking the CIO’s support, in all cases they are designed to support teachers and managers in the teaching of ESOL and/or other community languages.
This period saw a continued growth in training enquiries, with approximately 30 sessions delivered (either online or face-to-face). The total income from this activity was £14,434.
## **Professional exchange**
## **ESOL Research Community**
Practitioner-led ESOL research is key to informing ESOL practice and developing CPD. Four Research Community events were held during this period. Topics included Impact of Trauma in the ESOL Classroom and ESOL Practitioners as Researchers.
## **ESOL Managers’ Network**
As well as facilitating peer-to-peer networking and support, the Managers’ Network is also intended to help strengthen NATECLA’s institutional relationships with Further Education colleges and other significant ESOL provider organisations.
Three Network meetings took place during this period (in June 2023, November 2023 and February 2024), with topics including inspection, teacher education and policy developments within England.
**NATECLA** | Annual Report of the Trustees 2023-24 | Page 4
In between Network meetings, ESOL managers are also able to keep in touch and seek peer-topeer support through a dedicated WhatsApp group.
## **Advocacy**
NATECLA’s Policy Group continued to monitor the ESOL policy landscape across each of the jurisdictions in which the CIO operates, responding to consultations and seeking opportunities to engage with policymakers.
The CIO remained an active member of the Skills for Life Alliance, an umbrella group campaigning for a coherent strategy within England to improve adults’ literacy, numeracy, ESOL and digital skills. Other members of the Alliance include the Learning & Work Institute, Association of Colleges (AoC), Education & Training Foundation (ETF), Association of Employment and Learning Providers (AELP) and HOLEX. The CIO also met with representatives of The Bell Foundation’s ESOL Programme to discuss areas of common interest and possible collaboration, in particular on the topic of the ESOL curriculum and qualifications.
NATECLA’s London Branch continued to engage with the Greater London Authority (GLA), to whom responsibility for adult education policy and funding within London is devolved.
NATECLA’s Island of Ireland Branch continued to monitor developments with the Northern Ireland Department for the Economy (DfE NI) as it reviewed the scope and extent of current ESOL provision within Northern Ireland.
NATECLA’s Scotland Branch took the lead in monitoring policy developments in Scotland, especially the impact of the Scottish Government’s decision in 2020 to subsume its previously bespoke ESOL policy into a broader strategy covering all aspects of adult learning.
NATECLA’s newly established Cymru/Wales Branch began to engage with the Welsh Government as it continued to review its ESOL Policy for Wales.
## **Language Issues: The ESOL Journal**
NATECLA publishes a twice-yearly, part peer-reviewed, journal that shares experiences of ESOL and community language teaching, training and management, as well as disseminating research and ideas relating to language, political and social issues. _Language Issues_ especially seeks to explore the relationship between academic research and classroom practice, providing an invaluable resource for teachers, students, researchers and policymakers.
- All members of the CIO receive free access to _Language Issues_ via an online platform; it is also made available to libraries and non-members are able to purchase subscription-based access. ● Issue 34.1 of _Language Issues_ was published in June 2023
- Issue 34.2 of _Language Issues_ was published in January 2024.
The _Language Issues_ blog also enables members and the ESOL community to comment and reflect on current events and issues relevant to ESOL populations. Blog pieces published during this period included covered subjects including sustainability, minorities in Ireland and reflections on NATECLA’s Annual Conference.
## **National Centre**
The National Centre manages NATECLA’s day-to-day administration. At the end of this period it consisted of two staff members (a part-time National Centre Manager, and full-time Assistant National Co-ordinator). Both roles are based at complimentary office accommodation within the Hall Green campus of South & City College, Birmingham.
**NATECLA** | Annual Report of the Trustees 2023-24 | Page 5
After several years of working for NATECLA, Lisa Thompson stepped down as National Centre during the summer of 2023. She was replaced by Laura Plotnek-Jones from 1 September 2023.
Following a review of National Centre job roles during 2022-23 (which included an expansion and redesignation of the National Centre Manager role), Irene Ostos was also recruited as an additional part-time Assistant National Co-ordinator in September 2023. This post was subsequently redesignated as a full-time post after Fatima Bibi resigned from the other Assistant National Co-ordinator post in October 2023.
Organising and holding the CIO’s 2023 Annual Conference was a major focus of National Centre activity during the first part of this period, whereas preparing and securing sponsorship for the 2024 Conference was the key focus during the latter part of the period. Other significant activities included supporting webinars, branch conferences and other events/forums. The National Centre was also responsible for producing a monthly members’ newsletter.
The National Centre secured approximately £5,000 in sponsorship income during this period.
## **Membership**
Membership subscriptions is by far the largest source of income for the CIO, bringing in just over £26,000 during this period. A decrease in individual NATECLA members continued from the previous reporting period, although this was counterbalanced by an increase in institutional membership. Institutional member organisations are entitled to up to five member-rate delegate places (two places, in the case of small institutions) at NATECLA events and conferences, as well as discounted access to NATECLA’s bespoke training services.
It should also be noted there was a significant increase in individual membership during the COVID-19 pandemic, when many institutions scaled back their ESOL provision, although this pattern would now appear to have reversed.
## **Branch activities**
All members of NATECLA are automatically members of their local branch. At the end of this period NATECLA had nine active branches, covering:
- East of England
- English Midlands
- London
- North West England
- South West England
- Yorkshire and Humber
- Island of Ireland
- Scotland
- Cymru/Wales.
All individual and institutional members based within these areas are automatically members of their respective branch. Branch activities typically include regional and local events/forums, webinars and conferences that seek to bring together NATECLA members and others with related interests.
The Trustees and National Centre worked with members to activate two new branches during this period: Cymru/Wales in September 2023 and South West England in March 2024.
They also continue to encourage the activation of branches in the remaining regions of England (i.e. North East and South East).
**NATECLA** | Annual Report of the Trustees 2023-24 | Page 6
## **Financial review**
A full set of accounts for the period covered by this report have been presented for independent examination. For details, please see **Appendix I** .
## **Summary of financial position**
Total Income for period: **£112,751** Total Expenditure for period: **£101,535** Net Income/(Expenditure) for period: **£11,210**
NATECLA has had another highly successful year due to a very successful conference in 2023 and continued success with its training and CPD offer. The growth is directly a result of previous efforts in developing our CPD training offer, bespoke for colleges and the reputation we built in delivering online training and webinars over the pandemic period.
Our income has increased to £112,751, a year-on-year increase of £26,467 compared to 2022-23, in which we recorded an income of £86,284. Expenditure for 2023-24 rose proportionately to £101,535, making a surplus of £11,216 for the year.
Overall income was maintained and losses reduced thanks to: a highly successful annual conference with increased delegate income (up £5,912, excluding sponsorships); incremental membership growth; increased sponsorship income of over £5,000 year-on-year across conferences, webinars, and partnerships; and training and consultancy income of £14,434, a significant increase of 64% year-on-year.
Income from the 2023 Annual Conference was the highest Annual Conference income in recent years, beating previous pre- and post- pandemic records. The CIO brought in £39,567 for the year and the growth in sponsorship income can also be attributed to the conference.
## **Reserves policy**
NATECLA’s Management Council agreed at its July 2020 meeting that it would aim to maintain reserves equivalent to nine months’ operating costs. This is to ensure the CIO would be able to meet its essential costs (most notably salaries) in the event of a period of reduced income and/or an unexpected event that prevented its training or conference events from taking place.
Reserves held in the **Deposit Account** as of 30 April 2024 were £31,921, representing eight and half months of operating costs.
**NATECLA** | Annual Report of the Trustees 2023-24 | Page 7
## **Declarations**
The **current** (as of February 2025) Trustees declare that they have approved the 2023-24 report above.
______________________________________ Naeema Hann (Co-Chair)
______________________________________ Paul Sceeny (Co-Chair) ______________________________________ Nafisah Graham-Brown (Treasurer)
______________________________________ Rachel Öner ______________________________________ Mary Osmaston ______________________________________ Jenny Roden
14 February 2025
**NATECLA** | Annual Report of the Trustees 2023-24 | Page 8
## **Appendix I Accounts for the period ended 30 April 2024**
A full set of independently examined financial accounts for the CIO can be found on the following pages.
**NATECLA** | Annual Report of the Trustees 2023-24 | Page 9
## **NATECLA Charitable Incorporated Organisation Registered Charity Number 1198388**
## **Report to the Trustees/Members of NATECLA on the Accounts for the year ended 30 April 2024**
I am reporting on the accounts of the National Association For Teaching English & Other Community Languages Charitable Incorporated Organisation for the year ended 30 April 2024 which are set out on the following pages.
## **Responsibilities and basis of report**
The trustees are responsible for the preparation of the accounts in accordance with the requirements of the Charities Act 2011 (the Act).
I report in respect of my examination of the accounts carried out under section 145 of the 2011 Act and in carrying out my examination, I have followed the applicable Directions given by the Charity Commission under Section 145 (5)(b) of the Act.
## **Independent examiner’s statement**
I have completed my examination. I confirm that no material matters have come to my attention to in connection with the examination which gives me cause to believe that in, any material respect:
- accounting records have not been kept in accordance with section 130 of the Act or
- the accounts do not accord with the accounting records.
I have no concerns and have come across no other matters in connection with the examination to which attention should be drawn in order to enable a proper understanding of the accounts to be reached.
Signed .....Kerry Butcher Accountancy Services........... Dated 11 June 2024
Kerry Butcher Accountancy Services Exchange House Centre Exchange House Attleborough Norfolk NR17 2AB
## **National Association for Teaching English & other Community Languages to Adults**
**Income and Expenditure Account For the Year 1 May 2023 to 30 April 2024**
|**Income**
National Conference Income
Membership Subscriptions
Sponsorship Income
Training
Language Issues
Consultancy
Webinars
Regional Events
Interest Received
**Expenditure**
National Conference Expenditure
Membership Expenses
Consultancy Expenses
Language Issues
Webinar Expenditure
Training
Regional Events
**National Centre Expenditure:**
Salaries
Accountancy Fees
Website Expenditure
Telephone
Insurance
Postage and Software
Travel and Subsistence
Bank Charges, Paypal, Stripe Fees
**Net Income/(Expenditure)**
Account balances brought forward
**Cash and Bank Balances C/F**
**Represented by:**
NatWest Account
NatWest - New Account
Santander Deposit Account
PayPal Account
Stripe Account|**£**
**£**
39,567
26,036
24,220
14,434
2,619
850
2,885
1,830
310
**112,751**
24,775
150
-
3,355
820
13,141
1,055
43,921
2,695
5,770
598
786
1,584
2,078
807
101,535
11,216
60,808
**72,024**
23,273
13,708
31,921
39
3,083
72,024
**Totals 1 May 23 to 30**
**April 24**|**£**
**£**
22,456
25,805
19,012
8,761
140
990
6,257
2,772
91
**86,284**
20,461
415
352
3,771
829
6,743
1,159
37,484
1,958
2,887
271
337
-
-
702
77,369
8,915
51,893
**60,808**
28,095
-
31,611
218
884
**60,808**
**Totals 1 May 22 to 30**
**April 23**|**£**
**£**
22,456
25,805
19,012
8,761
140
990
6,257
2,772
91
**86,284**
20,461
415
352
3,771
829
6,743
1,159
37,484
1,958
2,887
271
337
-
-
702
77,369
8,915
51,893
**60,808**
28,095
-
31,611
218
884
**60,808**
**Totals 1 May 22 to 30**
**April 23**|
|---|---|---|---|
||||**86,284**
77,369|
|||||
||||8,915
51,893|
||||**60,808**|
||||28,095
-
31,611
218
884|
||||**60,808**|
Approved by: …................................................................ The Trustees Rachel Oner - Chair
…................................................................ Paul Sceeny …................................................................ Greg Dugdale …................................................................ Nafisah Graham-Brown - Treasurer …................................................................ Mary Ormaston …................................................................ Jenny Roden
…................................................................
28th June 2024
Dated
## **National Association for Teaching English & other Community Languages to Adults**
## **Income and Expenditure Breakdown for the Year From 1 May 2023 to 30 April 2024**
|National Conference
Membership
Sponsorship
Consultancy
Language Issues
Training
Webinars
Regional Events
Bank Interest Received and Charges
**National Centre Exenditure**
Salaries
National Centre Expenses
**Total Income less Total Expenditure**
Funds/Profit brought forward at 1 May 2023
Less Net Income/(Expenditure) for Period
**Profit/Funds available at 30 April 2024**
**Made up of:**
NatWest Account
NatWest New Account
Santander Deposit Account
PayPal Account
Stripe Account|**Income**
**£**
39,567
26,036
24,220
850
2,619
14,434
2,885
1,830
310
**112,751**
**112,751**|**Expenditure**
**£**
24,775
150
-
-
3,355
13,141
820
1,055
807
**44,103**
43,921
13,511
57,432
**101,535**|**Variance**
**£**
14,792
25,886
24,220
850
(736)
1,293
2,065
775
(497)|
|---|---|---|---|
||||**68,648**
(43,921)
(13,511)|
||||(57,432)|
||||**11,216**|
||||60,808
11,216|
||||**72,024**|
||||23,273
13,708
31,921
39
3,083|
||||**72,024**|
**National Association for Teaching English & other Community Languages to Adults**
## **Charitable Incorporated Organisation Number 1198388**
## **Income and Expenditure Account For the Year 1 May 2023 to 30 April 2024**
|**Income**
National Conference Income
Membership Subscriptions
Sponsorship Income
Consultancy
Training
Language Issues
Webinars
Regional events
Interest Received
**Expenditure**
National Conference Expenditure
Membership Expenses
Language Issues
Webinar Expenditure
Regional Events
Consultancy
Training
**National Centre Expenditure:**
Salaries
National Centre Admin Expenses
Bank Charges, Paypal, Stripe Fees
**Net Income/(Expenditure)**
Account balances brought forward
**Cash and Bank Balances C/F**
**Represented by:**
NatWest Account
NatWest New Account
Santander Deposit Account
PayPal Account
Stripe Account|**£**
353
-
480
450
-
-
3,022
10,276
3,833
204
**1 Feb 24 t**|**£**
20,386
3,749
-
-
3,438
119
760
65
83
28,600
18,618
9,982
62,042
**72,024**
23,273
13,708
31,921
39
3,083
**72,024**
**o 30 April 24**|**£**
148
150
2,620
200
1,055
-
4,633
10,867
6,844
131
**1 Nov 23**|**£**
185
8,043
2,200
850
6,829
1,020
1,590
665
84
21,466
26,648
(5,182)
67,224
**62,042**
25,155
3,998
31,921
291
760
**62,125**
**to 31 Jan 24**|**£**
76
-
15
170
-
-
1,679
10,682
1,537
172
**1 Aug 23 t**|**£**
109
11,690
8,385
-
900
130
360
1,090
82
22,746
14,331
8,415
58,809
**67,224**
34,667
-
31,754
120
682
**67,224**
**o 31 Oct 23**|**£**
24,198
240
-
-
-
3,807
12,096
1,298
300
**1 May 23**|**£**
18,887
2,554
13,635
-
3,267
1,350
175
10
61
39,939
41,938
(1,999)
60,808
**58,809**
26,546
-
31,672
85
506
**58,809**
**to 31 Jul 23**|**£**
**£**
39,567
26,036
24,220
850
14,434
2,619
2,885
1,830
310
112,751
24,775
150
3,355
820
1,055
-
13,141
-
43,921
13,512
807
101,535
11,216
60,808
**72,024**
23,273
13,708
31,921
39
3,083
**72,024**
**Totals 1 May 23 to 30**
**April 24**|**£**
**£**
39,567
26,036
24,220
850
14,434
2,619
2,885
1,830
310
112,751
24,775
150
3,355
820
1,055
-
13,141
-
43,921
13,512
807
101,535
11,216
60,808
**72,024**
23,273
13,708
31,921
39
3,083
**72,024**
**Totals 1 May 23 to 30**
**April 24**|
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
|||||||||||112,751|
||||||||||101,535||
|||||||||||11,216
60,808|
|||||||||||**72,024**|
|||||||||||23,273
13,708
31,921
39
3,083|
|||||||||||**72,024**|
## **National Association for Teaching English & Other Community Languages to Adults**
## **Charitable Incorporated Organisation Number 1198388**
## **Balance Sheet as at 30 April 2024**
**----- Start of picture text -----**
30 April 2024 30 April 2023
£ £ £ £
Current Assets
NatWest Current Account 23,273 28,095
-
NatWest Current Account (New) 13,708
Santander Deposit Account 31,921 31,611
PayPal Account 39 218
Stripe Account 3,083 884
72,024 60,808
Net Assets 72,024 60,808
Aggregate Profit brought forward 60,808 51,893
Add Net Profit/(loss) for the year 11,216 8,915
Aggregate Profit carried forward 72,024 60,808
Approved by:
The Trustees
…................................................................
Rachel Oner - Chair
…................................................................
Paul Sceeny
…................................................................
Greg Dugdale
…............................................................;
Nafisah Graham-Brown - Treasurer
…................................................................
Mary Ormaston
…................................................................
Jenny Roden
**----- End of picture text -----**
…................................................................
28th June 2024
Dated