ESOL funding statistics 2024 period 2

Period 2 (Terms 3 and 4) funding payments were made in late September for 83,397 students in 1,747 schools. Updated status lists can be downloaded from the secure data portal, which your school has access to.

The number of ESOL funded students has continued to rise, with an additional 15,069 students funded in period 2, 2024 compared to period 2, 2023.

2025 period 1 ESOL funding applications

Applications for 2025 Period 1 (Terms 1 and 2) funding applications are due by Monday 10 March 2025. You may notice this date is later than the 1 March date used for many years. We have extended the date for two reasons: in response to requests from schools who find it challenging to collect the information needed in the short time frame at the beginning or the year, and because from March 2025 we are implementing an automated data entry system at the Ministry. The improved system aims to speed up the ESOL funding process - the funding payment should be made within the usual timeframe even though schools will have a little longer to submit applications.

The automated data entry system relies on accurate information being supplied from schools, so please double check your application before submitting it!

The ESOL funding process will remain exactly the same for schools, including the use of the secure data portal. If you are not sure who your school’s Secure Data Portal User is, please check with your principal or office manager.

Secure data portal

More information about the ESOL funding process is available on our website.

Apply for English for Speakers of Other Languages (ESOL) funding

Information webinars: 'ESOL funding' and 'New to delivering ESOL support'

The ESOL, Refugee and Migrant team will be hosting two information sessions early next year explaining how to apply for ESOL funding.  These sessions are for those who are new to the ESOL funding process or those who would like a refresher.

The sessions will cover the same content, so it is not necessary to attend both. The online sessions will be held on:

Wednesday 12 February at 3:15pm: Register here.

Thursday 20 February at 3:15pm: Register here.

In addition, the team will hold two further webinars for any teachers, SENCO, LSCs, ESOL coordinators, and school leaders new to providing ESOL support.

Key topics will include:

• Who are our English language learners?
• How can we cater for their learning needs?

The sessions will cover the same content, so it is not necessary to attend both. The online sessions will be held on:

Wednesday 12 March at 3:15pm: Register here.

Thursday 20 March at 3:15pm: Register here.

New updates on ENROL report

In a previous news update we introduced the ‘English Language Learners at my School’ report that can be generated through ENROL. This report allows you to see students enrolled at your school who are currently ESOL funded (active) and who have previously received ESOL funding (ceased).

We have continued to improve the report, and it now includes the initial and last recorded ELLP data for the learner, when the funding ceased and why, and how many funding terms have been paid.

Registered ENROL users (generally the principal, member of the senior leadership team, or office admin staff in schools) can generate the report.

A couple of points to note:

• Updates on the ENROL report and the ESOL database are not synchronous - they are refreshed on a monthly basis.
• You will still need to apply for ESOL funding for ‘active’ students – inclusion on the ENROL report does not mean their funding will automatically be sent to you.

Te Hāpai Hapori | Spirit of Service Awards 2024

In was very exciting to see Learning Community Hubs named as a finalist for the Te Tohu mō ngā Hua E Pai Ake Ana | Better Outcomes Award which celebrates the achievement of significant outcomes in areas that matter most for the long-term wellbeing for New Zealanders.​

Although the hubs did not win the award, reaching the finals was recognition of the positive impact these hubs are having around the country.

The Community Partnerships group within the wider ESOL, Migrant and Refugee team support the Learning Community Hubs to provide ethnic families with knowledge and tools to better understand the New Zealand education system and support their children in school. Originally designed as a pilot following the 5 March 2019 terror attacks in Ōtautahi, the hubs have now become an established part of the network of support focused on improving ethnic students' education experience and their educational achievement.

The Learning Community Hubs awards presentation team was made up of Mastura Abd Rahman, Awad Hagos, Maree Jeurissen, Cinthia Soto, Nazreen Shaban and Zahra Emamzadeh.

Community Partnership's termly webinar

The Community Partnership team coordinates the Learning Community Hubs. Every term the team organises a webinar for ethnic communities which offers a closer look at an aspect of education in New Zealand.

The Term 4 webinar is: Understanding school boards: a path for parent involvement. Whānau are invited to join to discover the role of school boards in decision-making and learn how parents from diverse backgrounds can contribute to school governance.

Please help spread the word by sharing the registration link with families and community groups that could benefit from this kōrero.

Thursday 7 November from 6:30pm-8pm: Register here

Focus on learning: former refugee students reach new heights at Mangere College

Have a read of this inspiring article from a recent edition of the Education Gazette.

Former refugee students reach new heights at Mangere College

Useful links

• English language learning progressions
• English language learning progressions pathway
• ESOL Online