Thousands of young people across England working towards a grade 4 in GCSE English are set to benefit from a major national trial led by East Lancashire Learning Group (ELLG), positioning the group at the forefront of efforts to improve outcomes for resit students.
Designed to tackle one of the biggest barriers facing learners, limited vocabulary and confidence with language, the trial will equip students with the tools they need to succeed not only in exams, but in further study, employment and everyday life.
Funded by the Education Endowment Foundation (EEF), one of the UK’s most respected education charities, the initiative introduces Vocabulary Mastery for GCSE English Resit. This 12-week programme focuses on transforming how students understand and use language.
Sue Smith, Director of Teaching, Learning and Development at ELLG, said:
“For many students sitting a GCSE English resit, this is about so much more than passing an exam. It is a real second chance at further study, at a better career, and at a future they might have felt was beyond them. At East Lancashire Learning Group, we are committed to breaking down the barriers that hold learners back, and we are proud to be leading this work with the support of the Education Endowment Foundation.”
The programme is designed to help young people develop a deeper understanding of how language works. This enables them to decode unfamiliar vocabulary, communicate ideas clearly, and approach learning with much greater confidence and independence.
Each week, students take part in 60-minute small group sessions led by specialist English teachers. These sessions reinforce and enhance their core GCSE studies through targeted, high-quality support.
As the organisation that developed the methodology and is leading the national trial, ELLG is delivering the programme across its colleges, Nelson and Colne College and Accrington and Rossendale College, drawing on its experience supporting resit learners. While the primary focus remains on driving improvement in local English outcomes, ELLG is also facilitating a broader rollout, with opportunities available for up to 80 further education and sixth form settings across England to participate in the trial and access fully funded continuing professional development and learning.
Leading the project is ELLG’s very own Laura Billington and Sally-Anne Schofield. For more information, please reach out to vocabularymastery@eastlancslearning.ac.uk
