Early Learning Languages Australia expansion program Guidelines
These guidelines set out the objectives and administrative requirements for the Early Learning
Languages Australia (ELLA) expansion program from 2016–17 to 2017–18.
These grant guidelines are non-competitive.
Program Objectives
There are three components of this program:
1. To engage a project management office (PMO) to manage and monitor the delivery, use and
maintenance of the ELLA apps so that they are available to all preschool services in Australia.
2. Provide support for 1,000 preschool services in disadvantaged areas in the form of one-off
assistance to the value of $500 to assist with obtaining tablet devices to run the ELLA apps.
3. To engage an independent consultant to conduct an evaluation of the ELLA expansion program
in 2017, in particular to assess the program’s ongoing sustainability beyond 2018, when funding
for the program ends.
What is ELLA?
The ELLA program provides children in preschool the opportunity to gain experience in learning a
language other than English which is an important platform for encouraging language learning in the
later years of education.
ELLA consists of a series of play-based language learning applications (‘apps’), for use on tablet devices
by children in preschool. The apps provide children with the opportunity to develop recognition of the
different sounds and concepts of languages other than English through play-based learning, without the
need for the preschool educator to be proficient in that language. Through age appropriate experiences
and practices, children are introduced to words, sentences and songs in another language.
The apps have been designed to consider the needs, interests and capabilities of four-year-olds and
provide opportunities for children to learn through interaction with a rich variety of experiences. In this
way, the apps encourage collaboration between peers and with educators as co-learners.
ELLA History
The Australian Government provided $9.8 million to trial the ELLA program in 2015 in 41 preschool
services to determine the effectiveness of children learning a language through apps without a
proficient language teacher. Current languages include Chinese (Mandarin), Japanese, Indonesian,
French and Arabic.
Education Services Australia (ESA) was contracted by the former Australian Government Department of
Education through a grant agreement to manage the design and development of language apps for
preschool children and to implement the ELLA trial.
The Australian Government Department of Education and Training (the department) engaged Deloitte
Access Economics to conduct the Evaluation of the Early Learning Languages Australia trial: An
assessment of design and effectiveness, to consider whether the program was appropriately achieving
its objectives. The evaluation showed that the 2015 pilot programme was successful, and the ELLA apps
were driving an active interest among children in the culture of the languages they were learning.
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ELLA Expansion
The ELLA trial was extended in 2016 so that nearly 300 preschool services were participating.
Of these, 90 regional and seven remote preschool services deliver the ELLA program.
This expansion of the program is a result of key findings from the 2016 Deloitte Access Economics
Evaluation of the Early Learning Languages Australia trial: An assessment of design and effectiveness,
which included very positive feedback from parents, children and educators on the ELLA apps.
The Australian Government is investing $5.9 million to fund the ELLA expansion program to enable the
availability of ELLA to all preschool services across Australia from 2017 and to ensure the program’s
continued sustainability in preschool services beyond 2018.
Program Description
Program elements
1. Programme Management Office (PMO)
a) Overarching/role of PM0
The Project Management Office will be responsible for :

Managing an annual expression of interest process to attract new preschool services to opt-in to
implement the programme.

Engaging and managing an expert communications organisation to develop a national
promotion campaign and marketing strategy to encourage the take up of ELLA by preschool
services.

Expanding and maintaining an IT Help Desk to provide preschool services with technical support
to run the apps.

Supporting educators in preschool services by updating professional learning through additional
support materials, developing and implementing digital credentials and building upon the
current ELLA peer support network.

Managing ongoing technology development including maintenance of apps and development of
new apps.

Managing processes for programme data management, tracking and analytics.

Providing ongoing delivery of ELLA while putting in place arrangements to ensure the
sustainability of the ELLA programme beyond the current funding period.
b) Eligibility of Project Management Office
Due to ESA’s successful management of the ELLA Trial, ESA has been selected by the department to run
the PMO for the ELLA expansion program using a targeted or restricted non-competitive funding round,
as per Commonwealth Grants Rules and Guidelines.
This decision was made by the relevant delegate within the department, in this instance, the Group
Manager, Schooling Group (SES Band 2).
ESA was engaged by the former Australian Government Department of Education through a grant
agreement to develop and implement the Trial of the ELLA program in 2015.
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ESA’s well established record of delivering the ELLA program since that time will ensure the Government
will benefit from considerable time and cost efficiencies by engaging ESA as a targeted direct source.
ESA has demonstrated experience and knowledge of both the technical aspects of designing, delivering
and maintaining the ELLA apps, as well as the educational underpinnings from Early Years Learning
Framework, on which ELLA is based, and the Australian Curriculum: Languages.
Sourcing another organisation on a relatively short term, technical program could expose the
department to additional risk, and approaching the market would impose impractical time constraints
on the program, which is due to commence in early 2017.
ESA will be funded in accordance with the Commonwealth Grants Rules and Guidelines and the Public
Governance, Performance and Accountability Act 2013.
All funding provided to ESA under the program (as well as managed by subcontracts by ESA) will be
governed by Agreements where funding is weighted against the acceptance and satisfactory completion
of deliverables.
It is proposed that programs funds will be expended as per below:
PMO
Project Management Office Costs
Oct to Dec
2016
2017
2018
Cost
Cost
Cost
Total cost ex
GST ($)
198,656
1,427,968
1,427,968
3,054,592
250,000
250,000
500,000
1,141,238
572,470
1,943,352
218,000
218,056
436,056
Low SES support
Deliverables including promotion, marketing,
workshops and educator support costs
229,644
Program evaluation
TOTAL EX GST
5,934,000
2. Eligibility and support for preschool services in the ELLA expansion
a) Which services would be eligible to participate in ELLA?
For preschool services to be eligible to participate in the ELLA expansion program, they must meet the
following requirements:

offer a preschool/kindergarten program that:
o
is provided primarily to children in the year before full-time school
o
is delivered by a qualified early childhood teacher.

have an active internet and WiFi connection for the duration of their participation in the
program.

will meet all costs associated with this participation, including supplying tablet devices for
children to use the ELLA apps. One-off support of up to $500 is available to 1,000 preschool
services to assist in the purchase of tablet devices to run the ELLA apps (see point 2(b) below).
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Participation by children in the program is voluntary. A child’s parent/guardian must complete a consent
form before a child can commence using the apps provided under the program.
Preschool services that participated in the 2016 ELLA Trial on an opt-in bring -your -own -device basis
will be eligible to apply for support.
b) Additional support for preschool services in disadvantaged areas
One-off support will be provided to 1,000 preschool services of up to $500 to obtain tablet devices if
they are located within a suburb of Australia that is in the lowest 25 per cent on the Australian Bureau
of Statistics’ (ABS) Socio Economic Index for Areas (SEIFA).
In addition to being located within low socio economic suburbs, preschool services will also be required
to meet program eligibility requirements for preschool services (see Section 2a), and agree to
implement the program for the whole calendar year in which the grant is received.
Preschool services will be informed in all communications material that the funding support will be
strictly limited to 1,000 services, and funding will be allocated in the order in which expressions of
interest from eligible services are received.
c) How would payments be made?
On behalf of the department, ESA will be funded through the ELLA expansion program to manage the
process (as per Section 1a under Program Management Office roles, and Section 2 requirements) to
provide one-off support. It is envisaged that support for preschool services to obtain tablet devices will
be divided over two years, one round for preschool services that commence implementation in 2017,
and one round for services that will commence program implementation in 2018.
d) Services that participated in the ELLA trial in 2015
Services that were supplied with tablet devices as part of their participation in the 2015 ELLA Trial will
be able to continue to participate in the program, however, will be ineligible to apply for additional
funding support.
3. Evaluation of the expansion program in 2017
An independent consultant will be sourced to conduct an evaluation of the ELLA program in 2017 and to
assess its ongoing viability. The consultant will be selected using existing departmental panel
arrangements, in accordance with Commonwealth Grants Rules and Guidelines.
Legislative Authority
Legislative Authority for this program will come from amending item 31 of Part 4 in Schedule 1AB of the
Financial Framework (Supplementary Powers) Regulations 1997 (FF(SP) Regulations). The Australian
Government Solicitor has drafted amendments, which are expected to be considered by the Finance
Minister at an Executive Council meeting in September or early October 2016.
Funding
All payments as set out in the funding agreement between the organisations funded under this program
and each payment of funds is subject to:
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a.
The recipient having completed the part of the project (including any Milestone) that is a
condition of the payment to the satisfaction of the department;
b.
The recipient having provided all Reports that were due on or prior to the payment date; and
c.
Where a taxable supply is made, the recipient having provided a correct and complete tax
invoice to the department as set out in the funding agreement.
The usual terms of payment are 30 business days.
Ownership and Use of Resources Developed with Commonwealth Funding
Ownership and use of the Intellectual Property (IP) developed through Commonwealth funding will be
determined by the Agreement/Contract between the organisations funded under this program and the
department.
Unless otherwise specified in the Agreement, upon its creation any IP is owned legally and beneficially
by the Commonwealth of Australia and is immediately licensed to the funding recipient and to the
public under the Creative Commons Licence, in so far the Creative Commons Licence is applicable.
Program Contacts
For all enquiries, please contact the department on 1300 566 046.
The decision maker that makes the final decision to award the ESA grant will be Group Manager,
Schooling Group, Australian Government Department of Education and Training Loc: C50MA9, GPO Box
9880, Canberra ACT 2601.
The program delegate who will approve and authorise payments upon the completion of ESA program
milestones is the Branch Manager, Curriculum and Students with Disability Branch, Australian
Government Department of Education and Training, Loc: C50MA9, GPO Box 9880, Canberra ACT 2601.
The contact for administration and management of the ESA program is Ms Deborah Durie, Director,
Early Learning and Languages Team, Curriculum and Students with Disability Branch, Australian
Government Department of Education and Training, Loc: C50MA9, GPO Box 9880, Canberra ACT 2601.
Ms Durie can be contacted at [email protected].
Agreement/Contracts
The two organisations (ESA and an independent consultant that will conduct an evaluation of the ELLA
expansion program in 2017) to be funded under this program will be required to enter into an
Agreement/Contract with the Government.
The Agreement/Contract will form the legal documentation between the department and the recipient
over the funding period. Once executed, the Agreement/Contract will constitute the entire Agreement
between the parties. There are no legally binding responsibilities for the department until the
Agreement/Contract is signed by the relevant departmental delegate and duly executed by the person
or persons authorised to bind the recipient.
Funding will only be provided in accordance with the terms of an executed Agreement/Contract and the
recipient must comply with all requirements of the Agreement/Contract.
The Agreement/Contract will also specify:

reporting and financial management requirements
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
insurance requirements (to cover recipient’s obligations in relation to the funding to be
delivered)

compliance with the Australian Privacy Principles as set out in Section 14 of the Privacy Act 1988

requirements to maintain the confidentiality of any information deemed by the Commonwealth
to be confidential.
All funding Agreements/Contracts signed between the department and the recipient under this program
is subject to current Commonwealth, state and territory laws. This includes, but is not limited to the:
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Public Governance, Performance and Accountability Act 2013
Commonwealth Grant Rules and Guidelines
Privacy Act 1988
Freedom of Information Act 1982
Work Health and Safety Act 2011
Disability Discrimination Act 1992
Racial Discrimination Act 1975
Sex Discrimination Act 1984
Archives Act 1983
Australian Information Commissioner Act 2010
Bankruptcy Act 1966
Criminal Code Act 1995
Types of Agreement/Contract
The terms and conditions of the Agreement/Contract may vary depending on the amount and nature of
the funding and level of risk. The Agreement/Contract will be developed in consultation with the
relevant organisation/s. The department will offer the Agreement/Contract to the recipient for review,
negotiation and execution. The Agreement/Contract will set out the terms and conditions on which the
funding will be provided to the recipient. To enable efficiency, the Commonwealth can negotiate
Agreements/Contracts that are in effect for varying lengths of time.
Grant and Procurement Reporting
In accordance with the Public Governance, Performance and Accountability Act 2013, the organisations
funded under this grant will have their Agreement/Contract details publicly reported on the
department’s website or AusTender.
All grants will be published on the department’s website at www.education.gov.au/grants within
14 working days of both parties signing the agreement.
All procurements will be reported on the AusTender website at www.tenders.gov.au within 42 working
days of both parties signing the contract.
Goods and Services Tax (GST)
Unless otherwise indicated by the department, funding provided under the ELLA expansion program is
subject to GST.
Organisations that are required under tax law to be registered for GST must ensure they are registered
in order to receive funding under this program.
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Legal and Financial Advice
The department does not provide financial or legal advice to recipients. Recipients should seek their
own independent professional advice on all financial and legal matters, including compliance with any
statutory obligations.
Achieving value for the relevant money
Grant activities funded through the ELLA expansion program will be based on budgets agreed with
recipients, approved by the department and included in funding agreements. Funding agreements will
require accurate financial reporting, appropriate management and acquittal of funds.
Organisations funded through this program must have a documented risk management plan in place.
They will also be required to provide statistical information and to participate in any program
evaluation.
Monitoring, Performance Reporting and Improvement
The department will monitor the performance of Government funding to ensure that it is meeting its
objectives and outcomes. All agreements made between the department and recipients must include
systematic, timely monitoring that demonstrates if results are being achieved and supports ongoing
adaptation and innovation where necessary.
Grant recipients will be required to submit to the department reports concerning the funding such as
project plan, work plans and progress reports, in the format and by the due dates detailed in the
agreement. Organisations may be required to collect data to measure how the project contributes to
the identified outcomes and deliverables.
The compliance of preschool services located in disadvantaged areas receiving support to obtain tablet
devices with eligibility requirements will be monitored by ESA using ELLA app usage data captured as
part of the program implementation.
The department is committed to working with organisations to minimise the volume of reporting
requirements whilst maintaining transparency and accountability requirements.
The department is committed to a comprehensive and systematic approach to the effective
management of potential opportunities and risk. Any funding will be managed according to its level of
risk to the Commonwealth. As such, organisations may be subject to a risk management assessment,
and depending on level of funding and risk, a Financial Viability check, before entering into any
contractual arrangement and periodically thereafter during the funding term. Organisations will be
required to supply financial and other information for this process if requested.
Financial Reporting
The ELLA expansion program will be managed to ensure the efficient and effective, ethical and
economical use of public monies. Funding must only be used for the purposes for which it is provided.
The department may require recipients to provide financial statements/reports in accordance with the
Agreement/Contract. Recipients may be required to submit:

a final report on the funding outcomes, and

independently audited financial statements and other financial information.
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Full details of what recipients must submit to acquit the funding will be specified in the
Agreement/Contract.
Evaluation
Evaluations help Government see whether it is getting the results expected and assist to invest in what
works. To support a consistent and good practice evaluation approach, a number of principles will guide
evaluation activity. These include:

independence, impartiality and transparency

competence and ethical behaviour

designing evaluation to support utilisation and build on what is already known

avoiding duplication and minimising respondent burden

learning and adaptation through a cycle of critical review and improvement

strengthening capacity, using participative approaches and joint ownership.
Conflicts of Interest
The department has appropriate mechanisms in place for identifying and managing potential or actual
conflicts of interest, such as, requiring grant funding project officers to sign conflict of interest
declarations prior to overseeing the signing of funding agreements.
The funding agreement with the recipient contains clauses outlining their requirements to disclose and
resolve conflicts of interest.
Privacy
In administering the ELLA expansion program, the department and funding recipients will be bound by
the provisions of the Privacy Act 1988.
For further information, please go to our website: www.education.gov.au/privacy, or write to:
Privacy Contact Officer
Legal and Compliance Group
Australian Government Department of Education and Training
GPO Box 9880
Canberra ACT 2601
[email protected]
Privacy complaints may be made to the Office of the Australian Information Commissioner but will only
be actioned where a complaint was made in the first instance to the department.
Fraud
Any suspicion or evidence of fraud will be dealt with as per the department’s standard fraud procedures
and fully investigated as appropriate. The department’s fraud reporting procedures are at
www.education.gov.au/how-report-fraud.
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Risk Management
An internally managed and approved Risk Management Plan supports the ELLA expansion program
guidelines. This plan incorporates all potential risks in the successful management of this program and
associated Agreements/Contracts. It will be reviewed regularly throughout the life of this program.
Freedom of Information
Under the Freedom of Information Act 1982 a person who wants to gain access to documents held by
the department may make a Freedom of Information (FOI) request.
Requests to access documents must be in writing. FOI requests should be sent to:
FOI Team Leader
Legal and Investigations Group
Australian Government Department of Education and Training
C50MA10
GPO Box 9880
CANBERRA ACT 2601
Requests may also be lodged via email to [email protected]. There is no fee for making a request
but the Freedom of Information Act 1982 provides that charges may be imposed for processing
requests. Requests must provide enough information about the documents sought to enable the
department to identify them. The FOI Team can be contacted on 1300 363 079 to discuss any
prospective request. Detailed information about FOI can be found at the website for the Office of the
Australian Information Commissioner at www.oaic.gov.au/freedom-of-information.
Amendments
The Government reserves the right to amend the guidelines as necessary. Updated guidelines will be
made publicly available on our website www.education.gov.au.
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