Being an international school with children coming from so many different countries, we provide strong support for children who are new to the English Language or require additional support in their English language acquisition.
An exceptional, award-winning team of EAL specialists help students settle in quickly with tailored programmes based on their proficiency and age group.
EAL in EYFS (Reception and Nursery)
The Language Acquisition model used in the Foundation Stage is ‘Total Early Immersion’ in English. The goal of this approach is to encourage the children to learn their second language spontaneously and organically, through play and through interaction with peers and adults. This approach is based on evidence-based research in Early Years Language Acquisition and Bilingual/Trilingual experiences of Early Years learners.
We model and extend children’s language and encourage them to express themselves in different ways. If any of our learners experience any difficulties in acquiring the English language, our team will work closely with the children and their parents to provide the necessary support and intervention for them.
EAL in Primary School (Year 1 to Year 6)
The EAL team’s primary focus is to ensure that all pupils learning English as an additional language are given the opportunity to overcome any barriers to learning, ensuring that their full range of needs is met.
This is achieved by:
- Delivering a broad, balanced curriculum which reflects the needs of children for whom English is an additional language
- Providing a safe, welcoming and stimulating environment which incorporates the use of visuals and dual language translations as a means of recognising the critical role of a pupil’s home language in the acquisition of additional languages
Pupils who are identified as requiring additional support from a member of the Primary EAL team are supported more specifically by:
- Personalised provision in class or withdrawal of 1:1/small groups with a dedicated member of the EAL team.
- Providing lessons which are tailored to each individual/groups needs.
- Developing both their social and cognitive language skills, reading and writing in English in order to fulfil their academic potential.
EAL in Secondary School
The main aim of the Secondary EAL Department is to ensure that all EAL pupils have an environment in which they can thrive both socially and academically. We want our pupils to be happy and settled at school; and we enjoy helping them to transition and adapt to their new surroundings. We provide strong pastoral care with a nurturing House System that strengthens our Secondary community and provides our pupils with a range of events in which to get involved.
In order to improve their aural skills, pupils listen to a range of native speakers with different accents. To build oracy, we provide an encouraging and supportive setting in which pupils can express themselves and increase their confidence when speaking. Our pupils have access to a range of differentiated reading material on a wide variety of topics.
In accordance with pupils’ needs, time is given each week within EAL lessons to the review and deepened understanding of different subjects thereby ensuring an increased understanding of class content and homework. This is supported with additional resources and dual translation as required. As advocates for translanguaging, we value home languages and know the pivotal role they play in the acquisition of additional languages.
EAL Assessment in Secondary
When EAL pupils join our Secondary School, they complete a baseline assessment to determine their level of proficiency. We use The Bell Foundation’s “EAL Assessment Framework for Schools: Secondary”, which allows us to provide pupils and teachers with the highest level of support and accessibility.
