procedure for handling enquiries about the ... - Bedford Academy

POLICY STATEMENT
English as an Additional Language (EAL)
1. VISION
The Academy will transform educational outcomes by providing exciting, new and different
opportunities for learning and applied learning. As a vibrant and successful centre of learning,
with the highest standards of attendance and behaviour, it will bring about a substantial
increase in the educational attainment, expectations and aspirations of students and the whole
community.
2. VALUES
Student Focus
We seek to achieve a high quality learning experience for every student.
High Performance
We strive for consistently high levels of performance in all aspects of our work.
Respect, Openness and Honesty
We treat everyone with respect. We encourage openness and honesty and we recognise each others’
contributions and achievements.
3. CONTEXT
At Bedford Academy we currently have around 54% of our students from different ethnic backgrounds and
37% of our students learning English as an additional language.
The range of home languages spoken by students currently at our Academy is:
Home Language % Home Language No of Students
Albanian/Shqip 0.15% Albanian/Shqip 1
Arabic 0.15% Arabic 1
Bengali 5.14% Bengali 34
Bengali (Sylheti) 8.61% Bengali (Sylheti) 57
Caribbean Creole French 0.15% Caribbean Creole French 1
Chinese 0.15% Chinese 1
Classification Pending 4.83% Classification Pending 32
English 61.93% English 410
French 0.15% French 1
German 0.45% German 3
Hindi 0.15% Hindi 1
Igbo 0.15% Igbo 1
Italian 0.91% Italian 6
Panjabi 5.44% Panjabi 36
Pashto/Pakhto 1.36% Pashto/Pakhto 9
Persian/Farsi 0.91% Persian/Farsi 6
Author: C. Smith

POLICY STATEMENT
English as an Additional Language (EAL)
Polish 5.14% Polish 34
Portuguese 0.45% Portuguese 3
Russian 0.45% Russian 3
Serbian/Croatian/Bosnian 0.60% Serbian/Croatian/Bosnian 4
Swahili/Kiswahili 0.30% Swahili/Kiswahili 2
Urdu 1.21% Urdu 8
Yoruba 0.91% Yoruba 6
(blank) 0.30% (blank) 2
Grand Total 100.00% Grand Total 662
Information is gathered about:
Student’s linguistic background and competence in other language(s)
Student’s previous educational experience
Student’s family and biographical background
A member of staff is nominated to have overall responsibility for Language Development and EAL: Trish
Wrightson.
4. PRINCIPLES
EAL students are entitled to the full curriculum offer at the Academy and all their teachers have a
responsibility for teaching English as well as other subject content.
Bedford Academy has a responsibility to support students to become fully integrated into the
Academy and community irrespective of their background, ethnicity or home Language.
Key Principles of Language Acquisition
Access to learning requires attention to words and meanings embodied in the curriculum area.
Meanings and understanding cannot be assumed but must be made explicit.
Language is central to our identity. Therefore, the home languages of all students and staff should be
recognised and valued. Students should be encouraged to maintain their home language and use in
the Academy environment as well as develop English.
Although many students acquire the ability to communicate on a day to day basis in English quite
quickly, the level of language needed for study is much deeper and more detailed and can require
additional support for up to ten years.
Language develops best when used in purposeful contexts across the curriculum.
The language demands of learning tasks need to be identified and included in planning.
All staff play a crucial role in modelling uses of language.
Knowledge and skills developed in learning the first language aid the acquisition of additional
languages.
A clear distinction should be made between EAL and Special Educational Needs.
Author: C. Smith

POLICY STATEMENT
English as an Additional Language (EAL)
5. OPERATION
Assessment
All EAL students are entitled to assessments as required and all students are assessed on entry to the
Academy to identify their learning needs.
Progress in the acquisition of English is regularly assessed and monitored by the Language
Development team.
Assessment methods are checked for cultural bias and action is taken to remove any identified.
Consideration and sensitivity is given to the appropriateness of testing EAL students at the earlier
stages of English acquisition.
Planning, Monitoring and Evaluation
Targets for EAL students are appropriate, challenging and reviewed on a regular basis.
Targets set should be shared and developed (where appropriate) with the Language Development
team, in particular for students at the early stages of acquisition.
Planning for EAL students incorporates both curriculum and EAL specific objectives.
Language Development staff regularly observe, assess and record information about students’
developing use of language.
When planning the curriculum, staff take account of the linguistic, cultural and religious backgrounds
of families.
An Induction Programme exists for those students who arrive at the Academy with low levels of
English language acquisition.
Teaching Strategies
Classroom activities have clear, shared learning objectives and use appropriate learning materials and
support to enable students to participate in lessons.
Wherever possible students will have access to a dual language dictionary.
Key language features of each curriculum area, e.g. key vocabulary, uses of language, forms of text,
are identified.
Enhanced opportunities are provided for speaking and listening, including both process and
presentational talk, and use made of drama techniques and role play. Students have access to
effective staff and peer models of spoken language.
Additional visual support is provided e.g. posters, pictures, photographs, objects, demonstration and
gesture.
Additional verbal support is provided e.g. repetition, modelling, peer support.
Use is made of collaborative activities that involve purposeful talk and encourage and support active
participation.
Author: C. Smith

POLICY STATEMENT
English as an Additional Language (EAL)
Where possible, learning progression moves from the concrete to the abstract.
Discussion is provided before, during and after reading and writing activities.
Scaffolding is provided for language and learning, e.g. talk frames, writing frames.
Special Educational Needs and Gifted and Talented Students
Most EAL students needing additional support do not have SEN. Should SEN be identified, EAL students
have equal access to the Academy’s SEN provision. If EAL students are identified as Gifted and Talented, they
have equal access to the Academy’s provision.
Parental/Community Involvement
Staff strive to encourage parental and community involvement by:
Providing a welcoming induction process for newly arrived students and their families/carers.
Using plain English, translators and interpreters where appropriate and available, to ensure good
written and spoken communications.
Identifying linguistic, cultural and religious background of students and establishing contact with wider
community where possible.
Recognising and encouraging the use of the first language.
Helping parents understand how they can support their children at home, especially by continuing
the development of their first language.
6. MONITORING, EVALUATION AND REVIEW
This policy will be reviewed by the Governing Body annually as part of their on-going cycle of review.
Initial Policy: June 2010
Review: June 2012
Next Review: June 2015
Author: C. Smith

POLICY STATEMENT
English as an Additional Language (EAL)
SPEAKING LISTENING READING WRITING
Step 1
Academy
Code= 1
Pupils echo
words/expression
s drawn from
classroom
routines.
Express basic
needs, using single
words or phrases
in English.
Listen
attentively for
short bursts of
time.
Use non-verbal
gestures to
respond to
greetings and
questions about
themselves.
Follow simple
instructions
based on
classroom
routines.
Pupils
participate
in reading
activities.
They know
that, in
English,
print is read
from left to
right.
They
recognise
their names
and familiar
words.
They
identify
some
letters of
the
alphabet by
shape or
sound.
Pupils use
English letters
and letter-like
forms to
convey
meaning.
They copy or
write their
names and
familiar words.
They write
from left to
right.
Step 2
Academy
Code = 2
Pupils copy talk
that has been
modelled.
In their speech,
they show some
control of English
word order.
Pronunciation is
generally
intelligible.
Understand
simple
conversational
English.
Listen and
respond to the
gist of general
explanations by
the teacher
where language
is supported by
non-verbal clues,
including
illustrations.
Pupils begin
to associate
sound with
the letters
in English
and can
predict
what the
text will be
about.
They read
words and
phrases
that they
have
learned in
different
Pupils attempt
to express
meaning in
writing,
supported by
oral work or
pictures.
Generally their
writing is
intelligible to
themselves
and a familiar
reader.
Shows some
knowledge of
English
sentence
Author: C. Smith

POLICY STATEMENT
English as an Additional Language (EAL)
curriculum
areas.
With
support,
they can
follow a
text read
aloud.
division and
word order.
Building on
literacy in
their first
language,
pupils show
knowledge of
the function
of sentence
division.
SPEAKING LISTENING READING WRITING
Level 1
(Threshold)
Academy
Code = 3
Pupils speak about
matters of
immediate
interest in
familiar settings.
They convey
meaning through
talk and gesture
and can extend
what they say
with support.
Their speech is
sometimes
grammatically
incomplete at
word and phrase
level.
With support,
pupils
understand and
respond
appropriately to
straightforward
comments or
instructions
addressed to
them.
Listen
attentively to a
range of
speakers,
including teacher
presentation to
the whole class.
Pupils can
read a range
of familiar
words and
can identify
initial and
final sounds
in unfamiliar
words.
With
support,
they can
establish
meaning
when
reading
aloud
phrases or
simple
sentences
and use
contextual
clues to gain
understandi
ng.
They
respond to
events or
ideas in
Pupils produce
recognisable
letters and
words in texts,
which convey
meaning and
show some
knowledge of
English
sentence
division and
word order.
Most
commonly used
letters are
correctly
shaped, but
may be
inconsistent in
their size and
orientation.
Author: C. Smith

POLICY STATEMENT
English as an Additional Language (EAL)
poems,
stories and
non-fiction.
Level 1
(Secure)
Academy
Code = 4
Pupils speak about
matters of
interest to a
range of listeners
and begin to
develop connected
utterances.
What they say
shows some
grammatical
complexity in
expressing
relationships
between ideas and
sequences of
events.
Pupils convey
meaning sustaining
their
contributions and
the listeners’
interest.
In familiar
contexts, pupils
follow what
others say about
what they are
doing and
thinking.
They listen with
understanding to
sequences of
instructions and
usually respond
appropriately in
conversations.
Pupils use
their
knowledge
of letter,
sounds and
words to
establish
meaning
when
reading
familiar
texts aloud,
sometimes
with
prompting.
They
comment on
events or
ideas in
poems,
stories and
non-fiction.
Pupils use
phrases and
longer
statements
which convey
ideas to the
reader, making
some use of
full stops and
capital letters.
Some
grammatical
patterns are
irregular and
the pupils’
grasp of
English sounds
and how they
are written is
not secure.
Letters are
usually clearly
shaped and
orientated.
SPEAKING AND
READING
WRITING
LISTENING
Level 2
Academy
Code = 5
Pupils begin to show
confidence when
talking and listening,
particularly when the
topics interest them.
On occasions, they
show awareness of
the needs of the
listener by including
relevant detail.
Pupils’ reading of simple
texts show
understanding and is
generally accurate.
They express opinions
about major events or
the ideas in the stories,
poems and non-fiction.
They use more that one
strategy such as phonic,
Pupils’ writing
communicates meaning in
both narrative and nonnarrative
forms, using
appropriate and
interesting vocabulary,
showing some awareness
of the reader.
Ideas are developed in a
sequence of sentences,
Author: C. Smith

POLICY STATEMENT
English as an Additional Language (EAL)
In developing and
explaining their ideas
they speak clearly
and use a growing
vocabulary.
They are beginning
to be aware that in
some situations a
more formal
vocabulary and tone
of voice are used.
They usually listen
carefully and respond
with increasing
appropriateness to
what others say.
graphic, syntactic and
contextual, in reading
unfamiliar words and
establishing meaning.
sometimes demarcated by
capital letters and full
stops.
Simple monosyllabic words
are usually spelt correctly
and where there are
inaccuracies the
alternative is phonetically
plausible.
In handwriting, letters
are accurately formed and
consistent in size.
Level 3
Academy
Code = 6
Talk and listen
confidently in
different contexts,
exploring and
communicating ideas.
Begin to adapt what
they say to the
needs of the
listener, varying the
use of vocabulary and
the level of detail.
Begin to be aware of
Standard English and
when it is used.
Show understanding
of the main pints in
Read a range of texts
fluently and accurately.
Read independently,
using strategies
appropriately to
establish meaning.
In responding to fiction
and non-fiction show
understanding of the
main points and express
preferences.
Use knowledge of the
alphabet to locate
books and find
information.
Writing is often
organised, imaginative and
clear.
Main features of
different forms of
writing are used
appropriately, beginning
to be adapted to
different readers.
Sequences of sentences
extend ideas logically and
words are chosen for
variety and interest.
Basic grammatical
structure of a sentence is
usually correct.
Author: C. Smith

POLICY STATEMENT
English as an Additional Language (EAL)
discussion.
Show careful
listening through
relevant comments
and questions.
Spelling is usually
accurate, including that of
common, polysyllabic
words.
Punctuation to mark
sentences – full stops,
capital letters and
question marks – is used
correctly.
Handwriting is joined and
legible.
Author: C. Smith