English as an Additional Language (EAL)

Welcome

At St Edmund’s Catholic School, we are proud to be a vibrant and inclusive community where over 63 languages are spoken.
We value the rich cultural backgrounds our students bring and are committed to helping every child succeed, both in the classroom and as part of our wider school family.

Students who have been exposed to a language other than English from birth — and who are developing English alongside that — are supported as EAL learners.
We see their experiences as a strength and work hard to help them feel confident, included and able to thrive.

Our Aims for EAL Learners

We want all EAL learners at St Edmund’s to:

• Take part in lessons across the curriculum with growing confidence
• Develop their English for learning and everyday life
• Feel proud of their identity and background
• Grow in confidence and independence
• Be supported through strong links between school and home

Welcoming New Students

When a new student joins, we carry out a New Arrival Assessment to find out their level of English and identify any support they might need.
We also speak with families to learn more about each student’s interests, skills, and educational background.

Where possible, our trained Young Interpreters are available to welcome new arrivals and help them settle in.
Our EAL Teaching Support staff provide a key point of contact in the first few weeks and help each student build confidence in their new environment.

How We Support EAL Learners

Support for EAL students is flexible and personalised. It may include:

• Targeted English sessions to build key vocabulary and grammar
• In-class support during lessons, particularly in core subjects
• Small group work to practise speaking and listening
• Reading intervention to boost literacy and comprehension
• Subject-specific vocabulary support to help with understanding content

Our goal is to help students access their learning with increasing confidence and independence.

GCSE Outcomes for EAL students

Monitoring Progress

Teachers and EAL staff work together to monitor students' progress in both language and subject learning.
We use a mix of classwork, observations and short assessments to review how students are doing, and adapt support where needed.
We also take into account student voice and feedback from parents.

Where helpful, we draw on tools such as the Bell Foundation’s EAL Assessment Framework to guide planning and track language development.

Home Languages

Where a GCSE qualification exists in a student’s home language, we support them in working towards this.
We encourage students to see their home language as something to be proud of and, where possible, we help them maintain and use it.

Celebrating Languages and Cultures

We are proud of our school’s cultural richness and enjoy creating opportunities to learn from one another. These include:

• Culture Day – a popular event where students share food, clothing, music and traditions from their heritage
• Library displays to mark national celebrations throughout the year
• Assemblies, classroom projects and curriculum links that reflect the diverse backgrounds of our school community

Supporting Teachers to Support Students

Staff at St Edmund’s are supported through:

• Training on how to meet the needs of EAL learners
• Practical strategies such as using visuals, pre-teaching vocabulary, and buddy systems
• Close links with the EAL team for advice and resource sharing

These strategies help ensure that students can access lessons with increasing confidence.

Working with Parents and Carers

We work in close partnership with parents and carers of EAL learners.
We keep in touch regularly, welcome feedback, and arrange interpreters where needed for meetings or communication.
We want parents to feel confident that their child is supported and that their voice is heard.

Our Commitment

Our approach to EAL reflects our school values: respect, aspiration, faith, excellence, and community.
We are proud to support our EAL students and celebrate the many languages and cultures that enrich our school.