EAL

EAL Academy Lead: Ms J Nica

A learner of English as an Additional Language (EAL) is a pupil whose first language is other than English.

'First language is the language to which the child was initially exposed during early development and continues to use this language in the home and community. If a child acquires English subsequent to early development then English is not their first language no matter how proficient in it they become.' (DfE)

At Caterham High School we recognise that learners will be at different stages of English language acquisition (from complete beginner to advanced bilingual), but even those at the same stage of English language acquisition will have different backgrounds and needs. For example, they will have had different experiences of schooling overseas. Some will be literate in other languages and might already have developed concepts in other subjects, such as science and mathematics, through another language. Others will have had little or no formal education and might not be literate in any language.

EAL support at Caterham

The school has a robust system to support learners who are at the very early stages of learning English. The Lead Teacher is bilingual in seven different languages and has an in-depth understanding of how pupils develop an additional language. We have established an "EAL Academy" where our students learn English as a modern foreign language, engage in work to support their learning in curriculum subjects especially in relation to key vocabulary and concepts, and enjoy a pastoral curriculum that supports their personal development and understanding of British culture and values. They have opportunities to socialise with their peer group through sport, enrichment, break and lunchtimes, clubs and activities. They also attend year group assemblies.

We assess students using the Bells Foundation, using the assessment to monitor progress and support integration into main stream lessons.

Students are typically part of the EAL Academy for a term to a term and a half. However, careful assessment ensures that students join main stream lesson when they are ready to do so.

"I would like to express my gratitude for the EAL classes and support that my son has received. Thanks to the teaching and support, my son has been able to advance. It has helped him in his comprehension and confidence in reading and writing, which has been very useful for him to learn in the other classes". I greatly appreciate the dedication and effort that you have made so that my son learns more every day" - Parent

"When I arrived in London from Italy, adapting to a new environment and learning a new language was a significant challenge. However, being part of EAL (English as an Additional Language) classes have made this transition much smoother. The small group setting created a close-knit community, making us feel like a family. This provided not only academic support but also a sense of belonging, which motivated me to attend school and engage with peers in a comfortable environment" - past student

If you have any questions about our EAL Academy, please email welcome@ecaterham.net - for the attention of Ms Nica and Mr Hunter.