EAL (English as an additional language)

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At The Wren School, we are extremely proud to be a community of many languages and diverse cultures. Around 45% of our school community are identified as EAL, with over 50 different languages being spoken between us.

The Bell Foundation describes how,

“Learners with EAL have a dual task at school: to learn English (language) and to learn through English”.

Therefore, the support provided to students who are not only transitioning to learning a new language but also fitting in to a new culture and way of life is vital. All multilingual students arriving at The Wren will be known to the EAL coordinator on arrival and monitored throughout their time at The Wren School; families will be supported prior to the student’s arrival at the school as far as time allows and thereafter. On arrival, the student will have their proficiency in English assessed using The Bell Foundation criteria (see the DfE proficiency bandings below for more information). If proficiency is deemed sufficient to enable access, then NGRT and CATS will also be organised. Students will continue to be assessed according to proficiency and well – being no less than once per year – all students will receive intervention measures as appropriate. (See flow chart below).