At Old Town Infant School and Nursery the teaching and learning, achievements, attitudes and well-being of all our children are important. We are committed to working with all our communities to ensure that everyone has an equal opportunity to succeed.

We do not automatically assume that children who have EAL are children with special educational needs and they are not added to our special needs register. Equally we know that some children with EAL may have needs that are not connected to the fact that English is an additional language.

Over 25% of our children have particular learning and assessment requirements, which are linked to their progress in learning English as an additional language.

Children who are learning English as an additional language have skills and knowledge about language similar to monolingual English-speaking children. Their ability to participate in the full curriculum may be in advance of their communicative skills in English.

In our school teachers take action to help children who are learning English as an additional language by various means:

developing their spoken and written English by:

·     ensuring that vocabulary work covers the technical as well as the everyday meaning of key words, metaphors and idioms;

·     explaining how speaking and writing in English are structured for different purposes across a range of subjects;

·     providing a range of reading materials that highlight the different ways in which English is used;

·     ensuring that there are effective opportunities for talking, and that talking is used to support writing;

·     encouraging children to transfer their knowledge, skills and understanding of one language to another;

·      building on children’s experiences of language at home and in the wider community, so that their developing uses of English and other languages support one another;

ensuring access to the curriculum and to assessment by:

·     using accessible texts and materials that suit children’s ages and levels of learning;

·     providing support through ICT, video or audio materials, dictionaries and translators;

·     using the home or first language where appropriate;

·

All children in our school follow the curricular requirements of the Foundation Stage and the National Curriculum. Children with English as an additional language do not produce separate work. We do not regularly withdraw children from lessons to receive EAL Support – most of our EAL children have heightened support from the class based Teaching Assistant. This involves supporting individual children or small groups of children and, at times, teaching the whole class.

In the Foundation Stage we plan opportunities for children to develop their English, and we provide support to help them take part in activities.

The Foundation Stage helps children learning English as an additional language by:

·      building on children’s experiences of language at home and in the

      wider community, so that their developing uses of English and of other languages support one another;

·      providing a range of opportunities for children to engage in speaking and listening activities in English with peers and adults;

·     providing bilingual support (where necessary) to extend vocabulary;

·     providing a variety of writing in the children’s home language as well as in English;

·     providing opportunities for children to hear their home languages aswell as English.

For further information about EAL support at Old Town Infant School and Nursery, or if you have any worries and concerns about your child in this area, please contact the SENCO via the school office or by email to oldtown.office@coastalpartnership.co.uk marked FAO SENCO.