EAL at a Glance

At Gordano School, we support students who speak English as an Additional Language (EAL) so they can access learning, feel confident and achieve their full potential.

We identify language needs early, use nationally recognised assessment tools, and provide supportive, inclusive teaching so that EAL students can thrive academically and socially.

Our Approach

We are committed to fostering an inclusive and welcoming environment where linguistic and cultural diversity is valued. Although our EAL cohort is small, we take a structured and responsive approach to ensure support is effective and proportionate.

Our practice is informed by The Bell Foundation’s EAL Assessment Framework, which supports high expectations and equitable access to the full curriculum.

All staff share responsibility for supporting EAL learners, and all teachers are teachers of EAL.

Identifying and Supporting EAL Students

Students identified as having EAL are assessed using the Bell Foundation EAL Proficiency Levels (A–E), which describe progression from being new to English through to fluency.

Support is reviewed regularly and matched carefully to each student’s needs. This may include:

• Targeted English language support for students at earlier stages
• Access to Flash Academy
• Classroom strategies that support language development
• Bilingual dictionaries and translation tools where appropriate

As students become more confident in English, support is gradually reduced and they fully transition into mainstream lessons.

EAL support is designed to remove barriers to learning, not to limit curriculum access or aspiration.

Support in the Classroom

Teachers support EAL learners by:

• Maintaining high expectations
• Making small adaptations to help students understand language and subject content
• Explicitly teaching key vocabulary and subject‑specific language

Staff have access to high‑quality EAL resources and ongoing professional development.