English as an Additional Language (EAL)

The English as an Additional Language Department (EAL) offers provision for students whose first language is one other than English.

Students’ levels range from New to English (A) to Fluent (E), necessitating preparation of individual programmes. On arrival, EAL students are assessed using EAL Assessment package (speaking and listening assessment, reading and writing tests) and the Bell Foundation EAL Assessment Framework. Each student is considered individually, and once assessed, they join an appropriate EAL pathway. All students attending EAL intervention programmes are assessed each term, when they complete a summative assessment of all 4 skills. All the assessments are designed to show the progress made by each student so the support they get is personalised and meeting their needs.  Additionally, formative assessment of each student takes place in their withdrawal EAL session or during in class support to provide ongoing feedback that is then used by subject and EAL teachers to improve their teaching and by students to improve their learning. This formative assessment feedback enables students to identify their strengths and weaknesses and target areas that need to be improved. It also helps the EAL Department to recognise where students are struggling and address any issues immediately. All the EAL support programmes’ goal is to facilitate smooth integration into mainstream subjects, once students become more confident and proficient in English. 
With greater proficiency, students’ EAL programmes become more specialised, often focusing more on subject-specific language. Lessons are then tailored to support comprehension and expression in the content areas, frequently in subjects in which students will sit external exams.
 

KS3 EAL Withdrawal and Flash Academy 

KS3 students assessed to be at New to English (A) level (DfE levels) and at Early Acquisition (B) level receive weekly EAL withdrawal sessions (across the subjects).  In their EAL withdrawal sessions they follow an inspiring and up to date English language course aimed at developing their proficiency in English across all 4 language skills (Listening, Speaking, Reading and Writing). The curriculum for the withdrawal sessions is based on Oxford University Press English Plus language learning materials, supplemented by a plethora of targeted language learning resources, which help the learners develop their language competence through effective modelling, emphasis on communication, a focus on critical thinking and authentic language. The targeted students also engage in the independent learning at home through Flash Academy language learning software.  

In addition, students New to English (a), Early Acquisition (B) and Development Competence (C) have online support and English learning session on Flash Academy.

KS4 EAL English Functional Skills 

KS4 Students assessed to be at New to English (A) Level (DfE levels) or Early Acquisition (B) level are offered the EAL Option. They attend all core subjects and 2 option subjects and receive EAL intervention in place of the third option subject. This gives them a chance to develop their English language proficiency to be able to access and successfully pass their chosen GCSE subjects. To achieve this, the students follow a bespoke support programme which leads to a qualification in English Functional Skills (Edexcel).

The qualifications give learners the opportunity to:  

• Listen, understand and make relevant contributions to discussions with others in a range of contexts  
• Apply their understanding of language to adapt delivery and content to suit audience and purpose  
•  Read a range of different text types confidently and fluently, applying their knowledge and understanding of texts to their own writing  
• Write texts of varying complexity, with accuracy, effectiveness, and correct spelling, punctuation and grammar  
• Understand the situations when, and audiences for which, planning, drafting and using formal language are important, and when they are less important. 

The students who follow an EAL option at KS4 complete their Functional Skills examination in the Summer term of year 11.
 

Community Languages GCSE

All bilingual students who can speak, read and write in a community language supported by an exam board at GCSE level are encouraged to take the GCSE in their community language. The MFL (Modern Foreign Languages) Department provides students with guidance on the specification of their exam and supports them with their preparation and revision for those exams throughout the year. All the students at HABH, who had taken their community language GCSE in the past, have been very successful and most of them received top grades.