English as an Additional Language (EAL)

At Westgate Primary School, we celebrate the fact that many of our children speak more than one language and acknowledge their ability to use a variety of community languages. In our school the teaching and learning, achievements, attitudes and well-being of all children are important. We encourage all children to achieve the highest possible standards. We do this through taking account of each child’s life experiences and needs.

A number of our children have particular learning and assessment requirements, which are linked to their progress in learning English as an Additional Language (EAL).

Approximately 13% of the children at Westgate Primary School have English as an Additional Language. There are seven other first languages spoken, including;

• Bengali
• Chinese
• German
• Lithuanian
• Polish
• Russian
• Tamil

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.