EAL English as Additional Language

At Loddon Primary School we recognise that our curriculum should be broad, balanced and relevant and meet the needs of all children whatever their ability. We will actively research and reflect on best practice: locally, nationally and internationally to inform the pedagogical approaches we take to our teaching and curriculum delivery. As a Values-based Education school our values underpin all that we do at Loddon, including being given a priority within the curriculum.

Values Education enables children to discuss, explore and reflect upon those universally held positive values we live by which make us thoughtful, caring and responsible citizens. Through this our children develop an understanding of themselves and their behaviour and are helped to realize how their actions affect others.

Curriculum aims

Our curriculum aims/intends to:

• To celebrate multilingual skills and promote linguistic diversity with all pupils.
• To promote and encourage the development of the children’s first languages in order to facilitate concept development in tandem with their acquisition of English.
• To ensure that learners not yet fluent in spoken English are entitled to receive planned support for their oracy and literacy skills. To seek first language assessment to ensure the accurate identification of SEND.
• To promote academic achievement for EAL pupils to develop knowledge, understand concepts and acquire skills, by grouping EAL pupils according to cognitive level rather than English language level.
• To use key visuals and other strategies to support children’s access to the curriculum and to provide them with access to resources which are age appropriate, at an appropriate language level, and are linguistically and culturally appropriate.
• To facilitate parents’ access to school life by providing dual language information on our website and liaising with them to help them support their children’s learning
• To provide all staff with high-quality professional development to develop their knowledge of EAL pedagogy and their skills for teaching EAL learners.

Languages spoken by children and staff at our School include;