Wimborne First School & Nursery

EAL (English as an additional language)

24 different languages are spoken by children and staff at Wimborne First School

(March 2024)

At Wimborne First School, we promote language awareness and inclusion; we embrace and celebrate diversity while providing a welcoming environment in which pupils will learn most effectively.

All pupils need to feel safe, accepted and valued in order to learn and reach their full potential. For pupils who are learning English as an additional language, this includes recognising and valuing their home language and background.

When children for whom English is an additional language enter the school we enter this information onto Bromcom which creates an EAL register. If they are a New Arrival i.e. new to the country the class teacher will carry out a new arrival assessment about two weeks later, when they have begun to settle in. This involves assessing their proficiency in English against the Portsmouth Pathway Points. With the support of The Ethnic Minority Achievement Service (EMAS), there can also be a meeting with parents to gather information and complete a first language assessment if necessary.   

EAL is not a Special Educational Need. It may be appropriate to offer some withdrawal from class for specific interventions, but this is minimized as language acquisition is best promoted through a range of good, inclusive strategies and adaptation of the usual curriculum. To learn English well, children benefit most from having good language models around.

 As a school, we are aware that bilingualism is a strength and that EAL pupils have a valuable contribution to make to the school and the wider society. We offer appropriate support for our EAL children to help them access the school curriculum, we monitor their progress and celebrate their achievements.

            Language of the Term              

Turkish

In our school, there are 2 children whose first language is Turkish.

In assembly this term we learnt how to say ‘hello’ and ‘goodbye’ in Turkish.

• The capital of Turkey is Ankara.
• The currency of Turkey is Lira
• Turkish is the official language of the Republic of Turkey and the Turkish Republic of Northern Cyprus (TRNC).
• There are also small communities of Turkish speakers found in Greece, Russia and Azerbaijan.