General

Pupil support is tailored to the needs of the individual and is provided, in the academic context, by timetabled EAL lessons, either for small groups or on a one to one basis, depending on the needs of each pupil. The EAL department has a professional approach which reflects the ethos of the College and the subject departments: high standards of academic progress, punctuality, behaviour, presentation of class work and preparation are required.

Enrolment

Eastbourne College welcomes pupils for whom English is an additional language so long as they have the aptitude and ability to cope with being taught in English. To enable them to become stronger in English and benefit fully from all the educational opportunities on offer, the EAL programme provides compulsory tuition for international pupils throughout their time at the College.

All international pupils are asked to write an EAL entrance test. We ask for a level of English usage that is generally classified as Intermediate/Upper Intermediate for Year 9 and Year 10 and Upper Intermediate/Advanced for Year 12 and Year 13.

Aims of the EAL department

1. To extend pupils’ knowledge of English language and culture, and to provide a learning programme which increases their linguistic competence and enables them to participate fully in the mainstream curriculum, leading to qualifications in English which give them access to higher education.
2. To continue to support the learning process after Year 9 by focusing on language skills and lexis.
3. To monitor pupils’ overall linguistic progress, interaction and participation via continuous feedback from subject teachers, and to liaise with subject teachers so that EAL teaching can focus on areas of difficulty.
4. To provide guidelines for good practice in the classroom and to encourage subject teachers to deal sensitively with these pupils.
5. To prepare and to enter pupils for the IGCSE in Year 10 or Year 11 and for IELTS in Year 12 or Year 13.
6. To establish a rapport with the pupils which complements that of subject teachers, work tutors and housemasters/housemistresses and which provides informal feedback on pupils’ perceptions, morale and other pastoral concerns.

 Academic Provision

Year 9: EAL provision is most intense in Year 9, in particular in the Michaelmas term, in order to accelerate and facilitate the integration of the EAL pupils into the mainstream curriculum. Pupils have 5 periods of specialist tuition over a two week cycle from a qualified English specialist. During these lessons they are taught English intensively. The EAL specialist is also present during mainstream English and Geography lessons in the first term and works closely with the English and Geography teachers so that maximum support can be provided. This also gives them a valuable source of pastoral support. They are not taught French.

Years 10 & 11: In Years 10 and 11 pupils have 6 periods over a two week cycle. These lessons are instead of French lessons. Pupils will sit the EAL IGCSE exam, in addition to them following the courses in GCSE English and English Literature. If a pupil has studied French previously and wishes to continue with this subject then it may be possible to provide an EAL programme.

Sixth Form: International pupils who join Eastbourne College in the sixth form are required to take EAL lessons in order to consolidate the progress that they make from being immersed in an English-speaking environment and to work towards an IELTS qualification. Depending on the individual’s level of English, the preparation aims to reach at least the grade 6 standard, the minimum grade required by the majority of British universities. It takes three terms, involving a time commitment of two periods over a two week cycle, depending on the individual's needs and timetable restrictions. These lessons are flexible and are arranged with the EAL teacher. In addition to studying IELTS, linguistic support in AS and A level subjects can be given if needed.

The EAL course is compulsory for all international pupils unless / until the College decides that a pupil no longer requires EAL tuition.