English as an additional language an update from Ofsted

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• English as an additional language an update
  from Ofsted
• Mark Sims HMI
• BLEN Conference
• 28 November 2008

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Aims of the session

• The national scene
• Recent publications
• Every language matters
• Narrowing the gap

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The national scene
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Numbers of EAL learners in schools

• The total number of pupils in primary and
  secondary maintained schools learning English as
  an additional language (EAL) has risen from 653
  800 in 2003 (9.6 of the school population) to
  789 790 in 2007 (12 of the school population).
• The largest increases in pupils learning EAL were
  in the North West, Yorkshire and the Humber, the
  East of England, Inner London and Outer London.
  Over 50 of pupils in Inner London are learning
  English as an additional language (EAL).

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Numbers at an early stage of EAL

• The publication of last year's GCSE league tables
  (2007) indicate that the number of pupils joining
  schools at early stages of learning English and
  within two years of their GCSE has increased by
  50 per cent in two years.
• The figures, based on analysis of GCSE league
  tables, suggest that nearly 2000 pupils were
  removed from the figures which make up that years
  tables, because they were learning EAL and had
  arrived less than 2 years prior to their exams

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Key Stages 1 - 4

• The release by the DCSF of the attainment figures
  for 2006/7 shows that 'Pupils with English as a
  First Language perform better than pupils with a
  language other than English as their First
  Language in each stage of education.
• For example, at Key Stage 2, the percentage of
  pupils achieving Level 4 or above with English
  known or believed to be their First Language was
  81, compared to 73 of students with a language
  other than English as their First Language'.

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Key Stage 4

• The gap in attainment of 5 A-C GCSEs between EAL
  speakers and first language English speakers has
  narrowed considerably over the past 5 years.
• In 2007, 58.2 of EAL speakers gained 5 A-C
  grades compared to 59.4 of first language
  English speakers.
• The percentages gaining 5 A-C including English
  and mathematics rose to 43 of EAL speakers and
  45.7 of first language English speakers.

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Recent Publications
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Somali Achievement

• Raising the achievement of Somali pupils
• Challenges and School Responses March 2008 
• Feyisa Demie
• Kirstin Lewis
• Christabel McLean

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Findings

• A new research report has found that Somali
  pupils in ten London Schools are bucking the
  national trend by demonstrating an impressive
  improvement in performance. The joint research,
  led by Lambeth Council and commissioned by a
  pan-London group of local authorities, has found
  that despite a national trend of
  underperformance, Somali pupils in ten London
  schools have shown a dramatic rise in achievement
  over the last few years. Researchers attribute
  the success to good practice, which they hope can
  be emulated in other schools to support the
  35,000 Somali pupils in London and across the UK.
  In one case study secondary school the number of
  Somali pupils achieving five or more A to C
  grades rose from 27 percent in 1994 to 100
  percent in 2007. In another primary school, 94
  percent of Somali pupils who entered the school a
  few years ago with well below average scores
  achieved a level 4 or above in English and
  Science, despite English not being their first
  language

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Identifying good practice

• Researchers found reasons behind the improvements
  included
• strong, inspirational leadership by the
  headteacher supported by a capable management
  team
• close links with parents and increasing community
  support
• effective use of diverse workforce
• effective support for pupils for who English is
  not a first language and a broad curriculum which
  incorporates aspects of pupils' own culture
  adding relevance and building self-esteem.
• successful recruitment of staff reflecting the
  local community
• Somali learning mentors making successful links
  with the local community, parent and pupils.

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Aiming High Meeting the needs of newly arrived
learners of EAL

• Date of issue May 2005
• Reference number DfES1381-2005
• Meeting the needs of newly arrived learners of
  EAL (PDF 60Kb)

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New Arrivals Excellence Programme Guidance

• Audience Teaching assistants, Key Stage 3
  teachers, Key Stage 2 teachers, Key Stage 1
  teachers, Heads and deputies, EMAG teachers,
  Consultants and managers
• Date of issue Oct. 2007
• Reference number 00650-2007BKT-EN
• New Arrivals Excellence Programme Guidance (PDF
  467Kb)

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New arrivals excellence programme Management
guide

• Audience Leading teachers, Heads and deputies
• Date of issue Mar. 2008
• Reference number 00041-2008DWO-EN
• New arrivals excellence programme Management

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Recent Ofsted surveys
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• Every language matters
• An evaluation of the extent and impact of initial
  training to teach a wider range of world
  languages
• February 2008

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Key findings 1 provision and uptake

• Limited number of PGCE courses
• Low uptake on courses (35 trainees on course in 5
  institutions in 2006 / 07)
• Most teachers teaching languages other than
  French, German and Spanish are unqualified
• Barriers to intending teachers (location of
  course availability of language fulltime study
  European language requirement)

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Key findings 2 removing the barriers

• Flexible courses were more successful in
  recruiting trainees (3 full time courses had no
  recruits)
• The most successful courses offered specialist
  support in the trainees own language
• Alternatives to a teaching a European language as
  a second subject were offered such as English as
  additional language
• Distance learning was offered where trainees
  would have had to travel long distances

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Key findings 3 teaching practice

• Teacher training institutions could not easily
  get information nationally on which language were
  taught in schools
• It was difficult to find placements for teaching
  practice in certain languages for sufficient
  timetable coverage and support from the language
  department in school
• The quality of teaching seen by teachers who held
  a PGCE was consistently good
• The graduate teacher programme provided a
  successful employment-based route into teaching

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Key findings 4 perceptions

• A third of the schools surveyed did not accord
  European and Community languages equal status
  (curriculum time resources)
• All senior staff interviewed regarded the quality
  of teaching was better from qualified staff they
  were split equally on the merits of PGCE or GTP
• Information on PGCE courses was not widely known
  by schools and unqualified teachers

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Narrowing the gap
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Purpose

• To provide an overview of teaching, learning,
  achievement and intervention in reading, writing
  and numeracy in schools and other early years
  settings and evaluate their effectiveness in
  preparing all pupils to achieve the expected
  standards at the end of each key stage

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Scope

• The focus will be more on literacy than numeracy
  and on vulnerable groups, in particular Looked
  after children and those learning English as an
  additional language.
• How well are schools / settings developing
  expertise to support pupils who speak English as
  an additional language?