Tes Analysis: Rising EAL pupil numbers requires proper response

With more pupils with English as an Additional Language (EAL) in more schools, we must do better to support and measure their needs, says Director of the Bell Foundation in this extract from a Tes analysis piece.

Historically, there has often been a view that pupils with English as an additional language (EAL) outperform monolinguals and so need less support within schools.

Conversely, sometimes there is a belief that newly arrived refugee communities are putting pressure on overstretched schools.

Both views are highly simplistic and based on anecdotal insights that tell us little about the true educational attainment or needs of EAL pupils.

Rising EAL numbers across schools

With the new government committed to enhancing opportunity through education, and EAL learner numbers continuing to rise, we have now published further research on EAL learners that underlines why this is an area of the system that cannot be overlooked.

  • EAL pupils comprise 20.5 per cent of the school population and numbers are rising.

In 1997, just under 500,000 (7.6 per cent) of all pupils have EAL. In 2013, this number rose to 1.05 million (16.2 per cent) and is now at 1.68 million or 20.5 per cent of all pupils (2023).

  • A greater proportion of schools now have EAL speakers in their classes.

In 2013, over half of all schools had fewer than 5 per cent EAL pupils - while in 2023, only a third of schools have fewer than 5 per cent EAL pupils.

EAL pupils make up 50 per cent of the roll in 10 per cent of primary schools and 8 per cent of secondary schools. London (47.9 per cent of schools) the West Midlands (13.2 per cent of schools) and the North-West (11.6 per cent of schools) have the highest number of schools with the majority of pupils (over 50 per cent) with EAL .

  • Attainment at key stages - what does the evidence say?

The attainment of pupils with EAL trails behind that of monolingual pupils from the early years foundation stage to key stage 2.

By key stage 4, EAL pupils are just as likely to achieve a good GCSE in English and have higher attainment 8 and progress 8 scores, demonstrating clearly that bilingualism has positive associations with attainment. But without proficiency in English, attainment lags behind monolinguals.

Read full analysis piece in Tes.

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