Tes Magazine: Schools need more help with rise in EAL pupils, say experts

Report says government should bring back national statutory tests for English proficiency, to help teachers and pupils. This is an extract from a Tes Magazine article.

Experts are calling for the re-introduction of statutory language tests and greater support for the growing number of school pupils who speak English as an additional language (EAL).

Oxford University researchers say the number of EAL pupils has tripled since 1997, and now stands at over 1.7 million - one in five of the total population in state schools in England.

Their analysis shows that multilingual classrooms are now the norm. While only a quarter of English schools were comprised of at least 5 per cent of EAL pupils in 1997, this increased to more than half of schools by 2023.

Lead researcher Steve Strand, professor of education at Oxford University, said this is “a concern for schools and teachers, who tell us they don’t feel prepared to teach multilingual classrooms”.

Professor Strand said his team’s findings point to the need for the government to introduce a national measure of young people’s proficiency in English for those classified as EAL.

“At the moment, we are not measuring the main thing that determines the needs young people have, so we failing to support some young people and we are not supporting them long enough in their journey through school,” he said.

Read full article in Tes Magazine.

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