EAL Support at Philip Southcote School

At Philip Southcote School, every student is valued as an individual. All our pupils meet the criteria for Moderate Learning Difficulties (MLD), and some also have additional needs. For students who are learning English as an Additional Language (EAL), we provide personalised support so they can learn confidently and feel included in every aspect of school life.

How We Support EAL Learners

To understand each pupil fully, staff use a wide range of information including academic progress, EHCP outcomes, personal development goals and insight from families. This helps us plan the right support for every child. For pupils learning English, we use a combination of strategies that support both EAL and MLD needs. These approaches help students to access the curriculum, communicate more easily and develop their independence.

Working Together With Families

We work closely with parents and carers to understand each child’s language background, culture and strengths. We make sure communication between home and school is clear and accessible, using plain English, visuals and symbols, translated materials where needed, and supportive technology such as translation tools.

Support from the REMA Service

When specialist guidance is needed, we work with Surrey’s Race Equality and Minority Achievement (REMA) team. REMA provides expert advice and support for EAL learners and their families, including assessments and tailored strategies. More information about REMA can be found here.

How iPads Support Our EAL and MLD Learners

Every student at Philip Southcote School uses an iPad. These devices help make learning more accessible, engaging and personalised. They support EAL learners in four key ways.

• Visual learning: Teachers use photos, videos, drawings and symbols to help explain new ideas, reducing reliance on spoken or written English.
• Language tools: iPads offer translation apps, bilingual dictionaries and speech-support tools. These reduce barriers to communication and help pupils learn new vocabulary, understand instructions and express their thoughts more confidently. iPads also empower EAL learners to take greater control of their learning. Pupils can record their thinking using voice, video or images, which gives them more than one way to show what they understand without relying only on written English. These tools help pupils feel successful, included and increasingly confident in managing their own learning.
• Structured learning: Apps can break tasks into smaller steps, offer visual prompts and support reading and writing through text-to-speech and speech-to-text tools.
• Independence: Pupils can work at their own pace, revisit learning, use visual schedules and manage tasks more independently, helping build confidence.

Our Commitment

Philip Southcote School and the Bourne Education Trust are committed to providing an inclusive, welcoming and culturally responsive environment. Our curriculum and resources celebrate diversity and reflect the identities of all our pupils. Every child deserves to feel safe, supported and able to achieve their best. We are proud to provide the tools, understanding and guidance needed for all learners, including those learning English, to succeed academically, socially and personally.