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13 April 2026

Tag: EAL

A third of EAL pupils ‘fluent’ in English, new analysis shows

More than a third of school pupils whose first language isn’t English are fluent in the language, new government analysis shows. The Department for Education has published analysis of data from its shortlived collection on the language proficiency of pupils with English as an additional language (EAL), which ran as part of the school census […]

How can we better support EAL pupils?

EAL pupils are not a remotely homogeneous group, and we’re foolish to treat them as such, writes Jo Hutchinson One of the top stories from the recent 2017 GCSE results was the extraordinary rise of children with English as an Additional Language (EAL) over the last 15 years. Here, it was reported that on average, such […]

A third of EAL pupils are fluent in English

A third of pupils with English as an additional language are fluent in it, according to new data from the school census. A new requirement that schools record data on EAL pupils’ proficiency in English came into effect last summer. The system involves schools grading proficiency on a sliding scale from “new to English” to “fluent”. […]

Leading MATs have far more pupils with English as additional language

The largest multi-academy trusts have far more pupils with English as an additional language – and could be benefiting from having more children who are “easier” to progress. Researchers have identified 13 academy trusts responsible for 12,000 pupils or more, which are dubbed “system leaders” under a new system used by the national schools commissioner. […]