Britannica Awarded Accreditation for Exceptional EAL Provision

With students joining our school from all corners of the globe, our EAL Team takes on the exciting challenge of ensuring that all students are equipped with the necessary language tools to enable them to make the most of their time here at Britannica. Whatever the level of support required, our EAL specialists work together with students, parents and their teachers to ensure the programme of study is relevant to the demands of the curriculum and the student’s own personal needs.

The Bell Foundation aims to overcome exclusion through language education by working with partners on innovation, research, training and practical interventions. It accredits regional Centres of Expertise in the UK to build sustainable provision for learners who use EAL and offers Language for Results International, a high-quality suite of training, tools, resources and accreditation for international schools underpinned by the latest research and designed with learner impact at the forefront.

Following a discussion with assessors, where the school’s policies and procedures for EAL were measured against a set of assessment criteria, it was agreed that Britannica was ready to proceed with the submission of evidence to begin the ALFRI accreditation.

The final report follows Accreditation by Language for Results International (ALFRI), an accreditation scheme for international schools to demonstrate the quality of their EAL provision run by The Bell Foundation.

The report concluded that the school meets the accreditation criteria and will be accredited for its exceptional EAL provision for three years and included the following highlights from the seven dimensions assessed:

• The evidence submitted and accompanying narrative paints a picture of a school where the cultural and linguistic diversity of both the pupils and staff is celebrated.

• The school has clear values around excellence, respect, responsibility, integrity and compassion and these are promoted on the website and key policy documents and shared with parents and students when joining the school.

• The linguistic diversity that is present within the school is showcased and celebrated in whole-school events such as international days and through curriculum work where pupils can access a linguistically and culturally diverse body of texts and hear stories and poetry in a range of languages.

• The distinctive ethos regarding the value of EAL pupils is visible in the school's activities and valued by pupils, parents and staff.

• Over the last few years improving EAL provision has become a priority for all staff including the school's leadership team and there are now systems and procedures in place to ensure that both the Language and EAL Policy are embedded in practice.

• Pupils who use EAL achieve impressive learning outcomes, as demonstrated by progress and attainment data.

• There is evidence of a robust and comprehensive approach to EAL assessment, underpinned by an assessment policy and an EAL policy.

The EAL provision at Britannica strives to guide students through their English language learning journey, by providing the opportunity for excellence, challenging our students, and tailoring the teaching and learning processes to meet the needs of each individual.