ESOL

Year 3-6 is a general mainstream curriculm with support course. It is a bespoke programme focused on equipping pupils with the language and skills needed to fully access the mainstream British curriculum appropriate to their age group. Pupils will have up to six lessons of English (ESOL) teaching in place of up to six curriculum lessons. 

The Year 9 course is mainly focused on tackling different writing formats in preparation for the GCSEs to come. These include informal letters, formal letters, articles and essay writing. It includes a revision of all major tenses. Support is also offered in particular for the language-rich subjects of History, Geography, Religious Studies and English.

In Years 10 and 11, the course prepares students for the IGCSE ESOL and provides tailored support for their mainstream English course. It covers skimming a text for detail, summarising a text, structuring a discursive piece of writing, analysis of persuasive devices for discursive article writing, and descriptive writing techniques. Any recurrent grammar issues are also studied.

The A Level course is focused on the IELTS exam and offers intensive support on writing academic English. It includes structuring an academic argument, analysing data and graphs, techniques to approach long academic texts and builds up academic vocabulary. The focus is very much placed on improving writing and reading skills.

In addition to offering academic support, we offer a host of extra-curricular activities, including English as an Additional Language (EAL) spelling competitions, EAL debating competitions, international days to share their culture and a chance to gain a language leader award from Anglia Ruskin University.

Please note, students who join the school who have been living outside the UK and not an EEA or Swiss national are strongly recommended to take an English language test.

The aim of the course is to develop the four language skills:

Speaking

To communicate ideas and information clearly and confidently using pronunciation and intonation intelligible to a native speaker;

Listening

To comprehend English spoken with different accents and for different purposes (interviews, arguments, lectures, etc.); to extract gist and meaning from aural information and record in the form of notes;

Reading

To develop a variety of reading techniques (scanning, skimming and detailed reading); to extract facts and main ideas from nonfictional literature; to deduce meaning from and respond to fictional literature;

Writing

To compose a variety of text formats (reports, letters, reviews, discursive essays, etc.) for different audiences; to compose clear, accurate notes and summaries. Vocabulary and grammar are developed throughout the programme, with lessons tailored to the students’ individual needs. Individual support is also provided to students who experience language difficulties in specialised subject areas which have a high language content, e.g. Science, Religious Studies, Business Studies.

Student will sit the Cambridge First in year 9 and the ESOL I GCSE in year 10. At the end of year 11, they will take the Trinity  ISE ESOL Level 3

Those students who are on part -time ESOL will sit the Cambridge First in year 9 and the ESOL I GCSE in year 10. At the end of year 11, they will receive support for their GCSE English.