Functional skills for EAL pupils in secondary

131 views
Skip to first unread message

Michelle Davies

unread,
Nov 4, 2023, 3:13:01 AM11/4/23
to eal-bi...@googlegroups.com
Hi,
Yes we provide functional skills instead of GCSE when required. We are based in Tamworth,  Staffordshire. Our school requirements to do this are as follows:
The student has arrived in KS4
The student has not had time to become competent in English 
The assessment data for the student shows that they will achieve a grade below 4.
Hope that is helpful 
Michelle Davies 

On Fri, 3 Nov 2023, 14:50 , <eal-bi...@googlegroups.com> wrote:
Tanya Ingram <tanya....@norfolk.gov.uk>: Nov 02 08:11PM

Hi
 
Can I ask if anyone is currently running ESOL and/or Functional Skills English lessons for EAL pupils who arrive in later secondary school years and are new to English in their school?
...more
You have received this digest because you're subscribed to updates for this group. You can change your settings on the group membership page.
To unsubscribe from this group and stop receiving emails from it send an email to eal-bilingua...@googlegroups.com.

Anne-Sophie Cocault

unread,
Nov 4, 2023, 8:00:27 AM11/4/23
to Michelle Davies, eal-bi...@googlegroups.com
This is great, Michelle. Are those qualifications recognised by further education colleges and/or universities?
I am based in NI, and we have to put every child through GCSE English, even when they have just arrived and are new to English... Pointless and counter-productive in my view..

thanks,
sophie

--
This group is managed by NALDIC, the UK's EAL Professional Association. Please visit our website for further information: www.naldic.org.uk. Twitter: @EAL_naldic. NALDIC's Privacy Policy | https://naldic.org.uk/privacy-policy
 
National Association for Language Development in the Curriculum
A Registered Charity and Company Limited by Guarantee in England and Wales. Charity No 1110570. Company No 05159760
---
You received this message because you are subscribed to the Google Groups "EAL-Bilingual" group.
To unsubscribe from this group and stop receiving emails from it, send an email to eal-bilingua...@googlegroups.com.
To view this discussion on the web, visit https://groups.google.com/d/msgid/eal-bilingual/CAEpFGFSkbTLhTa5edpdrgF0434xNHyPqPg%2BX4RD2JFgBmzL%3DZA%40mail.gmail.com.


--
Language & Education
EAL/ Multilingualism
Teacher Trainer

Christine Heaton

unread,
Nov 6, 2023, 4:11:49 AM11/6/23
to Anne-Sophie Cocault, Michelle Davies, eal-bi...@googlegroups.com


Hi all

We also deliver alternative English provision for KS4, Y11, students who are unable to access the GCSE curriculum.  We teach/have taught Step-Up to English, Bronze-Gold and Functional Skills. However, we only offer this to students who are unable to achieve a minimum of Grade 1 at GCSE. The reason for the Grade 1 minimum is that local colleges etc do not recognise these entry level qualifications (perhap this is different in Northern Ireland)- in the sense that they would never be accepted as part of an entry requirements for any post-16 course. Some college courses do accept grades 2-3 at GCSE and in almost all cases the students are expected to start a resit GCSE English programme at college (unless they progress onto an ESOL programme).  

So it is a balance! We want the students to feel safe, supported and not overwhelmed by the task of English GCSEs (which can be very overwhelming!). We also want the students to feel a sense of accomplishment and that they are engaging with studies that are accessible. This is all whilst acknowledging that the Functional Skills and Step Up courses will not translate into meeting entry requirements for further study at post-16 and we are mindful not to withdraw those students from the possibility of studying English Lang/Lit GCSES when they will potentially need to return to it the following year. Especially given that in school they recieve about 4 hours of English per week and that oftens drops to 1-2 hours per week at college. We sometimes withdraw from LIterature and focus on English Lang. It is all taken on a case by case basis. 

Hope this was helpful!

Best Wishes

Christine Heaton

pronouns: she, her, hers

 

EAL Coordinator

Blatchington Mill School


 Ext 272

[Encrypt] 


To view this discussion on the web, visit https://groups.google.com/d/msgid/eal-bilingual/CAN6znHfZdWXOc7_-sSH%3DpD_qgKomk%2BjhTfV-HTuS_UJ7XNd%2BpQ%40mail.gmail.com.

This email is confidential and intended solely for the use of the individual to whom it is addressed. Any views or opinions presented are solely those of the author and do not necessarily represent those of Blatchington Mill School. If you are not the intended recipient, be advised that you have received this email in error and that any use, dissemination, forwarding, printing, or copying of this email is strictly prohibited. If you have received this email in error please notify Blatchington Mill School. Email: office@blatchingtonmill.org.uk. School Website: www.blatchingtonmill.org.uk . All reasonable precautions have been taken to ensure that no viruses are present in this email. Blatchington Mill School cannot accept liability for loss, disruption or damage however caused, arising from the use of this e-mail. Please consider the environment, only print out this email if absolutely necessary.

Jane Lawton

unread,
Nov 6, 2023, 12:26:02 PM11/6/23
to Michelle Davies, eal-bi...@googlegroups.com

Hi Michelle,

This is really interesting.  One of the schools I go into to support their EAL learners has decided to enter some EAL learners for Functional Maths this year because they say the normal Maths lessons cover the Maths on the FS syllabus and some of the EMT students will be entered too.  However, the English department are not so keen because they say FS English would need teaching, to which has implications for the timetables, plus they don’t have enough students to warrant running it and they don’t have the staff to cover separate lessons.   Do you have different classes timetabled to prepare the students for the FS English?

I was interested in your school’s criteria too. It makes sense to me.

Best wishes,

Jane

 

Jane Lawton

Ethnic Minority Achievement Teacher – Secondary

Please note: my working days are Tuesday to Friday

 

Ethnic Diversity Service

Services to People

Stockport Council

Enterprise House | Oakhurst Drive | Stockport | SK3 0XT

Tel:  0161 217 6889 |

E: eds....@stockport.gov.uk

W: www.stockport.gov.uk/topic/ethnic-diversity-service

W:www.educationstockport.uk/Services/1673

 

 

 

From: eal-bi...@googlegroups.com <eal-bi...@googlegroups.com> On Behalf Of Michelle Davies
Sent: 04 November 2023 07:13
To: eal-bi...@googlegroups.com
Subject: External: [EAL-Bilingual;9855] Functional skills for EAL pupils in secondary

 

You don't often get email from michelleeli...@gmail.com. Learn why this is important

Hi,

Yes we provide functional skills instead of GCSE when required. We are based in Tamworth,  Staffordshire. Our school requirements to do this are as follows:

The student has arrived in KS4

The student has not had time to become competent in English 

The assessment data for the student shows that they will achieve a grade below 4.

Hope that is helpful 

Michelle Davies 

 

On Fri, 3 Nov 2023, 14:50 , <eal-bi...@googlegroups.com> wrote:

Tanya Ingram <tanya....@norfolk.gov.uk>: Nov 02 08:11PM

Hi
 
Can I ask if anyone is currently running ESOL and/or Functional Skills English lessons for EAL pupils who arrive in later secondary school years and are new to English in their school?
...more

You have received this digest because you're subscribed to updates for this group. You can change your settings on the group membership page.
To unsubscribe from this group and stop receiving emails from it send an email to eal-bilingua...@googlegroups.com.

--

This group is managed by NALDIC, the UK's EAL Professional Association. Please visit our website for further information: www.naldic.org.uk. Twitter: @EAL_naldic. NALDIC's Privacy Policy | https://naldic.org.uk/privacy-policy
 
National Association for Language Development in the Curriculum
A Registered Charity and Company Limited by Guarantee in England and Wales. Charity No 1110570. Company No 05159760
---
You received this message because you are subscribed to the Google Groups "EAL-Bilingual" group.
To unsubscribe from this group and stop receiving emails from it, send an email to eal-bilingua...@googlegroups.com.
To view this discussion on the web, visit https://groups.google.com/d/msgid/eal-bilingual/CAEpFGFSkbTLhTa5edpdrgF0434xNHyPqPg%2BX4RD2JFgBmzL%3DZA%40mail.gmail.com.


Confidentiality:- This email, its contents and any attachments are intended only for the above named. As the email may contain confidential or legally privileged information, if you are not, or suspect that you are not, the above named or the person responsible for delivery of the message to the above named, please delete or destroy the email and any attachments immediately and inform the sender of the error.
Reply all
Reply to author
Forward
0 new messages