Begbrook Primary Academy celebrates Bronze EAL Award

Staff and students at Begbrook Primary Academy are celebrating an outstanding achievement after being awarded the prestigious Bronze Quality Mark for English as an Additional Language (EAL).

This accolade highlights the school’s commitment to inclusive and innovative teaching practices that support multilingual learners.

To earn the Bronze award, Begbrook presented a comprehensive overview of its inclusive teaching strategies and detailed its plans to enhance staff engagement in assessing pupils’ English language proficiency.

Judges were particularly impressed by the school’s high-quality oracy observed in classrooms, an attribute that enhances language learning and academic success.

During the assessment, judges met with pupils and engaged in discussions with Romanian parents, gaining insights into the school’s welcoming and supportive environment for families from diverse linguistic backgrounds.

Mrs Aslam, a dedicated member of the school’s EAL team, was recognised for her exceptional support for newly-arrived pupils and families. Mrs Aslam’s work, in partnership with class teachers, includes targeted interventions for advanced bilingual learners, an effort that was pivotal in securing this award.

The school has also taken proactive steps to involve all multilingual parents and promote a ‘multilingualism as an asset’ mindset across the school community.

Initiatives such as a language of the month program celebrate linguistic diversity and encourage a positive attitude toward multilingualism within the pupil body.

Mrs Skade, the school’s strategic lead for EAL, was also commended for her vision to integrate EAL pedagogy into quality-first teaching practices and for fostering a whole-school approach to support multilingual learners.

Sian Adams, Vice Principal at Begbrook Academy, said: “The Bronze EAL Quality Mark is a testament to Begbrook Primary Academy’s dedication to inclusive education and its efforts to support all pupils in achieving language proficiency and academic success. We are thrilled to win this award.”