Sibford School has a specialist EAL department (English as an Additional Language) staffed by experienced TEFL teachers dedicated to helping our students acquire the language skills needed for academic achievement.
The EAL support offered is divided into three distinct areas:
This course is for students who need to improve their English language before joining Years 10 and 11 (pre GCSE courses) or Sixth Form (pre A Levels).
The Intensive English Course is designed to give the students a thorough grounding in the English language and the core skills needed to progress to a strong intermediate level. We are now accepting applications for the next academic year (2024/2025) and beyond.
In addition to EAL lessons other subjects are studied, commonly: maths, physical education, textiles, food nutrition and business studies. It is our aim to introduce students to more practical subjects which will enable them to use their language and experience subjects which may be new to them.
The EAL lessons are varied and cater to a range of learning styles. They are designed to allow the student to progress and gain confidence in each area of their English whilst helping them to integrate with the wider school. Many students choose to supplement their timetable by attending lessons in subjects they intend to study next year – this recent innovation has proved helpful.
Successful completion of this course should lead to the commencement of GCSE or A Level courses. However, this course may also be of interest to students wanting to improve their language before beginning a Foundation course at university.
This course is for students who wish to follow the British curriculum and at the same time improve their language skills.
The ultimate aim of most international students is to have a British education and gain recognised British qualifications. For students with an intermediate level of English and above, the mainstream school timetable with EAL support is the best option.
The Learning Development Centre and the EAL team work hard to raise your level of English whilst providing extra support for your other subjects. Whilst there is a great deal of subject specific language to learn, this approach allows for a greater amount of immersion in the English language and more time with native speakers.
For new students we make sure this option isn’t overwhelming and liaise with all the subject teachers to ensure the students can participate, be challenged, and gain greater confidence with their English without feeling threatened or unnecessarily weighed down.
EAL lessons make up around 25% of the weekly timetable.
Entry requirements
Students are required to have a strong, intermediate level of English.
This course is for students who are following A Level courses as members of our Sixth Form. The IELTS examination is necessary for any international student who plans to study at a British university.
The primary aim of this course is to prepare our students with the necessary language and techniques to achieve an acceptable test score in the International English Language Testing System (IELTS).
The course uses the latest IELTS course books and through discussion and analysis, enhanced with tailor-made materials adapted from current periodicals and journals, all demands of the test are met. As the reading and writing parts of the test are particularly challenging, not being merely a language test, this approach allows the student to more fully appreciate everyday and world issues. This is crucial for attaining an acceptable test score. It also allows the students to expand their overall English language skills.
Where possible our students will achieve a satisfactory IELTS score in Year 12. In Year 13 they may then progress their English even further by being taught towards the higher and prestigious Cambridge Certificate in Advance English (CAE) - an advanced English qualification for both university and working life. Success in this exam will earn UCAS points which will enhance university applications.
