Celebrating Language. Embracing Diversity. Supporting Every Learner.

At Springfield Community Primary School, we are proud to be a richly diverse and inclusive school that celebrates every child’s culture, heritage, and language. We recognise that children who speak English as an Additional Language (EAL) bring a wealth of knowledge, experience, and identity that enriches the life of our school community.

Whether your child is new to English or already fluent in more than one language, we provide the right support at the right time—ensuring every child feels included, makes progress, and achieves their full potential.

Our School Community: Rich in Language and Culture

Springfield CPS proudly serves a multi-ethnic and multilingual community reflective of our vibrant local area. Our school demographics show:

• 63% of pupils are White British, compared to 76% across Lancashire and 65% nationally.
• 14% of pupils are of Pakistani heritage, compared to the Lancashire average of 8%.
• 31% of our children are EAL learners, more than double the Lancashire average (14.5%) and significantly above the national average (20.2%).

We currently have 18 languages spoken across school:
Polish, Kutchi, Kurdish, Chinese, Portuguese, Urdu, Panjabi, Igbo, Arabic, Lithuanian, Tamil, Bulgarian, Yoruba, Slovak, Romanian (Moldova), Shona, Romanian, and French.

Our children are at varied stages of English acquisition—from newly arrived learners with no prior exposure to English, to advanced bilingual speakers who continue to develop academic fluency.

What Is EAL?

A child is considered to have English as an Additional Language if they are exposed to another language at home. This doesn’t mean the child cannot speak English—it simply means English is not their first or only language. At Springfield, we view multilingualism as a strength. We encourage children to value their home language while developing confidence and fluency in English.

How We Support EAL Learners

We offer a flexible and graduated approach to EAL support based on each child’s needs. This may include:

Before Starting:

• A welcome meeting with the family, with translation available where needed.
• Gathering information on home language(s), previous schooling, and cultural background.
• A tailored induction plan for newly arrived children.

In School:

• Access to visual aids, translated materials, dual-language texts, and sentence frames.
• In-class support from teachers and TAs using scaffolded instruction and language-friendly strategies.
• Regular assessment of English acquisition using the EAL Assessment Framework.
• Small group or 1:1 intervention sessions to target key language skills.
• Support from a peer language buddy to help the child feel settled and supported.
• Differentiated work where necessary to ensure cognitive challenge and language access.

Beyond the Classroom:

• Regular communication with families in an accessible format.
• Support with home reading, homework, and key vocabulary.
• Signposting families to local ESOL courses and community support services.
• Pastoral support through our Safe Haven and Early Help offer.

Inclusive Classrooms for EAL Learners

Our teaching staff use a wide range of inclusive strategies to ensure EAL pupils thrive:

• Visual timetables, flashcards, word banks, and labelled resources
• Modelling of key language structures and sentence starters
• Collaborative learning and talk-rich activities to promote language development
• Multisensory teaching approaches
• Rich, inclusive texts that reflect different languages and cultures
• Celebration of home languages and bilingualism in classroom displays and lessons

Celebrating Language and Identity

We actively promote language pride and cultural awareness across school through:

• International Mother Language Day celebrations
• Multilingual signage throughout the school
• Displays showcasing the languages spoken at Springfield
• Whole-school celebrations of festivals such as Eid, Diwali, Lunar New Year, and Christmas
• Class projects that explore family traditions, world foods, and international stories
• Inviting parents and carers to share songs, recipes, stories, and customs from home

Working with Families

We work in close partnership with families to ensure all children feel settled, confident, and ready to learn. Our offer includes:

• Translators for meetings where possible
• Translated school letters (where required or requested)
• One-to-one help with understanding school systems (e.g. homework, school meals, events)
• Invitations to family learning sessions and workshops
• Referrals to Lancashire Adult Learning, ESOL classes, and Early Help services
• Pastoral support for new arrivals, including practical help with clothing and uniform

We encourage all families to contact school if you ever need support understanding information or accessing school services.

Useful Resources for Families

We recommend the following websites for EAL support at home:

• BBC Bitesize – English as a Second Language
• Learning Village – Fun EAL games and vocabulary
• NALDIC – National EAL guidance and policy
• Twinkl EAL Support – Free printable resources
• Google Translate – for translating school documents

We can also provide hard copy bilingual resources or printed visual aids on request.

Parent Feedback 

“Staff made us feel so welcome when we arrived from overseas. The support helped my child learn quickly and make friends.”

“I like that my daughter can speak Urdu and English at school. She is proud of both languages now.”

“The school translated forms and helped us understand everything when we arrived. It made a big difference.”