Holyrood RC Secondary is a denominational secondary school in the Southside of Glasgow. There are 2,257 young people on the school roll. There is a varied Social Index of Multiple Deprivation (SIMD) profile, with approximately 46% of young people coming from SIMD 1 and 2.

Holyrood Secondary is a diverse and inclusive school where young people can speak over 60 different languages. The proportion of young people with English as an additional language (EAL) is 47%.

The improvement issue

Many young people who have EAL, particularly new arrivals to Scotland can experience barriers to learning, for example due to lower attainment levels in reading. These young people are often new to English or at the early stages of using the English language. As a result, they are unable to access or demonstrate learning across curricular areas. Young people with EAL may also require support to help them to socially integrate and make friends. Staff recognised the need for a more bespoke curriculum and learning opportunities to help address these barriers.

What the setting did

Principal Teachers (PT) of EAL, English, literacy, and primary, school librarian, and partners take a collaborative approach to help support young people with EAL. The primary PT supports with the teaching of early literacy skills.

For children transitioning from cluster primary schools, staff gather a range of information to help them identify learners who may require support. This includes assessment and tracking data, conversations with primary teachers, and discussions with young people. EAL teachers from the primary schools share information on the young people’s language competencies, prior education and progress. Staff use the data from formal assessments to get a baseline of reading age, to identify level of need. This all helps to inform which learners require more bespoke curricular opportunities.

Staff create small intervention English classes taught by the PT primary with collaborative input from the EAL and English teachers. The focus is to support the young people to develop their literacy skills, particularly reading. The young people benefit from systematic phonics instruction through a digital reading programme.

The EAL department helps to address language acquisition by using a range of interventions such as EAL mornings, where targeted young people spend daily time in the EAL department. This helps to develop their use of English. Newly enrolled EAL young people also spend time within the EAL department before joining mainstream classes. This helps EAL pupils to learn basic English that will support their social inclusion and making new friends. Senior leaders also focus on improving young people’s use of academic English to help maximise their learning experience across different curricular areas within a classroom setting.

Staff assess the literacy levels in young people’s home languages and share this information with class teachers. As young people's use of the English language and confidence improves, they are introduced to mainstream classes. Young people are then supported in language-dependent subjects by an EAL teacher. Literacy development for new arrivals to the school are supported through 1:1 literacy sessions and through the paired reading programmes, using senior pupils as tutors and peer mentors.

The English and EAL departments make extensive use of technology to support literacy, such as encouraging young people to use accessibility tools. The investment and use of graded readers (set by vocabulary level) as well as foreign language texts is supporting young people’s progress in their literacy levels using their home language.

What the sustained impact has been

Senior leaders and staff track the progress of EAL learners from their arrival to school through to the senior phase. This data shows an increase in attainment levels within the Broad General Education phase. The number of young people with EAL who progress to appropriate pathways has increased. The number of young people attaining Scottish Credit Qualification Framework levels three and four in literacy has also increased.

New EAL young people to the school are increasing in confidence and developing relationships. Their increased use of the English language, improved literacy development and engagement in school clubs and events are supporting their integration into school life. EAL learners are using technology more effectively to develop literacy and independent learning strategies.

Within the bespoke EAL classes, staff can see the significant improvement in reading ages of young people pupils engaging in the digital reading program. Staff also observe increased confidence, motivation and attendance in the young people participating in the bespoke classes and EAL mornings. Young people transition from these intervention groups successfully when they are ready.

Staff are more aware of the impact of reading levels on EAL young people accessing the curriculum. They are more confident in differentiating resources and ensuring the sustainability of interventions. They have trained the Support for Learning department as well as English teachers in the assessment of reading ages. In addition, English and EAL teachers are developing new pedagogical approaches through collaborative teaching with the PT primary and additional career-long professional learning opportunities. This includes talk-centred approaches in reading, writing, and phonological awareness.