Equality impact assessment - ethnic minority achievement service

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1. What is the name of the policy or service that is being assessed?

The Ethnic Minority Achievement Service (EMAS)

2. Identify aims

• We are trying to increase the capacity of Wiltshire schools to raise the achievement of pupils who learn English as an additional language (EAL) and English first language BME learners;
• We are for schools who need to improve their capacity to meet these learners’ needs, for the learners themselves (who may be vulnerable to underachievement) and for families.
• We are aware that EAL learners in schools may present with other protected characteristics and we would, through our multilingual team, signpost schools, pupils and families towards the appropriate support services in order to access help.
• Factors preventing stakeholder access: Schools may not refer pupils in timely fashion. Parents may not correctly identify child’s first language.
• Publicising the service: EAL coordinators’ network meetings, advisory work and training in schools, EAL newsletter, website, WISEnet, Twitter.

3. collect and use evidence

• Existing data: Attainment data via Impulse, school census records for locating EAL learners. Reports from previous schools.
• Initial assessment forms used in secondary schools have space for recording progress regularly.
• Gaps: We no longer conduct or collect baseline assessments in primary schools due to increased numbers of learners and our wish to build school capacities to do this– team considering how to address this (new pack is being developed to facilitate teacher initial assessment).
• Regular training of teachers in schools should make sure of effectiveness of provision for EAL learners.
• When we become aware that EAL learners present with other protected characteristics, we will inform other stakeholders and seek to advise and work with them. This could include passing on information about a YP’s religion to school staff, or working with a school SENCo to identify and plan provision for a child with a learning difficulty.

4. Assess the impact

• Users: EAL learners, their teachers, support workers and families.
• Isolation of Wiltshire EAL learners means service is sometimes unfairly distributed throughout the county. Speakers of languages not spoken by EMAS team members are particularly disadvantaged
• Benefits: faster progress and better results from EAL learners
• Increasing EAL learners gaining GCSE in first language where available.

5. Make sure there is fairness

• Work is a priority because of the large numbers of isolated EAL learners who are at risk of underachievement.
• May exclude learners for whom we have no bilingual support (eg Chinese)
• Impact on relationships between stakeholders: some schools may be perceived to access more support. This is due to limited resources of team. We should address this by developing a framework for prioritising work.
• Some learners cannot access GCSE in their first language (not available). Those who can are sometimes perceived as having unfair advantage.

6. Finalise your decision

• Review procedures for obtaining consistent baseline information about newly arrived pupils in primary schools (assessment pack for schools)
• Continue to respond to requests from schools throughout Wiltshire, making sure that geographically outlying schools are supported equably if possible.
• Continue to emphasise with schools the literacy needs of more advanced EAL learners, numbers of whom continue to grow.
• Develop framework to exemplify how work is prioritised – i.e. to explain to stakeholders who gets what support and why.

7. Communicate what has happened

• Service works regularly in schools and communication about provision on offer is ongoing. This is achieved in less visited schools via newsletters and network meetings.

8. Review your decision

• Changes in staffing mean that work of team is now almost entirely strategic and involves increasing capacity of schools and teachers to meet the needs of EAL learners.
• There are now larger numbers of more advanced EAL learners in schools. Their needs are often hidden and team needs to continue to seek ways of drawing this to the attention of Heads and managers.

9. Name of person completing form

Advisory Teacher (English as an Additional Language - EAL)

Date completed

5 October 2011

Last updated: 5 March 2012