Cambridge Primary Review recommends 'proper' resourcing of EAL

The Cambridge Primary Review final report has concluded that there is a 'mismatch of resource' relating to linguistic diversity. The Conclusions and Recommendations (Chapter 24) note that

'Britain is unequal, but it is also very diverse culturally and linguistically. Acknowledging this diversity means that primary schools are called on to serve not just the traditional centre of society but also its boundaries and margins. Even the centre is more variegated than politicians’ appeals to ‘middle England’ imply. And what now drives all this diversity, to an extent which at the time of Plowden would have been unimaginable, is migration. The transience and unpredictability of migration, the inadequacy of local information and the mismatch of resource and demography all add to the pressure on schools over and above their task of attending properly to the needs of the children in question'.

The Review Recommendation (para 19) is that:

Efforts should be made to ensure that local information about migrant families and children is accurate and up to date, and that resources and needs (for example in relation to language support) are properly and promptly aligned. There should be improved systems for tracking, monitoring and communicating with transient and marginalised groups.