The latest attainment data for bilingual pupils shows little change in the gap in achievement between bilingual pupils and their English speaking peers at the end of Key Stage 2 but a marked increase in EAL learners being judged to be below Level 3 in the English assessments. This year, more than 6,000 bilingual pupils were judged to be working at Level 2 or below (B) and therefore not able to take the assessment. This is a marked increase on the previous five years in both number and percentage terms.
Due to changes in the Key Stage 2 assessments for English, this year's statistics are not directly comparable with previous years, but many of the messages remain the same. There is an enduring gap between the achievement of bilingual learners and their peers in English and mathematics whilst a higher proportion of bilingual learners are judged as having made expected progress.
2012 Key Stage 2 results show:
- 76 per cent of EAL and bilingual pupils achieved the expected level in both English and mathematics at the end of Key Stage 2 compared to 80 per cent of pupils whose first language is English. Last year the figures were 70 and 75 per cent. The reading, writing and mathematics figures for 2012 are 71 per cent and 75 per cent.
- 91 per cent of bilingual pupils made expected progress in English compared to 89 per cent of their English first language peers
- Only 31 per cent of bilingual pupils reached Level 5 in English compared to 39 per cent of English mother tongue pupils and this gap has widened this year
- 7 per cent of EAL learners were judged to be below the levels of the tests
- Around 2,000 EAL learners were 'discounted' from the local authority tables as they had been in the country for less than two years.
At a time when the 2011 Census shows our country becoming more and more diverse, commentators should consider what teaching and finance arrangements should be put in place to ensure that EAL learners are well supported to develop the English skills they need to access the curriculum.
The latest tables for EAL and bilingual pupils including drop down menus can be accessed to the right.
