EAL (English as an Additional Language) students are an extremely heterogeneous group with second and third generation families, well-settled economic migrants mainly from the European Union countries, and some newly arrived students, refugees and asylum seekers. They have varied life, and consequently educational, experiences. According to Department of Education (2020) ‘a pupil is recorded as having English as an additional language (EAL) if they are exposed to language at home that is known or believed to be other than English. It is not a measure of English language proficiency or a good proxy for recent immigration.’

The term ‘multilingualism’ describes the use or co-existence of several languages in one place – whether that’s a country, a school, a classroom or a home. By contrast, the term ‘plurilingual’ describes a person who speaks several languages. Although a plurilingual person may or may not have equal fluency in each language, what is clear is that the use of two or more languages brings a range of benefits – both social and academic.

Almost – if not all – schools in England are multilingual contexts: see link.

With more than 1.6 million pupils using further languages (or ‘first languages’) in addition to English: see link.

The DfE requires all schools to capture information on their multilingual contexts by identifying pupils as having ‘EAL’ or ‘English as an Additional Language’ in the January school census. Whilst the DfE ‘EAL’ descriptor tells us nothing about fluency levels in English nor in first languages (e.g. Pashto, Somali, French or Twi), it is a useful initial way of positively acknowledging the diversity of languages represented by our plurilingual children and young people in our multilingual schools.

Language and identity are inextricably linked; therefore, promoting the attainment of pupils learning through EAL is an equality duty for schools with reference to the Protected Characteristic of ‘Race’. It is a legal duty to ensure that there are opportunities for all pupils learning through EAL (irrespective of their current proficiency in English or of their first language) to thrive and succeed academically in school.

Gypsy, Roma and Traveller communities are a connected but distinct collection of ethnic groups who share similar historical themes and traditions around nomadism. Although the term ‘GRT’ is used regularly when discussing Gypsy, Roma and Traveller communities, it is preferable where possible to express the term fully, demonstrating clearly that ‘Gypsy, Roma and Traveller’ communities are separate and distinct ethnic groups.

What brings our communities together is a shared sense of history and traditions, but also the discrimination we face in everyday life. Deep misunderstanding of who Gypsy, Roma and Traveller people are is commonplace in the UK, with most people not know the difference between a Gypsy, Romany Gypsy, Roma, or Traveller person. Damaging stereotypes and myths are populated in the media, with shows like My Big Fat Gypsy Wedding and The Truth About Traveller Crime portraying inaccurate and harmful narratives though either the guise of entertainment or through misinterpreted facts presented as evidence to the general population.

We encourage citizens, organisation, educators, leaders, health care professionals and the like, to understand for themselves who Gypsy, Roma and Traveller people are and above all remember that Gypsy, Roma and Traveller communities are people who are the same as anyone else. They are British, they are European, there are teachers, lawyers, police officers, academics, there are also individuals who don’t always do what they should do, the same as any other race group existing in the UK today, irrespective of nationality, colour, faith or creed.