Consultation on changes to the English as an Additional Language Service (EALS) - For completion by Pupils and Students

Closed 3 Feb 2019

Opened 28 Nov 2018

Results updated 26 Feb 2019

There were three survey consultations on proposed changes to the delivery of English as an Additional Language Service (EALS) to: to pupils (131 responses) ; to parents/carers and community stakeholders (162 responses); and to schools (95 responses).

During the period of consultation with pupils, parents, community and schools, the Secondary Schools reversed their earlier decision and have agreed to pool EAL funding for the 2019/20 financial year. This means that the EAL service can continue to operate, as delivered by East Sussex County Council, until March 2020.

The secondary and primary schools have agreed the funding for one year with a commitment to work with the Local Authority and consider alternative options for service delivery to maintained schools and academies, from 2020 onwards. The funding for the service will continue to be provided by the schools as the responsibility for EAL pupils remains with them and they receive in their budgets funding from the DfE for this purpose.

A full discussion will be undertaken with schools and the EALS service to identify possible alternatives to closure, which will be presented to the Schools Forum in June 2019.

Overview

(Note: this is the survey for pupils and students, if you are a teacher or a parent/community member please complete one of the other surveys). 

Following some changes in the way schools want to fund the way they support children and young people with English as an Additional Language (EAL), East Sussex County Council is proposing to close the English as an Additional Language Service (EALS). Instead, schools will directly provide this support themselves.

If the proposal goes ahead, the county council will provide schools with online advice, information and guidance about how best to support pupils and students with EAL in schools and suggest services that can provide translation and interpretation support.

Why your views matter

We want to hear your views about this proposal. Your views will help us to understand the potential impact and find out what we could do to deal with any worries you may have. We will share the results of this consultation with schools.

 We will tell you the final decision about the proposal in February 2019.

 How to take part in this consultation  

The consultation runs from 28 November 2018 to 3 February 2019.  We will do all we can to make it as easy as possible for everyone to have their say.

There are several ways you can give your views:

 

  • By completing the questionnaire online here
  • By printing a copy of the questionnaire from here and returning it to us
  • By contacting us to request a paper copy of the questionnaire using the details below.

 

Completed surveys can be posted back to us at: Equality and Participation Team, County Hall, St Anne’s Crescent, Lewes, BN7 1UE.

 

If you have a question about this consultation, or need a copy of the information in a different format or another language, please contact us.

Areas

  • All Areas

Audiences

  • Black and minority ethnic people
  • Children
  • Parents, carers or guardians
  • Students

Interests

  • Children and young people
  • Support for parents, carers and young people