EAL Assessments

Supporting EAL Learners to Thrive

Supporting multilingual learners requires more than a standard assessment approach. Accurate evaluation of English language development helps settings understand a child’s true abilities, identify barriers, and plan effective support. An EAL assessment is a structured way to understand the language development and learning needs of pupils who use English as an Additional Language (EAL). It goes far beyond a simple literacy check as it looks at how well a learner can listen, speak, read, write, and use English across the curriculum, helping teachers plan the right support. The service is designed to give you clarity, confidence, and practical next steps for every learner.

Accurate and purposeful assessment is essential to understanding and supporting EAL learners. We provide structured, reliable approaches to assessing and tracking language development.

What this service includes

Each assessment is tailored to the learner and the setting. You can expect:

A full language proficiency profile covering speaking, listening, reading, and writing
Observation in class or play based environments
Consideration of first language influence and cultural background
Assessment of cognitive and academic skills where appropriate
Clear identification of strengths and barriers
Practical recommendations for teaching, intervention, and next steps
A detailed written report suitable for staff, SENCOs, and parents

Why EAL Assessment Matters

Accurate EAL assessment helps settings to:

Identify pupils’ language strengths and areas for development.
Distinguish between language acquisition needs and other learning needs.
Plan targeted teaching and intervention strategies.
Monitor progress over time.
Support effective transition and reporting processes.

Evaluate the impact of EAL provision across the setting.
Avoiding misidentification of SEN or learning difficulties
Building an inclusive environment that values linguistic diversity

Types of EAL Assessments Available

Understanding a learner’s language profile is essential for accurate placement, targeted support, and meaningful progress tracking. Our assessment offer covers the full journey — from first arrival to advanced academic English — ensuring every learner is seen, understood, and supported.

Below is an overview of the assessment types we provide.

Individual EAL Learner Assessments

In depth assessment with a full written report.

Initial and baseline assessments are carried out when a learner first joins a setting. An initial assessment gathers essential information such as home languages, prior schooling, early English proficiency, and any existing literacy in the first language. This ensures learners are placed appropriately and receive the right support from the outset. A baseline assessment follows shortly after entry and provides a clearer picture of speaking and listening skills, early literacy, social communication, and classroom readiness. Together, these assessments establish a secure starting point for monitoring progress over time.

Ongoing Language & Curriculum Assessments

Ongoing assessments help track how learners develop English and how effectively they access the curriculum. Progress assessments focus on vocabulary, grammar, academic language, and classroom communication, supporting staff in planning next steps. Diagnostic assessments explore specific language gaps or barriers to learning and help distinguish between EAL needs and potential SEND. Observational assessments, particularly in early years, capture language use through play, interaction, and social communication. Additional assessments—such as language in use, vocabulary, reading comprehension, writing, speaking and listening, and curriculum linked assessments—build a detailed picture of how learners use English in real contexts and across different subjects.

First Language & Background Assessments

First language (L1) assessments are used where appropriate to explore literacy or cognitive skills in the learner’s strongest language. This can reveal hidden strengths and clarify whether difficulties relate to language acquisition or underlying learning needs. A home language profile or family interview complements this by gathering important background information from parents or carers, including language use at home, prior education, and literacy experiences. Together, these assessments create a culturally informed understanding of the learner.

CAML: Cognitive Assessment for Multilingual Learners

CAML is a specialist, culturally responsive assessment designed to understand a multilingual learner’s cognitive strengths without relying on English proficiency. By focusing on core thinking skills such as memory, reasoning, problem solving, processing speed, and pattern recognition, CAML provides a fair and accurate picture of a learner’s potential, regardless of their stage of English acquisition.

This assessment is particularly valuable when distinguishing between language related needs and possible underlying learning difficulties. Because CAML reduces linguistic and cultural bias, it helps settings avoid misidentification of SEND, unnecessary referrals, and delays in support. It offers clarity about whether a learner’s challenges stem from acquiring English or from deeper learning needs, ensuring the right support is put in place from the start.

CAML also provides a holistic understanding of how a learner processes information, approaches problem solving, and responds to new concepts. These insights support effective planning, differentiation, and targeted teaching. The assessment is especially useful during transitions between settings, offering a clear, transferable cognitive profile that supports continuity of provision.

The English Language Proficiency Scale

Our assessments are based on the nationally recognised EAL Proficiency Scale, widely used by schools in England. The Department for Education (DfE) in England introduced a standardised English language proficiency scale in 2016 for use in schools to assess pupils with English as an Additional Language (EAL). This scale was used in the school census to help schools better understand and support EAL learners. The DfE English language proficiency scale is no longer officially required by the Department for Education in England. Organisations like The Bell Foundation and University of Oxford have advocated for the scale’s return. Research shows that proficiency in English is a strong predictor of academic achievement for EAL learners. Despite the withdrawal, many schools and local authorities still use the scale voluntarily. It remains a useful tool for:

Assessing EAL pupils’ language development
Planning targeted support
Tracking progress over time

We assess pupils using which tracks English language development across four key areas: listening, speaking, reading and writing. Pupils are assessed against the following proficiency stages:

A - New to English

May use first language for learning and other purposes. May remain completely silent in the classroom. May be copying/repeating some words or phrases. May understand some everyday expressions in English but may have minimal or no literacy in English.

Needs a considerable amount of EAL support.

B - Early Acquisition

May follow day to day social communication in English and participate in learning activities with support. Beginning to use spoken English for social purposes. May understand simple instructions and can follow narrative/accounts with visual support. May have developed some skills in reading and writing. May have become familiar with some subject specific vocabulary.

Still needs a significant amount of EAL support to access the curriculum.

C - Developing Confidence

May participate in learning activities with increasing independence. Able to express self orally in English, but structural inaccuracies are still apparent. Literacy will require ongoing support, particularly for understanding text and writing. May be able to follow abstract concepts and more complex written English.

Requires ongoing EAL support to access the curriculum fully.

D - Competent

Oral English will be developing well, enabling successful engagement in activities across the curriculum. Can read and understand a wide variety of texts. Written English may lack complexity and contain occasional evidence of errors in structure. Needs some support to access subtle nuances of meaning, to refine English usage, and to develop abstract vocabulary.

Needs some/occasional EAL support to access complex curriculum material and tasks.

E - Fluent

Can operate across the curriculum to a level of competence equivalent to that of a pupil who uses English as his/her first language.

Operates without EAL support across the curriculum.

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If you want clarity, accurate assessment, and practical next steps for your multilingual learners, We're here to help.

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