At Bishopstrow College, we believe that developing strong English language skills is the key to academic success. Our Junior, Middle, and Senior College Programmes are each carefully structured to support English language learners, enabling them to access subject content with confidence and clarity at the right stage of their language development. Through a combination of dedicated English language support and an adapted curriculum, students are immersed in an environment where language acquisition is woven seamlessly into every aspect of their College life.
Tailored Language Support by Key Stage
Our curriculum is aligned with the UK National Curriculum, following Key Stage guidelines appropriate to each age group:
- Key Stage 2 and Key Stage 3: These classes follow the National Curriculum guidelines and emphasise foundational knowledge in core subjects.
- Key Stage 4: For our older students, classes follow the Cambridge Assessment International Education IGCSE syllabuses, providing a globally recognised academic framework.
Our curriculum adapts to meet the unique needs of English language learners, with subject content specifically tailored to each student’s language ability. This means that lower-level language classes focus heavily on English language support while gradually introducing key subject concepts. As students progress, language support is reduced and syllabus content is deepened, ensuring a smooth transition towards their next phase of education.
CLIL (Content and Language Integrated Learning) Classes
A distinctive feature of our approach is the integration of CLIL (Content and Language Integrated Learning) classes across all key stages. In these classes, students engage with subjects such as Science, Maths, and Business Studies, using English as the medium of instruction.
To support students in understanding complex language within these subjects, our CLIL classes are co-taught by subject specialists and English language teachers. This collaborative teaching approach ensures students receive both the subject-specific knowledge and the language support necessary to grasp challenging terminology and concepts. By learning subject content in this structured, language-focused environment, students build both linguistic and academic skills, preparing them for future study in an English-speaking setting.
A Progressive Path to Proficiency
Our structured English support system within each programme is designed to grow with the students. As their language abilities advance, we adjust our support to challenge them with more in-depth subject content, creating an environment where they can build academic independence and confidence.
