English as an Additional Language
The EAL Department, run by well-qualified and experienced staff, exists to improve our pupils’ competence in the English language and to minimise the disadvantages of being a non-native speaker within an academic environment.
Clayesmore is special in that we offer an extensive range of international examinations and all our overseas pupils from Year 9 onwards are encouraged to benefit from these extra qualifications. We are a centre for the Cambridge ESOL examinations; our pupils are prepared for:
- PET (Preliminary English Test)
- FCE (Cambridge First Certificate)
- CAE (Cambridge Advanced Examination)
- CPE (Cambridge Proficiency Examination)
We are also a centre for CIE (Cambridge International Examinations) and are able to offer IGCSE ESOL (English as a Second Language), which our more proficient pupils take in Year 10.
In the 6th form our students are given the opportunity to take SATS and/or TOEFL in order to qualify for entry to American or Canadian further education. For those who wish to apply to universities in the UK, we offer the increasingly popular and important IELTS course.
The department aims to provide support, when required, for mainstream school lessons to bolster the confidence, understanding and learning progress of our pupils. We also provide further pastoral support: we are particularly sympathetic to young people who have undertaken an educational, cultural and social adventure in a land that is foreign to them.
Many overseas students join the school in Year 9 or 10 but we particularly welcome sixth form entry. Scholarships may be available for students of exceptional ability.