Supporting New Arrivals Who Are New to English (Online Course)

This online course is for primary and secondary school staff seeking guidance, strategies and resources for supporting newly arrived pupils who are new to English, including those who are refugees or asylum seekers. It is structured around a four-stage model of provision for new arrivals and offers participants an opportunity to create their own action plan by the end of the course. 

The course explores:

• A research-informed model of support needed for learners who use English as an Additional Language (EAL) during the following stages:  
  Before admission;  
  Before the pupil starts; 
  In their first days, and;  
  During the initial weeks.  

• The key roles and responsibilities for all staff in developing a whole-school approach to supporting newly arrived pupils who are new to English. 
• Some of the factors for schools to consider when welcoming learners who are refugees or asylum seekers. 

Who is this course for?

• Teaching staff; 
• Teaching assistants;  
• EAL coordinators;  
• School leaders. 

Please note: this course is not available to international schools. Please click here to view our upcoming Language for Results International online courses.

Why learn with us?

• The course includes three online modules and is designed to work around the busy lives of those working in schools. 
• With three hours of online study over a four to five-week period, this course enables you to work at a manageable pace with plenty of time to process course content and consider the relevance to your context. 
• The course is designed to be highly interactive and collaborative, with opportunities to work with other course participants, course tutors, and course material. 
• Module two is a live webinar with opportunities to ask questions and share good practice in real time. 

Tickets are available for either primary or secondary practitioners. A certificate will be awarded for successful completion of the course.

Ticket sales close on Tuesday 6 January 2026 at 4pm UK time.

Course structure:

Module One:

Pre-webinar online tasks: completed at your own pace over a one-week period. 

You will: 

• Become familiar with a four-stage model of support needed for learners who use EAL. 

• Consider linguistic, academic and pastoral needs of new arrivals during the four stages of EAL induction​. 

• Establish what constitutes good practice in terms of EAL assessment​. 

• Be able to share ideas on how to best serve the needs of learners with EAL with other course participants. 

Time commitment: approximately 60 minutes. 

Module Two:

Live interactive webinar with the course tutors: 

• Primary: 21 January 2026, 16:00-17:00 

• Secondary: 22 January 2026, 16:00-17:00 

You will: 

• Explore four principles of an inclusive EAL pedagogy.​ 

• Consider the suitability of a selection of EAL approaches, strategies and resources to support newly arrived EAL learners. 

Time commitment: 60 minutes. 

Module Three:

Final project to implement learning from the course, completed at your own pace over a one to two-week period, followed by tutor feedback. You will apply what you have learned in Modules 1 and 2 by completing an action plan for your setting.  

Time commitment: approximately 60 minutes.

Course tutors:

All tutors are experienced teacher educators with substantial experience of teaching and assessing learners who use EAL in relevant contexts. Tutors are trained e-moderators and offer friendly, practical specialist support to all participants throughout the course.

Independent UK schools will be charged the standard rate with the income generated enabling The Bell Foundation to further its charitable goals.

For those who are not from a school (e.g. charities or local authority EMTAS teams), please email uk.training@bell-foundation.org.uk for pricing information.

For all bookings: Please ensure the attendee’s email address is used, not the email address of a school finance officer or administrator, to ensure that course messages and materials can be shared.

Important notice: There are only two websites authorised to promote and take bookings for this event run by The Bell Foundation. These are: The Bell Foundation’s website and Eventbrite. Please do not book, or express interest in, this event through any other website.