Information for EAL applications

As all children in K1 and K2 are developing their language skills, the curriculum is geared towards developing the language of all students. Hence all ELLs in K1 and K2 are, at least, bilingual learners, as they are also at this age in the relatively early development of their own home language. Because of this, we may be able to support ELLs’ language learning in the classroom without the need for separate EAL lessons. 

Students entering UWCSEA’s Infant School should be able to access the learning in the classroom and share some of their ideas in English without significant support.

If ELLs in Grade 1 are identified as needing EAL support after the Admissions review and an in-person play observation session to determine their readiness to join Grade 1, if needed, they will receive EAL support in small groups based on their level of proficiency with an emphasis on communicative language skills. In addition, the EAL teacher is in regular contact with classroom teachers to support the ELL’s language development.

Application review K1 and K2

All applicants who are in Singapore will be invited to a play observation session on campus. Our Infant School team will assess whether your child may need EAL support as they progress through the Infant School and beyond.

Applicants who are not in Singapore will be assessed through a review of their previous school reports, and the information in their application form. We will reach out to the applicant’s current school to provide additional information about the child’s English language communication skills.  

Application review Grade 1

Applicants who are in Singapore and who will be missing part of Grade 1, due to their current school’s calendar, in order to join Grade 1 at UWCSEA, may be invited to a play observation session on campus. Our Infant School team will assess whether your child may need EAL support as they progress through the Infant School and beyond.

Who should apply?

Students entering UWCSEA’s Infant School should be able to access the learning in the classroom and share some of their ideas in English without significant support. ELL students who meet the guidelines described above are encouraged to apply. 

Grade 1 applicants who have had no previous EMI schooling are very unlikely to meet our entry criteria.

Offer timeline for EAL applicants

K1 to Grade 8 applicants likely to need EAL support will typically be considered for a place in the second offer round, as we do not know our likely space availability in the EAL programme until later in our school year. This is because we can only accurately assess current students’ needs for continued EAL support by February; based on that, we then identify how many EAL places we will have available so that we can then offer these to eligible applicants in the application pool. 

Students entering UWCSEA in Grades 2 and 3 should have sufficient proficiency in English to access the curriculum and participate in the highly collaborative nature of our classroom learning. Students may have developing literacy skills. For example, they may be able to decode in English, but have limited English reading comprehension. 

Students entering in Grades 4 and 5 should have strong communicative skills in English, but may still be developing their literacy skills. For example, they may be developing their ability to use language in a variety of contexts or their academic writing.

If ELLs are identified as needing support after the Admissions review of their application, they will receive EAL support based on their level of proficiency. In most cases, this happens in small groups, timetabled either while other students are learning another language (Chinese, French, Spanish) or provided during the ELLs regular lessons. Students may also receive in-class support. The EAL teacher is in regular contact with classroom teachers to support and monitor the ELL’s progress.

Explicit academic language instruction in reading, writing, listening and speaking ensures that students are successful in all facets of school life.

Application review

Applicants will be assessed based on the information in their application form and their recent school reports. We may reach out to the applicant’s current school to provide additional information about the child’s English language and literacy skills. 

Who should apply?

ELL students who meet the guidelines described above are encouraged to apply. 

Grade 2 and 3 applicants who have had less than 1-2 years of EMI schooling, or a similar level of English language and literacy development, are unlikely to meet our entry criteria.

Grade 4 and 5 applicants who have had less than 1-3 years of EMI schooling, or a similar level of English language and literacy development, are unlikely to meet our entry criteria.

Offer timeline for EAL applicants

K1 to Grade 8 applicants likely to need EAL support will typically be considered for a place in the second offer round, as we do not know our likely space availability in the EAL programme until later in our school year. This is because we can only accurately assess current students’ needs for continued EAL support by February; based on that, we then identify how many EAL places we will have available so that we can then offer these to eligible applicants in the application pool. 

Students entering Middle School need strong oral language fluency to access mainstream subjects. This is a minimum requirement, alongside proficiency in reading and writing. Students have often spent some time in English medium schooling before entering our Middle School, or they have had exposure to the academic language of the curriculum through other means. Some students who have already exited an EAL programme at their current school may still need EAL support at UWCSEA to develop their academic English skills.      

If ELLs are identified as needing support after the Admissions review, they will be enrolled in EAL lessons, rather than mainstream English and/or a Language Other than English lessons, or they may receive EAL support within their regular academic lessons.

The EAL programme supports students in developing the academic and social language skills that they need to succeed across the curriculum. Explicit academic language instruction in reading, writing, listening and speaking ensures that students are successful in all facets of school life.

The EAL teacher is in regular contact with subject teachers to provide EAL support where students may need scaffolded or differentiated lessons to access lessons, assessments or tasks.

Application review

Applications are assessed based on the information in the  application form including recent school reports and their student statement. We may reach out to the applicant’s current school to provide additional information about the child’s English language and literacy skills.

Only a very small number of Middle School applicants may be invited to take an English assessment to determine final English course placement. 

Who should apply?

ELL students who meet the guidelines described above are encouraged to apply. 

Applicants who have had less than 2-3 years of EMI schooling, or a similar level of English language and literacy development, are unlikely to meet our entry criteria.

Offer timeline for EAL applicants

K1 to Grade 8 applicants likely to need EAL support will typically be considered for a place in the second offer round, as we do not know our likely space availability in the EAL programme until later in our school year. This is because we can only accurately assess current students’ needs for continued EAL support by February; based on that, we then identify how many EAL places we will have available so that we can then offer these to eligible applicants in the application pool. 

Application review

Applications are assessed based on the information in the application form including recent school reports and their student statement. 

Assessment

Applicants whose records indicate they may need to be placed in an English B course (our programme for EAL learners in High School) will be invited to take a proctored online EAL assessment. This assessment must be completed and reviewed before the student can progress to the next stage of the review process, attending the Virtual Immersion Programme. More information on the length and type of assessment will be sent with the test invitation.
 
If the student does not successfully pass the EAL assessment, we will close the application.  

Who should apply?

Applicants will need to demonstrate sufficient academic English language proficiency to access our High School learning programme.

Applicants who have had less than 3 years of EMI schooling, or a similar level of English language and literacy exposure, are unlikely to meet our entry criteria. 

Offer timeline for EAL applicants

Grade 9, 10 and 11 eligible applicants who would be placed in the EAL programme will be considered in both offer rounds.