The Inclusion and Diversity Service (NI) - supporting schools with Newcomers

Jane Camara and Bríd Maher www.education-support.org.uk/ids

Who is a ‘newcomer’?‘The term ‘newcomer’ pupil is used to refer to a pupil who has enrolled in a school but who does not have satisfactory language skills to participate fully in the school curriculum and does not have a language in common with the teacher.’ (DENI)

www.deni.gov.uk/index/support-and-development-2/additional-educational-support/newcomer-pupils.htm

‘Every School a Good School – Supporting Newcomer Pupils’ (2009)

The regional support service will provide support with

• a regional network of coordinators• quality translation and interpreting services• multi-lingual information to parents• information, training and resources for schools• an aid for assessment

www.deni.gov.uk/newcomer_policy_english.pdf (page 8)

Who works in the Inclusion and Diversity Service Team?

• 1 Regional Advisor • 2 Assistant Advisory Officers • 11 Officers

• cover 5 Education Boards in the North of Ireland

4 Toolkits are available atwww.education-support.org.uk/ids

getting the classroom

ready

what’s nextfor the

classroom?

getting the school ready

early days

moving on

what’s nextfor theschool?

What’s inside the Toolkit?

• Welcome Book

• Data Capture Form

• Common European Framework of Reference (CEFR)

• Intercultural Learning

What do we do?• we provide advice and support for Nursery, Primary,

Special and Post Primary Schools• we provide an interpreting service to facilitate home-

school communication• at classroom level, we build capacity with teachers and

assistants

What do we do?• at whole school level, we build capacity with senior

management• we work in partnership with educational institutions

and other bodies• we promote intercultural awareness

Intercultural Learning

• forging partnerships with schools, libraries and museums • Chester Beatty Library ‘Ways of Seeing’ (2013)