Article: Language and cultural support for schools Article Body There are a number of ways in which services are delivered to support minority ethnic children, young people and families, and the schools and settings that they attend, and these are described below. We are currently working in partnership with two of our primary schools and a designated 3-16 school (scheduled to become one of the Advanced Learning Centres within the borough in 2012) in a Lead School capacity. One of these, Pipers Grove Primary School, is focusing on leading on inclusion and raising standards of educational attainment for minority ethnic and bilingual pupils, building expertise in English as an additional language (EAL). Please find more information about Pipers Grove Primary School below. Ethnic minority achievement, including support for English as an additional language (EAL) Gypsy, Roma and Traveller education Support for settings, schools, children and families is delivered by a range of officers working within the School Improvement and Support Service for Children, Young People and Families. The learning and welfare needs of individual children, young people and families are addressed, and support, advice and guidance are provided to staff in Early Years Foundation Stage settings and schools. If you or someone you know is interested in receiving help, advice, guidance or support, or would like to find out about training opportunities, please email admincd@barnsley.gov.uk or cypf@barnsley.gov.uk for more information or call the Cultural Diversity Service on the number below. Black and Minority Ethnic (BME), Gypsy and Traveller youth support One-to-one support for young people aged between 13-19 who either attend school or college, are school leavers learning a family trade, or who are looking for educational opportunities, employment or training is provided by officers working within the Integrated Youth Support Service. Young people are also invited to join the BME Youth Group and to take part in other activities for young people that take place in the evenings or weekends. Over the past few years young people from the BME Youth Group have been encouraged to take part in the democratic process for young people - and there have been a number of elected representatives from different minority ethnic communities on Barnsley's Youth Council. Driving Theory Sessions are available at Ozone, Barnsley Football Ground on Thursdays between 11.00am-12.00noon. If you or someone you know is interested in receiving help, joining the BME Youth Group, or taking part in other activities, please email cypf@barnsley.gov.uk for more information or give us a call (see how to get in touch). By responding to requests for help and providing support, these officers within the Directorate for Children, Young People and Families and our lead schools contribute to the local authority's response to the changing diversity across the borough. The ambitions and targets for equality, diversity and inclusion are reflected in Barnsley Children and Young People's Plan 2009 - 2012, and in other plans and strategies of the council. Children and young people who are our priorities for support include those who are new arrivals to the borough (asylum seekers, refugees, and international migrants from the European Union and beyond), those who are underachieving or are at risk of underachieving, those who have disengaged from learning or who are at risk of this, and highly mobile families coming in to the borough - including those on temporary traveller sites, fairgrounds and circuses. The range of support provided through these arrangements includes: responding to any specific cultural needs or issues that may exist for children, young people and families from different ethnic, cultural or language groups in order to raise academic achievement, and to improve outcomes and life-chances effectively managing race equality, diversity and inclusion in early years settings, schools and youth groups preventing and addressing racism and social exclusion improving access to education for particularly vulnerable groups of minority ethnic children and young people - including new arrivals to the borough - such as migrant workers, Gypsies, Roma and Travellers maintaining regular attendance in early years foundation stage settings, primary and secondary schools, work placements, apprenticeships, college and other educational settings re-engaging children and young people in education and training - whether at school, college or through other arrangements - and helping children and young people to stay in education if they or their families experience difficulties or disadvantage delivering 1-1 support for children and young people when needed improving the capacity of schools, early years, youth work settings and other providers to better meet the needs of minority ethnic children and young people, narrowing attainment and opportunity gaps, improving academic achievement and ensuring equality of outcomes meeting the needs of newly arrived bilingual children and those pupils who are learners of English as an additional language (EAL) promoting the welfare of and supporting the entitlements of children from these groups supporting children and families in accessing all the support that they need in order to stay healthy, keep safe, improve well-being, learn and achieve building long-term liaison with Gypsies, Roma, Travellers and other vulnerable communities working in partnership with staff and parents in early years settings, schools and other settings to support them in meeting the needs of vulnerable children developing and delivering training, continuing professional development and 1-1 support to staff in early years foundation stage settings, schools, youth work settings and other colleagues working across a range of services maintaining networks of collaborative support for particularly vulnerable children, including those at risk of becoming missing engaging the support of colleagues in other local authorities in support of highly mobile children and families in need We welcome requests for information, advice, guidance, training and support from schools, early years settings, children, young people, parents and carers, community groups, community support groups, and other services and providers. How to contact us Ethnic Minority Achievement, EAL and Gypsy, Roma and Traveller Education Cultural Diversity School Improvement and Support Service for Children, Young People and Families Lifelong Learning, Achievement and Enterprise Postal address: PO Box 634, Barnsley, S70 9GG Telephone: 01226 281961 Monday to Thursday from 8.30am to 5.00pm and Fridays to 4.30pm Email: admincd@barnsley.gov.uk or cypf@barnsley.gov.uk If you are a school or an early years setting wanting support in meeting the education and welfare needs of an individual child or family, you will be sent a referral form to complete. This enables us to identify support priorities across all schools within the borough. Youth Support for Minority Ethnic and Gypsy Traveller Young People aged 13 - 19 Participation and Inclusion, Integrated Youth Support Service Lifelong Learning, Achievement and Enterprise The Wombwell Centre Barnsley Road Wombwell Barnsley S73 8HT Telephone: 01226 759617 Email: cypf@barnsley.gov.uk Opening hours are Monday to Thursday from 8.30am to 5.00pm and Fridays to 4.30pm Pipers Grove Primary School, Leading Primary School for English as an Additional Language (EAL) As Leading Primary School for EAL, Pipers Grove will work with any primary school with minority ethnic and EAL pupils to support the development of provision for pupils. Information, advice, guidance and resources are available to enhance support for the provision of international new arrivals (including asylum seekers, refugees and economic migrants) and advanced bilingual learners in primary schools across the local authority. Examples of the kinds of support available include: admin staff signposting schools to useful documents/resources guidance on effective procedures for admission, induction and support for international new arrivals guidance on, and development of, effective strategies to enhance language development of EAL pupils within the classroom mainstreaming of provision for EAL pupils the use of first language within the school using bilingual and culturally diverse resources within the curriculum the development of diversity, equality and a global dimension within the curriculum for all pupils and families the effective use of support staff working with EAL pupils to help raise their attainment. Referrals can be made: directly to Pipers Grove (01226 737010) through the established referral process through identification of priority in SIP report. Related links Gypsies and travellers