Document name: Language Policy
Document type: Policy
Date of creation: August 2025
Location(s):
Position responsible for this document: Director of Studies
Main stakeholders: Principal, Vice Principal, Director of Studies, Director of Boarding and Pastoral Care, Faculty.
Review cycle: Annual
Most recent update: November 2025 Introduction
Harrow International School New York welcomes students from all nationalities and all cultural, racial and ethnic backgrounds. At Harrow New York, English is the main language of instruction and communication, except in world language acquisition classes, such as Spanish and Mandarin, where classes are taught in the target language. To ensure all students can access the curriculum and gain the full benefit of their education, Harrow New York offers a vertically aligned English Language Arts program. This program develops students’ ability to understand (through reading, listening, and viewing) and to communicate (through speaking, writing, and representing) effectively for both personal growth and academic success.
While we do not require complete English language fluency upon entry, students must demonstrate a level of English proficiency appropriate for their grade and intended program. From the time they enter
Harrow New York, all students continue to develop their English language skills in both academic and social contexts.
Definition
This policy is designed to outline our support for students whose mother tongue is not English. These students are referred to as having English as an Additional Language (EAL). Many students at Harrow New York are fluent in English, being bilingual or multilingual, and will require no additional support.
As an International Baccalaureate (IB) school, Harrow New York is aware that multilingualism is a strength and that EAL pupils have a valuable contribution to make to our School community. We encourage students to maintain their mother toungue while improving their English language fluency. When a student’s expressive or receptive English language acquisition and progress is slower than needed, however, the student will receive support from the specialist EAL teacher either as a separate pull-out class or as push-in support in their existing classes
Ethos
At Harrow New York, the teaching and learning, achievements, attitudes and well-being of all our students is paramount. We encourage all our students to achieve the highest possible standards. We do this through taking account of each student’s life experiences and needs.
Some of our students have particular teaching and learning requirements, because they speak English as an additional language. Students who speak English as an additional language have skills and knowledge about language similar to monolingual English-speaking children. Their ability to participate in the full curriculum may be in advance of their communicative skills in English.
At Harrow International School New York, we aim to:
• provide EAL students with support in accessing the curriculum;
• provide a safe, welcoming environment with high expectations;
• encourage EAL students to celebrate their own language and culture, and that of their peers;
• develop their social and academic language skills; and
• prepare students for the level of academic English necessary for participation and success in the IB Diploma Programme.
Language Acquisition: Middle Years Programme (MYP)
• Spanish and Mandarin are offered as Language Acquisition courses during the school day (Grades 6–10).
• Other languages, including home languages, may be supported through an after-school activities programme, depending on demand.
Language Acquisition: Diploma Programme (DP)
• Spanish and Mandarin are offered as Language B courses during the school day (Grades 11–12).
• Students may also study French, Korean, Japanese, Hindi, Russian, or other available DP Literature/Language A courses online or outside the regular timetable.
Identification and Support
Students’ levels of spoken and written English are assessed informally during the admissions process. As part of the admissions process, parents are requested to identify the child’s first language or the language(s) spoken at home.
When a teacher is concerned about a student who already attends the School, the process is as follows:
• The class/subject teacher completes an EAL referral form outlining their concerns
• The EAL teacher observes the student in class and discusses the teacher’s concerns.
• The EAL teacher may then carry out some standardized assessments to ascertain the level of written and spoken English.
• If required, the parents of the child are contacted to gain permission for additional language support; which may include extraction from a lesson
• Once parental permission is gained, the student begins support. This may include support lessons as part of a group, or one-to-one.
• The student’s progress will be monitored utilizing the WIDA ACCESS Online assessment every term, with a view to returning to all normal classes as soon as their English is at the necessary level to fully access the curriculum.
• Required levels of achievement on the WIDA ACCESS assessment will equate to “can do” demonstration of the WIDA Standards at the student’s current grade level
Teachers who have EAL students in their classes are supported through regular communication, collaborative planning, additional resources in the child’s first language, first language texts in the School Library and professional development sessions throughout the year.
Monitoring
This policy will be reviewed every two years (or more frequently if changes to legislation, regulation or statutory guidance so require) by the Head of Student Support, who will feed back as necessary to the Senior Leadership Team.