Sutton Virtual School works to promote the progress and educational achievement if Unaccompanied Asylum Seeking Children. Their first experience of education in the UK may be an ESOL (English for Speakers of Other Languages) Programme. It is vital that there is a focus on gaining English Language competency and there is a lot that foster carers and placement staff can do to support this.
In the home:
Ensure that you speak clearly and slowly in English and encourage your young person to respond, even in single words. Support them to acquire new words every week.
Laptop:
Your UASC young person will be eligible to receive a laptop from London Borough of Sutton as part of their education support package.
To help the young person with technology they might need at school/college, we provide a Laptop Induction Session in Wallington. This will be arranged by Sutton Virtual School in conjunction with social care and the training provider. An interpreter will also be present. It is vital that you support your young person to attend this session on time.
Flash Academy:
Flash Academy is our online resource for ESOL students. It helps them to improve their English through short, fun and interactive lessons. The instructions are in their home language. The app works on a Smartphone or laptop. We hope that you will encourage regular engagement with FlashAcademy following their Laptop Induction Session. You will be sent Flash Academy login details in the session invitation, should your young person get logged out at any time.
Flash Academy can be accessed online www.flashacademy.com/windows or by downloading the app on a Smartphone.
ESOL Education Journey:
ESOL Skills for Life qualifications cover English and Maths. Young people come to the UK with different levels of English language competency. This will be assessed once they start education in the UK. In general, they will start somewhere along this scale.
Many of our motivated young people swiftly make their way through these levels to gain GCSE equivalent qualifications (level 1 &2). Some gain places at University following their Level 3 studies.