Amity International School Amsterdam strives to create a truly international environment in which students are able to share, enjoy, appreciate and value each other’s cultures and languages. Amity Amsterdam recognises that children who do not speak English at home may require additional support and that is why the school offers a range of support which can include small group work, 1:1 lessons and in-class support.
Amity Amsterdam offers additional support for children whose home language is not English
With children joining the school from all corners of the world since 2018, Amity Amsterdam has a strong focus on inclusivity. The school builds on the students' current language skills and embraces student individuality in an inclusive environment. All teachers have experience working with students whose first language is not English and can adapt the curriculum to support the child’s needs. The Student Support team reviews any child that is joining the school and will advise if a child needs English as an Additional Language (EAL) support.
EAL support is offered as part of the curriculum at Amity Amsterdam which means that there are no extra fees involved. Before children join the school, they will perform an assessment to determine their current level of English. The EAL assessments differ depending on the age of the student.
The Early Years students (ages 3 to 6) undertake an informal play-based assessment face-to-face with a coordinator, whereas the Primary Years students (ages 6 to 10) may be required to submit a written assessment or attend a trial day. All Middle Years students (ages 11 and up) are asked to undertake an online assessment. For students that wish to join the upper Middle Years classes (MY4 and MY5), a minimum level of English is required due to the rigour of the IB Programme.
Elspeth French, Registrar and Head of the Admissions Department, highlights how important it is to assess the students. “As a school, we understand that students may enter the school with various levels of English proficiency. That is why we want to ensure that we have the right support in place when the students start their learning journey here at Amity Amsterdam” she says. “We encourage all our students to aim for the highest possible achievements, taking into account each student’s language profile, needs and experiences.”
EAL support is free for students at Amity Amsterdam
As a school that from its inception has been focused on becoming an IB World School* a strong focus on languages has been fundamental. Amity International School Amsterdam challenges children to become responsible and effective world citizens and language learning is inherent to this goal. The school explicitly values each student's mother-tongue language capabilities and encourages students to continue developing their native languages at home while simultaneously helping them to develop the academic language they need to succeed.
If a student is deemed to have progressed to a level where they no longer require support with English, the Student Support team continues to perform check-in sessions throughout the school year to monitor the progress of the language proficiency.
Are you looking for an international school in the Amsterdam region? Amity International School Amsterdam would be delighted to welcome you and your children to its community and understands that choosing the right school is one of the most important decisions you will make. For more information, please visit the Amity Amsterdam website or contact the Admissions Department.
* Only schools authorised by the IB Organisation can offer any of its four academic programmes: the Primary Years Programme (PYP), the Middle Years Programme (MYP), the Diploma Programme (DP), or the Career-related Programme (CP). Candidate status gives no guarantee that authorisation will be granted. For further information about the IB and its programmes visit www.ibo.org.