Accessibility in exams for students with English as an additional language - Research and Innovation

Oct 20, 2026

Exam accessibility for learners with English as an additional language (EAL) depends on two interconnected conditions: students’ level of English proficiency and the linguistic complexity embedded in assessment materials. The review synthesises evidence on key findings, setting out implications for practice and identifying priorities for further research. It forms part of a programme of rapid evidence reviews shaped by Ofqual’s consultation on designing and developing accessible assessments, with reference to wider learner groups.

LanguageEnglish

CategoryResearch & Report

FormatPDF

Pages10

Reading Time25 min

AccessFree to download

Executive summary

Introduction

Access arrangements

Accessibility in exams for students with English as an additional language Research and Innovation Lisa Backhouse | Terminology used in this document: abbreviations and definitions | | --- | | English as an additional language (EAL)
Learners with EAL are a heterogenous group of students for whom English is in addition to another language (or languages) used at home or in their community. For some students, English is their dominant language and other languages are spoken elsewhere in their lives; for other students, school will be their first and main source of exposure to English.
Basic interpersonal communication skills
The linguistic skills used in everyday, social face-to-face interactions.
Cognitive academic language proficiency
Refers to the academic language, both written and verbal, that is used in educational settings.
First language English (FLE)
Modern foreign languages (MFL)
Special educational needs and disabilities (SEND)
Special educational needs coordinator (SENCo) | Executive summary Learners with English as an additional language (EAL) are a heterogenous group of students for whom English is in addition to another language (or languages) used at home or in their community. There are two key factors affecting exam accessibility for learners with EAL: the first is a student’s level of English proficiency and the second is the complexity of the language used in assessments. This review summarises the key findings around exam accessibility for students with EAL and identifies areas for future exploration. It is part of a series of rapid evidence reviews shaped by Ofqual’s consultation on designing and developing accessible assessments. Other reviews focus on D/deaf students, students with learning difficulties, students with visual impairment, students on the autism spectrum, and students with different cultural backgrounds. Introduction Approximately 17.5% of students (some 623,631) in all state-funded and independent secondary schools in England are recorded as learners with EAL (Department for Education [DfE], 2022 ; Leung et al. , 2021; National Association for Language Development in the Curriculum [NALDIC], 2012 ; The Bell Foundation, 2015) . This group of students speak more than 320 different languages, demonstrating the heterogeneity of learners categorised as using EAL (Leung et al. , 2021; Smith, 2022; Strand et al. , 2015) . In England, students are recorded as learners with EAL to reflect exposure to a language other than English at home or in their community (DfE, 2022) . It is important to note that classification as a learner with EAL is not itself an indication of a level of proficiency in English language (The Bell Foundation, 2015) . On the one hand, it encompasses students who are fluently bilingual in English and at least one other language; for example, second or third generation ethnic minority students who may be exposed to a language other than English as part of their cultural heritage but who use English as their everyday language. On the other hand, EAL categorisation includes migrants who have arrived in England, are new to English, and may have received varying levels of schooling in their country of origin and during periods of migration (Strand et al. , 2015) . There are several factors that contribute to the heterogeneity of learners with EAL. Numerous studies report on the intersectionality between socioeconomic background and language, finding that learners with EAL living in the least deprived areas of England are more likely to be assessed at a high level of English language proficiency (competent or fluent) compared to learners with EALin the most deprived areas of England (DfE, 2020) . There is also a north–south regional divide: 66% of learners with EAL living in the South East and 65% in London are assessed as being competent or fluent in English, whereas only 54% living in the North East and North West are assessed at these hig

FAQs

What factors affect exam accessibility for learners with EAL?

Two key factors are students’ level of English proficiency and the complexity of the language used in assessments.

How is the EAL group defined in the report?

Learners with EAL are students for whom English is in addition to another language used at home or in their community, and this classification does not automatically indicate English proficiency.

What access arrangements are commonly used for learners with EAL?

Access arrangements include bilingual translation dictionaries and extra time, where extra time depends on student circumstances and everyday working needs.

Oct 20, 2026

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