P-04-581 Opposition to Cuts in Provision for Learners of English as an Additional Language – Correspondence from the Petitioner to the Committee, 28.01.2014

Many thanks for your recent email informing me of the discussion of my petition.

As you will be aware, since the submission of my petition, the MEAG, which had provided ring fenced funding for the support of pupils in the process of acquiring English as an Additional Language (EAL), no longer exists.  Resourcing for EAL learners is now drawn from the Education Improvement Grant (EIG).

While I am unaware of new arrivals data across Wales, the withdrawal of the MEAG has coincided with an unprecedented number of new referrals to Swansea’s EMLA Service- an average rate of six new referrals per day, or over 500 pupils across both primary and secondary phases since the beginning of the Autumn Term, 2014.

Can the Welsh Government guarantee that adequate priority is given to EAL learners given the multiple demands on the E.I.G., and ensure that areas with the greatest need- Cardiff, Newport and Swansea LAs are targeted?

Regards,

Helen Myers