Intensive English Centre

The Atwell Primary School Intensive English Centre is due to open in Term 1, 2025. The centre will cater for students from culturally and linguistically diverse backgrounds, who are learning Standard Australian English as an Additional Language or Dialect (EAL/D). The IEC will work closely with families and other agencies as needed, to support families through the transition process involved in settling into a new school and culture.

The Atwell Primary School community values the opportunity to build positive relationships with families who are new to the school and extends a warm welcome to IEC students and their families.

Eligibility

  • Students newly arrived in Australia, whose first language is not English, are eligible to enrol in the IEC;

  • Students must meet visa and citizenship conditions (information is available by contacting the school);

  • Students born in Australia, who speak English as an Additional Language and enter school for the first time needing to further develop their English, may be eligible to enrol;

  • Students who have returned from overseas and have limited or no English, may be eligible to enrol;

  • Students who live in the specific suburbs that apply to this Intensive English Centre (more information about which suburbs are available on enquiry);

  • Where applicable, international fee-paying students are required to pay additional fees to enrol in IEC (more information about international fees is available on the TIWA website)

Educators

The IEC will be staffed by experienced English as an Additional Language or Dialect (EAL/D) teachers and Ethnic Education Assistants (EEA). These specialist staff understand the cultural and linguistic diversity of students and will become familiar with their academic, social and emotional strengths and needs.

The IEC staff will be supported by curriculum specialist teachers, an on-site school psychologist, the school leadership team and school office staff.

Enrolment Procedures

  • Prospective families are required to contact the school by phone or email to organise an appointment to enrol a student at the IEC.

  • Enrolments may take one to two hours and in most circumstances, interpreters are provided to ensure information is accurately understood by the school and the family.

  • Parents/caregivers should provide:

    • original passport documents;

    • birth certificates (for students born in Australia);

    • child immunisation documents;

    • previous school reports

Once enrolled, students will be entitled to approximately twelve months Intensive English language instruction. Depending on their visa category and level of prior schooling, some students may require two years in the IEC.

Class Structure

Depending on numbers, the IEC classes will be organised into broad age groupings:

  • Junior: 5 - 7 years;

  • Middle: 7 - 9 years;

  • Senior: 9 - 12 years

Students will usually enter the IEC as a Phase One EAL/D learner and exit the unit having completed Phase Two.

Specialist Programs

Specialist teachers at Atwell Primary School will provide further enrichment through specialist subjects for all students. The subject areas may include Health and Physical Education, Visual Arts and Music.

Integration

The students in the IEC will be actively engaged in an intensive program to develop their Standard Australian English, in preparation for the mainstream classes in their various schools. While at Atwell Primary School they will be further supported in this preparation through integration with the rest of the school. This will include participation in assemblies, sporting activities, buddy classes and whole-school incursions. The IEC students will participate in all other major school events and celebrations.

Curriculum

The programs in the IEC will be informed by WA Department of Education curriculum documents and the EAL/D Progress Map. The skilled teachers of the IEC will teach the language of all subject areas through the age-appropriate content used for all students in WA. Students will develop their English vocabulary at the same time as they are exposed to familiar or new concepts across the curriculum.

Assessment and Reporting

The EAL/D Progress Map is used to provide a very clear guideline for students’ development of Standard Australian English. Assessment tasks will be developed by teachers to indicate the level the student is achieving.

Transport to School

While the students are attending the IEC, a home-to-school bus service will be provided by the WA Department of Education. Buses will arrive at the school at 8:45am and leave the school at 2:45pm.

Contacting the IEC

The IEC is supported by the experienced front office staff, who will take direct calls and emails.

Phone: (08)6174 2400

Email: melissa.hopkins@education.wa.edu.au