Main Content

Ethnic minority achievement service

Curriculum and Language Access Service

Curriculum and Language Access Service (CLAS) is a language support service that exists to support the educational needs of minority ethnic pupils by working with local schools, parents and other agencies.

CLAS has  the following mission statement:

"The Curriculum and Language Access Service is committed to raising the achievement and expectations of minority ethnic pupils, by working in partnership to ensure equality of opportunity in Education."

The service includes:

  • language assistants and support workers who speak more than one language; and
  • specialist teachers of English as an additional language (EAL).

CLAS is mainly funded by a special DCSF grant. Our staff work with schools across the authority to help support the educational achievement of pupils with EAL, refugees, asylum seekers and ethnic minority pupils at risk of underachieving. All groups benefit from specialist EAL expertise in schools.

By working with schools, CLAS staff:

  • support schools in developing teaching and learning approaches which benefit pupils from all language backgrounds;
  • work in the classroom with mainstream teachers and assistants;
  • plan together to make sure pupils have full access to the curriculum;
  • help to develop a learning culture where having more than one language is valued;
  • evaluate pupil progress regularly to make sure support is given effectively;
  • contact parents and carers by making home visits to discuss pupil progress and how parents can get involved;
  • develop resources to use in school and at home, such as dual language signs and posters, resource packs and translated documents;
  • support schools in meeting the cultural, language and religious needs of their pupils;
  • support pupils taking GCSEs in community languages.

Through specific initiatives the service will:

  • support schools to promote anti-racism, for example, Show Racism the Red Card competition, Kool Kidz Racial Harmony Pack, Refugee Week activities;
  • provide training for teachers and employees of Bury MBC on promoting cultural diversity, celebrating festivals in schools, supporting pupils with EAL and asylum seekers;
  • co-ordinate a postgraduate certificate in bilingualism along with the University of Birmingham to develop teachers' skills in working with pupils who speak more than one language;
  • work with asylum seekers to make sure they have access to services.    

The service is based at Seedfield Site, Parkinson Street, Bury, and can be contacted on telephone number 0161 253 6422/23.

CLAS Newsletter

The CLAS newsletter is produced bi annually and  provides information about race equality and projects that are being delivered by CLAS in Partnerships in the Borough for children and young people. The newsletter is distributed to all the schools in the Borough and widely across a broad range of agencies.  The newsletter is accessible on the Bury MBC website.  For further information contact CLAS on 0161 253 6129/6423.