How many EAL students are there in the UK?

In the UK, over 1.6 million pupils are identified as having English as an Additional Language, representing approximately 19.5% of the total school population . This substantial figure highlights the incredible diversity within British classrooms today and underscores the importance of effective EAL support systems.

These numbers have grown significantly over recent years, reflecting the UK’s increasingly multilingual society. The distribution varies considerably across different regions, with some urban areas seeing much higher percentages. For instance, certain London boroughs may have schools where EAL students comprise over 80% of the pupil population, while rural areas might have far fewer EAL learners.

This diverse group speaks hundreds of different languages at home, from widely spoken languages like Urdu, Polish and Arabic to less common languages from smaller communities. The variety of educational backgrounds among these students is equally broad – some arrive with strong literacy skills in their first language, while others may have had limited formal education.

These statistics demonstrate why targeted EAL support isn’t just beneficial but essential for maintaining educational equity across the UK. Schools must be prepared to meet the varied needs of this significant portion of their student body through appropriate resources, training and pedagogical approaches.