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One-minute guide on the Ethnically Diverse Education Achievement Service (EDEAS) (formerly EMTAS)

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EDEAS is a dedicated multi-ethnic and multilingual team, with over 30 years’ experience of working closely with Devon schools and settings to remove barriers and inequalities in attainment and achievement.  Through our specialist resources and support, we provide expert advice, guidance, and training to help raise attainment and close the performance gap for ethnically diverse and children for whom English is an additional language (EAL).

Who do we support?

  • Children in primary and secondary schools
  • Children in Early Years settings
  • Unaccompanied asylum-seeking and refugee children
  • Schools, settings and agencies

What our support looks like

  • Advice and support for EAL coordinators, teachers and school leaders.
  • Support on strategies to overcome barriers to learning and closing the gap for EAL and ethnically diverse children.
  • Advice on relevant target setting.
  • Attendance advice and support.
  • Child observation and advice.
  • Specialist consultancy at multiagency meetings.
  • Targeted specialist interventions and programmes.
  • Supporting schools with Equality, diversity and inclusion (EDI).
  • Cultural awareness and cultural exchange.
  • Training, network meetings and workshops.
  • Guidance on school policies.

Equality, diversity and inclusion (EDI)

  • School and trust EDI reviews (ensuring you meet your legal duty and Ofsted expectations).
  • Support and advice on setting and analysing your Equality duty objectives.
  • EDI pupil forums.
  • Bullying, prejudice and racism incident support.
  • Policy guidance and support.
  • Fully funded EDI training.

This academic year EDEAS has partnered with Devon Schools Wellbeing Partnership to offer all Devon schools (excluding Plymouth and Torbay) fully funded Equality, Diversity and Inclusion training. 

This training can be delivered to Trust leaders, governors and/or school staff.  We are also running a hybrid model of either 1hr onsite training session, or two 30mins webinars – to meet the needs of your busy diaries. Register your interest.

Accessing support

Gypsy, Roma, Traveller and Showmen (GRTS) support

  • Short-term intervention programmes.
  • Individual transition programmes for Traveller children from primary to secondary, early years to primary and secondary to post-16.
  • Advisory support to help develop inclusive approaches.
  • Advice on distance learning.
  • Visiting unauthorised encampments, fairs and circuses to provide education.
  • Support for schools, settings and agencies to build strong links with parents and carers.
  • Curriculum support to plan for opportunities to value and promote Traveller culture.
  • Training and community cultural awareness.
  • Future focus workshops and Traveller history month (June) assemblies.

Accessing support

Visit the GRTS webpages

For support please contact Ellen Tout, GRTS advisory teacher, Ellen.Tout@devon.gov.uk

English as an additional language support

  • Bilingual induction support for new arrivals.
  • Bilingual support for children causing concern.
  • Diversity and cultural workshops.
  • Interpreting support for EAL families in meetings and SEN assessments.
  • EAL specialist guidance for school leaders
  • Translation service – ensuring your school correspondence and consent forms are fully accessible.
  • Pupil observations and EAL targeted interventions.
  • Support with SEN identification through Home Language assessments.
  • Specialist EAL consultancy.
  • Support with using EAL proficiency assessments.
  • EAL clinics (maintained schools only)
  • Four training packages: Closing the EAL word gap, Supporting EAL Writers, Supporting EAL children in the Early Years and Improving EAL support.

Accessing support

EDEAS has two Lead advisory teachers providing EAL consultancy support and Bilingual support workers, covering over 20 languages.

For all other EAL support, please contact Lead advisory teachers, Kat Tasinkiewicz: Kat.Tasinkiewicz@devon.gov.uk or Cary-Anne Ginns: Cary-Anne.Ginns@devon.gov.uk 


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