Read about the temptation to ‘teach to test’ in the EL Gazette August issue where Password CEO and Founder Caroline Browne discusses the unintended consequences of test preparation material.

Testing is vital to understand a child’s true ability, but they will underperform at GCSE and A-level if their English is not fluent enough.

Faced with competition from international schools overseas, UK schools can increase their appeal by offering world-class English language support.

Password English Language Testing launched the Password Skills Plus test on 8 November at the Society of Antiquaries in London. Ituses the same format and content as the well proven and highly reliable Password Skills test, and fulfils all Home Office requirements for admission to undergraduate and postgraduate courses in the UK.

As part of our efforts to support Ukrainian refugees since April, Password English Language Testing have been providing free English language classes to Ukrainians newly arriving in West London. This is part of our charitable outreach to refugees and asylum seekers who we also support with free English language testing through our work with the Universities of Sanctuary and RefuAid.

Congratulations to CRELLA at the University of Bedfordshire for their excellent REF2021 results. The research centre, who design and academically manage Password English tests, had their research output in the field of English language learning and assessment classified as world leading, finishing 3rd out of 92 submissions, ahead of both Oxford and Cambridge.
“CRELLA’s research has had a major impact on international language test providers, enabling them to clarify the proficiency levels underpinning their English language testing”

Global assessment provider, GL Education, has signed a partnership agreement with Password, a respected provider of online English language and Maths assessments used by student recruitment and admissions teams at many leading UK independent and international schools. The agreement gives GL Education exclusive rights to market the assessments across the Middle East and Turkey.

More recently, in my role as head of school partnerships at Password, I have been able to attend events organised by AMCIS, the British Boarding Schools Network, and the BSA.

Dr Helen Wood, head of school partnerships at Password Testing, highlights the importance of an accurate English language assessment to ensure a good fit between international pupil and school.

Helen Wood sees challenges and opportunities for independent schools in language acquisition…

Developing a better understanding around the processes of second and third language acquisition, and debunking some of the myths around language learning that are prevalent among pupils, teachers and parents, both British and international, would be a good place to start.

International sixth form pupils who, in an attempt to exit those lessons as quickly as possible, endlessly repeated IELTS exams in the hope of attaining the grade demanded by the high ranking institution upon which they had set their hopes.

Dr Helen Wood, head of school partnerships at Password English Language Testing, talks to schools continuing to process applications.