Fair Admissions Assessment in Multilingual Contexts: What International Schools Need to Know

Admissions teams in international schools are operating in increasingly complex contexts, with growing linguistic and cultural diversity among applicants - meaning admissions decisions carry high stakes for both recruitment and pupil success. Yet assessing multilingual applicants fairly can be challenging. Standardised tests may disadvantage learners who are still developing English, while home language strengths and academic potential risk being overlooked.

This webinar explores how schools can strengthen admissions assessment by:
• Recognising the central role of academic English proficiency in predicting attainment
• Avoiding common pitfalls in interpreting attainment and cognitive test data
• Using admissions test data to plan supportive pathways for learners with developing English
• Applying practical strategies to make admissions both fairer and more effective

This session is delivered by Helen Wood, Head of School Partnerships at Password English Language Testing, and Matthew Norbury, Director for International Students at King’s Ely School.