A London primary school is changing how educational technology helps students who are learning English as an additional language. By using an adaptive learning platform and renaming traditional "interventions," Newton Farm School in Harrow shows how digital tools can boost academic progress and reduce teacher workloads.
What Happened
More than 90 percent of pupils at Newton Farm School in London speak English as an Additional Language (EAL). The school faced a common challenge: students often excelled at arithmetic but struggled when complex word problems and reasoning were introduced. To address this, the school integrated CENTURY, an AI-powered learning platform, into daily routines five years ago.
Andrew Martinez, the school's Computing and English Lead, says the platform lets teachers spot grammar and math gaps early. Instead of waiting for paper assessments, teachers use digital data to see exactly which concepts a student has missed.
The school also changed how they group students for extra help. Based on parent feedback, they replaced traditional "intervention groups" with daily challenge sessions. During assembly times, teachers use data to group students. Some practice basic fractions, while higher-attaining students move ahead to percentages. This approach teaches every child at their specific level. It removes the label of "struggling" and keeps pupils motivated. It also reduces teacher workloads by replacing manual paperwork with automated, group-specific assignments.
The Bigger Picture
This classroom strategy matches recent research on language development in core subjects. According to research by HMH, mathematical reasoning, which involves explaining why a solution works, requires specific language skills. When EAL students struggle with math word problems, the barrier is often language rather than mathematical ability. A guide by WIDA explains that educators do not need to wait for perfect English fluency. Letting students show what they know using drawings, gestures, and their home languages builds mathematical understanding alongside language skills. As we previously explored with language acquisition, focusing on how sentence structure works helps young learners build the basic fluency needed to handle academic word problems.
The school’s reliance on digital platforms reflects a shift in how educators view technology. Parents often worry about screen time, but a report from Science Teaching shows that the purpose of screen use matters more than the duration. Interactive educational software that adapts to a child's needs offers a different cognitive experience than passive scrolling or watching videos.
The way schools label support groups also has a psychological impact. A study in Contemporary School Psychology found that how school programs are framed influences student stress and willingness to participate. By renaming interventions to "challenge sessions," schools can reduce the anxiety of being singled out for remedial help.
What This Means for Families
For parents, this research and the success at Newton Farm show that language barriers do not have to hold children back in STEM subjects. If your child is learning English, their math skills can still grow if they are encouraged to express their thinking through different methods. Active, adaptive digital tools also offer parents an effective way to reinforce school lessons at home.
What You Can Do
To help your child, focus on active screen time by choosing educational platforms that require them to solve problems or explain concepts rather than watch tutorials passively. Encourage multilingual reasoning by letting your child explain math homework in their native language first, which reinforces the mathematical concept before they translate it to English. Finally, reframe academic support. Avoid presenting "extra help" or "remedial work" as a penalty, and instead treat these moments as targeted personal challenges.