Language problems in 29 schools

Ian Craig

December 18, 2007

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BRANDWOOD: 19 languages not a problem for Headteacher Rosemary Jones

SCHOOLS in parts of Greater Manchester are struggling to cope with pupils whose first language is not English.

Official figures show that children with English as a first language are now in a minority in 29 schools in Manchester, 23 in Oldham and 15 in Rochdale.

And the figures, from the Department for Children, Schools and Families, show that in 14 schools in Manchester, 20 in Oldham and nine in Rochdale, 70 per cent of pupils do not have English as a first language.

The figures were given to MPs by Schools Minister Jim Knight and show a growing number of primary and secondary schools where the rising number of pupils without a decent grasp of English is putting intense pressure on teachers and undermining education standards.

The figures have increased demands from teachers' leaders for more money to help meet the costs of teaching foreign-born children.

Teachers' unions claim that educating a single non-English speaking pupil could cost as much as £30,000 a year.

Philip Parkin, general secretary of the Professional Association of Teachers, said dealing with such pupils made it harder to deliver the curriculum. And recently the National Association of Head Teachers said some schools were struggling to cope with the influx of foreign pupils.

But the headteacher of one school where children speak 19 different languages says the lack of English as a first language may not be a problem.

Rosemary Jones, head of Brandwood County Primary in Daubhill, Bolton, said: "It doesn't have to be a handicap.

Integrate

"It's all about how you organise as a school and about how the staff react to the children. You just have to work to integrate them at all levels.

"Many of those with languages other than English as their first language are bright children anyway. And having a multi-cultural school cannot be a bad thing."

The M.E.N. reported earlier this year how pupils at Brandwood County Primary could speak English, Kurdish, Bengali, Farsi (Persian), Filipino, Asholey, Gujarati, Albanian, Somali, Punjabi, French, Czech, German, Russian, Dutch, Norwegian, Swahili, Turkish and Urdu.

But pupils and staff have proved that communication is no barrier to doing better - the school was one of the most improved in the country.

What do you think? Have your say.

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come-on-city (18/12/2007 at 11:49)

Sensationalist rubbish!

Here is the first sentence of the article:

"SCHOOLS in parts of Greater Manchester are struggling to cope with pupils whose first language is not English."

Here is the last sentence of the article:

"But pupils and staff have proved that communication is no barrier to doing better - the school was one of the most improved in the country."

How many people on here will just read the first line and then sprout their usual rubbish???

Fear and loathing, Oldham (18/12/2007 at 12:11)

If i was a parent and my first language wasnt english i would go out of my way to make sure that my children's first language would be English!

In saying this i'm not being rascist but language differences are a barrier and that is a fact!

Pentest (18/12/2007 at 12:13)

I'll spout what you consider rubbish Come on city. This government ant the education system has lost the plot. To even be considered for a place in an English school, the intended scolar should either speak English as the main language or at the very least have a good knowledge of it ...written, spoken and understanding. After all, they are English schools, situated in the UK, and not on some other foriegn shores.

Had enough, Walkden (18/12/2007 at 12:22)

Where else in the world would this happen......
This country is a complete joke, I am so glad my child does not go to one of these schools.

Wilbur Norris, Manchester (18/12/2007 at 12:25)

If we travel to Spain you have to pay tyo be in a private school or learn the language in public schools why do we spend all the time and money on this ?

come-on-city (18/12/2007 at 12:33)

I'll repeat the last line again:

"But pupils and staff have proved that communication is no barrier to doing better - the school was one of the most improved in the country."

Why else would the MEN leave this until the last line other than to know that you are all a bunch of reactionary people who would only bother to read the headline and to sprout your usual hatred of all things foreign???

come-on-city (18/12/2007 at 12:35)

England for the English eh Pentest???

Yeah damn these non English children. How dare they want an education.

Black Flag (18/12/2007 at 13:31)

Wilbur Norris, you've got the wrong end of the stick. Nowhere in the story does it suggest that pupils are being taught in a language other than English, it just highlights the difficulties that occur when a pupil is being taught in English when it isn't his or her first language.

hodie, wiltshire (18/12/2007 at 13:42)

How many of the complainers learn to speak welsh/spanish/french etc before thinking of either holidaying or retirng there - just asking?

marc (18/12/2007 at 13:47)

theres more knee-jerks on here than in Riverdance.

why not look at it like this - the more language's spoken in schools the more chance your own child will learn to speak in other tongues. free education!

Moog (18/12/2007 at 13:57)

Its not the childrens fault,they look like a great bunch of kids actually. Its our fault for not insisting that our elected representatives stipulate that new arrivals to "Great" Britain learn and use English as their 1st language. If this story annoys you, do something about it using the correct avenues.

D Vader (18/12/2007 at 14:12)

I'm a school governor and at our last meeting, it was understood that the problem was that some children fail to have a basic concept of the English language BEFORE they even go to school and some of the non-English speakers have difficulty with their own language. Is it any wonder that schools are struggling with language problems? Why can't anything be done about the parents who allow this to happen? Why can't the government address this problem? Oh yeah, it's a Labour government and they'd probably ask for details of all non-English pupils to be sent on a disk.

Princess_Pam, Crumpsall (18/12/2007 at 14:13)

We need to reintroduce streaming to schools so that one child can't hold back another, for example by slowing down a lesson because one group of children cannot speak English. We never had streaming at primary school but I certainly remember it in secondary school (I was in the second stream of seven but in the top stream for certain subjects). It didn't cause me a problem and it's a way to handle bright children being held back because others need more time.

Sarkans (18/12/2007 at 15:48)

If a child who does not speak English comes to live in the UK legally, then of course it is necessary to make sure the child learns English in school.
If a child is born in the UK and goes to school at 5 years old lacking basic English skills, then the parents have been negligent.

Garfield (18/12/2007 at 16:05)

believe it or not children learn the best and the most in the first seven years of their lives.

i have worked with children who came to me in an early years setting with no english but after a few months speak clearer english than their parents, and actually are able to translate for them. the schools that spend their budget on interpreters are daft because this is what the goverment wants now...for all people to use the english language.

the other benefits to this are the wide range of laanguages that all the children within the schools get to learn as an addition. Also this will teach respect for other cultures etc... something we need very much in this country in this day and age.

The Bobelesque (18/12/2007 at 16:16)

One of the problems seems to be that a lot of these kids are looked after at home by grandparents who speak only their original language. I often see families round Asda in oldham - the kids speak English to each other but then have to use another language to speak to parents/grandparents.

The schools are fighting a losing battle against the might of the home culture - which older family members are determned to hold onto, including the language. Time to admit that our society is not a multi-racial dream but a multi-cultural nightmare.

Too much immigration - not enough thought and planning about the consequences.

My other worry is that whilst schools are making so much effort to educate what amount to foreigners, are our own indigenous children suffering?

Don't suppose this post will appear - perhaps a bit too rightist for the MEN.

come-on-city (18/12/2007 at 17:48)

"are our own indigenous children suffering?"

Haha, is this even a serious thought and or, question?

marc (18/12/2007 at 18:41)

looks like they printed your comment Bob and i have to say i'm disappointed. you're not even trying these days, are you? your comment is speculative at best.

Rob Lawrence (18/12/2007 at 20:22)

It's a big thing over nothing. By the time these kids get to Uni, it's not even an issue. I went to Uni with Chinese, French and Spanish overseas students who had to pay full rates on their education. Bugged me to bits they were always top of the class for subjects like Maths, Physics and Chemistry!!!

thaitanium (19/12/2007 at 01:05)

"But the headteacher of one school where children speak 19 different languages says the lack of English as a first language may not be a problem."

Am I missing something here?
May not be a problem how can not being able to communicate not be a problem?
These children are here because their parents wanted to come to the UK it is the parents duty not the schools duty to ensure their children speak English and not leave it to the taxpayer.

edwards (19/12/2007 at 08:48)

what happens when no children in the school have english as a first language? what language is used? just a thought but that situation cannot be long off. common sense tells me that this must be holding some kids back surely?

D Vader (19/12/2007 at 10:47)

Actually Rob, it is a big thing. I continually see translators being used in classes above year 4. This is unacceptable. Children in our schools should have a good concept of the English language by year 1.

Bob is correct in what he is saying. Most children want to learn English because they want to feel included in the school and not having a "looking in from the outside" feel. It is many of older family members who do not encourage pupils to speak English that is the basis of the problem. Some parents just send the child to school not really caring if they can speak English or not and I have seen it happen and it is something we are trying to address. However, we are fighting a losing battle unless there can be stricter measures put in place.

D Vader (19/12/2007 at 10:48)

Edwards, I shouldn't expect that to happen, however if it does, I would assume it would be a specialist school or something.

Matthew Wright (19/12/2007 at 14:06)

Where did I read "we know know what Ed Balls means about teaching all Children a foreign language" he means English

The Bobelesque (19/12/2007 at 14:49)

come-on-city:

yes it was and clearly others agree with me. Many many many more than everyone likes to admit.

People with views like yours are actually in the minority if you dig not too deep.

Come-the-day-come-on-city!

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