295 PUPILS... 19 LANGUAGES

C_steam · 07-06-2006, 06:40 PM

Quote:

BY ZENA HAWLEY
A Derby school where 19 languages are spoken has been told it is failing to give pupils an acceptable standard of education.

Almost two thirds of pupils at Pear Tree Community Junior School do not have English as a first language, with many unable to speak English when they arrive.

Parents were told yesterday that the school, which has struggled to bridge the language gap, was being placed in special measures.

When Ofsted inspectors visited at the end of March, they found 30 of the 295 pupils were asylum seekers' or travellers' children. A further 12 have joined in the past month.

Among the languages pupils speak are Czech, Slovakian, Polish, Arabic, Kurdish, Turkish, Slovenian, Punjabi, Urdu, Italian, French, Russian, Pushto and Thai.

Now the school, which employs several teachers who are able to speak more than one language, is to seek help from the city council to aid its work with pupils who do not speak English.

The school was last inspected two years ago and was told it had serious weaknesses.

In the recent visit, four Ofsted inspectors decided the pace of improvement was too slow.

Key problem areas highlighted included a poor management structure, poor academic standards, significant non-attendance and inadequate teaching in some areas.

The inspectors also drew attention to the socially-disadvantaged area around the school and the high number of pupils arriving and then leaving.

But the inspection team did praise the pupils' good behaviour and politeness, their willingness to attend homework clubs and their good relationships with teachers.

The team also acknowledged that a new head teacher, Maddie Oldershaw, was appointed in March, one week before the inspection, and had set about making changes to the management structure.

Mrs Oldershaw said: "We've appointed two assistant heads and there will be two teachers joining in September, which will help to reduce class sizes.

"An influx of children from east European countries in the last 18 months has made a big difference, especially as many of them cannot speak English."

Councillor Sara Bolton, chairman of the school's governors, said the Ofsted judgment was disappointing.

She added: "Staff and governors are determined to make sure every child at the school receives the very best educational opportunities."

Parent Jazarina Ali, of Sinfin, who has a son, Aquil Ahmed (10), at the school, said she was surprised by the report.

She said: "My son loves coming here and it's great that the school takes on so many different ethnic groups."

The school will now receive termly visits to check on its progress until it is given a clean bill of health. It has 40 working days to devise an action plan to present to Ofsted.

John Carter · 07-06-2006, 07:56 PM

Quote:

Among the languages pupils speak are Czech, Slovakian, Polish, Arabic, Kurdish, Turkish, Slovenian, Punjabi, Urdu, Italian, French, Russian, Pushto and Thai.

I've never even heard of that!

How's about we teach 'em in English - and if they want to be taught in another language they should go to wherever that language is spoken.

Otherwise, I want my kids taught in Esperanto. And Klingon.

C_steam · 07-06-2006, 08:10 PM

Dwarvish for me. I want all my kids to be able to Krazak'd their H'ragghh correctly.

andypandy · 07-06-2006, 11:23 PM

The failure of any nation state to impose its chosen or common national language on all migrants indicates a desire, by those championing migrants with a bi-lingual policy, to ultimately destroy what they are alledgedly "enriching".

Britannist · 08-06-2006, 02:03 AM

I think that Pear Tree (the area the educational establishment named above is located) is in Foreign Secretary Margaret Beckett's Derby South constituency. She couldn't care less if 50 languages are spoken in the school -as long as the parents of these non-English speakers all vote Labour.

colin smith · 08-06-2006, 03:53 PM

Hi C_steam,
I am disgusted ,but not surprised , that so many languages are spoken. Yet again, our native white indigineous pupils are being held back by foreigners. When I was at senior school ( 1962-1968 ) , there was only TWO black pupils and THREE non- English pupils, out of a school population of 825. I think this speaks volumes .

Besoeker · 10-06-2006, 03:00 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by colin smith

Hi C_steam,
When I was at senior school ( 1962-1968 ) , there was only TWO black pupils and THREE non- English pupils, out of a school population of 825. I think this speaks volumes .

When I was at senior school, out of a similar school population, none was English. But all spoke English and all lessons were in English.

andypandy · 10-06-2006, 08:10 PM

Immigration (AND emigration - remember that) has changed Britain indefinately, and there is nothing you can do about it. It is all about numbers, and the native European British population are losing. It is simple maths, and the battle will be won and lost in the maternity wards and airport arrival lounges of the future.

If you are really bothered, then UKIP is not the party for you, and are probably better served in the likes of the BNP. UKIP has jumped on board the immigration debate too late, and approaches it purely from a EU point of view (as it does with EVERYTHING).

Just look how many urban areas have changed over the last 40 years, most of our adult life for many, just try to imagine what Britain will look like in 2045 - the 100th anniversary of the end of the second world war. Many of the people celebrating it will have absolutley nothing in connection to it bar living in the same country. How difficult a war was won, and how easily the peace was lost.

Besoeker · 11-06-2006, 06:34 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by andypandy

Immigration (AND emigration - remember that) has changed Britain indefinately, and there is nothing you can do about it. It is all about numbers, and the native European British population are losing. It is simple maths.

Indeed. UK population is 92.1% white.
Simple arithmetic.

andypandy · 11-06-2006, 07:29 PM

Yes, simple maths, an 8% loss in just over 50 years (assuming the figures ARE accurate). But, by 2045?

08-06-2006, 02:03 AM	#5 (permalink)
Britannist Uber Member Join Date: Jun 2005 Location: London Posts: 23,146	Beckett couldn't care less about the English I think that Pear Tree (the area the educational establishment named above is located) is in Foreign Secretary Margaret Beckett's Derby South constituency. She couldn't care less if 50 languages are spoken in the school -as long as the parents of these non-English speakers all vote Labour.

Thread Tools
Show Printable Version Email this Page
Display Modes
Linear Mode Switch to Hybrid Mode Switch to Threaded Mode

07-06-2006, 08:10 PM	#3 (permalink)
C_steam Super Moderator Join Date: Oct 2004 Location: Paddling up 5hit creek..... Posts: 7,964	Dwarvish for me. I want all my kids to be able to Krazak'd their H'ragghh correctly.

07-06-2006, 11:23 PM	#4 (permalink)
andypandy Senior Member Join Date: May 2006 Posts: 880	The failure of any nation state to impose its chosen or common national language on all migrants indicates a desire, by those championing migrants with a bi-lingual policy, to ultimately destroy what they are alledgedly "enriching".

08-06-2006, 03:53 PM	#6 (permalink)
colin smith Member Join Date: Jan 2006 Posts: 181	Hi C_steam, I am disgusted ,but not surprised , that so many languages are spoken. Yet again, our native white indigineous pupils are being held back by foreigners. When I was at senior school ( 1962-1968 ) , there was only TWO black pupils and THREE non- English pupils, out of a school population of 825. I think this speaks volumes .

10-06-2006, 08:10 PM	#8 (permalink)
andypandy Senior Member Join Date: May 2006 Posts: 880	Immigration (AND emigration - remember that) has changed Britain indefinately, and there is nothing you can do about it. It is all about numbers, and the native European British population are losing. It is simple maths, and the battle will be won and lost in the maternity wards and airport arrival lounges of the future. If you are really bothered, then UKIP is not the party for you, and are probably better served in the likes of the BNP. UKIP has jumped on board the immigration debate too late, and approaches it purely from a EU point of view (as it does with EVERYTHING). Just look how many urban areas have changed over the last 40 years, most of our adult life for many, just try to imagine what Britain will look like in 2045 - the 100th anniversary of the end of the second world war. Many of the people celebrating it will have absolutley nothing in connection to it bar living in the same country. How difficult a war was won, and how easily the peace was lost.

11-06-2006, 07:29 PM	#10 (permalink)
andypandy Senior Member Join Date: May 2006 Posts: 880	Yes, simple maths, an 8% loss in just over 50 years (assuming the figures ARE accurate). But, by 2045?