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English a second language for 32 per cent
Reporter: KAREN DOHERTY
Date online: 14 August 2009
NEARLY a third of Oldham’s primary school pupils do not speak English as their first language.
The figure of 5,741 pupils, or 32.1 per cent, is the second highest in the North-West behind Blackburn (39.8 per cent) and the same as Manchester.
Figures for secondary schools are lower at 20.6 per cent, or 3,319 of the 16,120 students. Only Blackburn (30.9 per cent) and Manchester (28.8 per cent) have a higher rate in the North-West.
Overall, English is not the mother tongue for a quarter of all Oldham, according to the Government data.
And across the country, English is a second language to more than one in seven primary school youngsters.
Critics said the figures show that Britain’s immigration policy is putting pressure on primary schools.
However, the Department for Education and Skills said that figures only indicated that English was not a pupil’s mother tongue.
A spokeswoman said: “The fact is, being an English as an additional language pupil doesn’t mean you don’t speak English.”
Bryan Beckingham, joint branch secretary of Oldham National Union of Teachers, said the figures were not necessarily a problem.
He thinks children learning English can boost language learning for all pupils — as long as there is adequate support.
“When pupils have access to more than one language at a young age, they can learn languages much quicker,” he said.
“Language learning is something we have a poor record of in Britain. Schools can utilise children learning languages together, as long as it’s supported by a qualified English as a foreign language teacher.
“That’s the problem. There probably is not enough resources to help those children and utilise that resource.”
The figures also show that 1,089 pupils who are eligible for free school meals in Oldham meals failed to take them up.
Comments
Weird 20 yrs on, being born in the uk and they still don't speak English, and they wonder why the education system is failing. So what happened to integration and cohesion
Children born in the uk, raised untill school age by their family and then be unable to speak English is unforgivable in a so called multi cultural society. Do this community not realise that they are penalising not only their childrens education but also hindering other pupils where teaching resorces are used to help the children 'catch up'.
Another 20 years and we will be a minority in this Town, the multicultural nightmare is happening at at an alarming rate, when do the indiginous people of this country get their say on these matters ? I wont hold my breath.
Oh I feel a wave of White Mans Guilt coming over the horizon from the PC brigade, after all it IS our fault they fail despite all the priveliges afforded them. Anyone for institutional Rascism ?
"Overall, English is not the mother tongue for a quarter of all Oldham, according to the Government data".It was 15% at the last census. Things are changing fast
This town of 225,000 people has 11% non-whites. (20,000). So according to Oldham Owl, in 20 years there will be a loss of 105,000 "Whites" with an increase of 105,000 non-"whites" OR an increase of 206,000 non-"whites" and a static "white" population for them to be the minority. The SCANDAL or 32% with EAL is bad enough without idiotic scaremongering. Without knowing the community language of Oldham (English) there will never be integration.
Once again myths being perpetated by those in power to claim extra central government grants. My children struggle to talk to their grandmother because they only speak English!!.
All the children in their class speak English, when are these myths going to stop, so that morons writing stupid hate filled comments on this page can be silenced?
Keith - more myths, find me one person born here 20 yrs ago who cant speak English!!!
Watersheddings - nobody stops your racist filth, these colunns are full of them from you and others.
Question these official myths instead of believing everything printed by these officials
Go to a school, and ask them where the LA have got these figures. Nobody has asked me what language is spoken in my home.
These statisticians look at the school roll, foreign name, English mustn't be the 1st language - translated as can't speak English.
Lies, Damn lies and Statistics
Bryan Beckingham thinks children learning English can boost language learning for all pupils “When pupils have access to more than one language at a young age, they can learn languages much quicker,” he said.
No Mr B, spending time teaching others English doesn't boost language learning; it holds others back. Access to another language? Great but another useful language not Urdu !
Good news - if only the "educationally challenged" writing these comments read the whole article. 32% of primary school pupils speak more than one language!! wonder what their background is madblue, keith, watersheddings, oldham owl, chubby chud?
Pity you never achieved at school even after 11 years of formal education
A spokeswoman said: “The fact is, being an English as an additional language pupil doesn’t mean you don’t speak English.”
Does that mean then that there is no requirement for teaching assistants in some areas to have a south asian language and as a result it shouldn't be a job requirement?
I am assuming if 32% of primary school children have english as their second language that their parents also have english as a second language? This would either mean lack of willingness to intergrate or newly arrived in the country. Which one is it? Either way Its very worrying.
So the town has 11% non whites, and 32% of primary children do not have english as their first language. Blame the Asians as usual - NO. What about the thousands of "white" polish and other european migrants. They are legitimate EU members and have a right to be here. The Europhiles obviously missed the school language problem when they opened up the borders.
The fact is this, speaking English in an English country is a necessity if you are wanting cohesion and integration to work no matter which country you come from. Oldham Council's plight to get everyone to intergrate won't work if there isn't a universal tongue. How else are people supposed to communicate with each other. Or maybe just maybe people don't want to intergrate?
It's a huge problem that is exacerbating the divides in the town. Where immigrant children, specifically Pakistani's and Bangladeshi's dominate school rolls and live in already segregated communities, being unable to communicate well enough with the wider population is a massive problem.
The council should stop producing literature in anything other than English.
fightback is talking dribble, saying my comments are racist, go on my friend play the race card because you can not refute the argument, as someone once said 'using racism as an opposition to an argument is the last refuge of a scoundrel'
I can find you children of people who have lived here for more than 20 years who cannot speak English fightback. I can also show you the same people who cannot even read or write their native tongue! While there are plenty of Asians who do make an effort to integrate there are plenty who do not, I only need to go to local shops to hear people talking in native tongue, see news in other language. If you wish to dispute the figures then please present the evidence - I'll listen
I accept that lies, damn lies and statistics, need to be questioned. I can’t accept the ever-increasing level of denial, which suggests the problem, is minor. The fact that, for years, the Council, has chosen to issue literature in 'umpteen languages' suggests otherwise. In immediate post-war Oldham, Italians, Poles, Ukrainians and others simply communicated and got on with it. However, born during the Blitz, I am still grateful that my parents’ generation prevented me having to learn German!
Watersheddings - Everything you spout inevitably comes with its slant, I'll call it as I see it from you and others,when are you going to acknowledge what the article says - 32% of children speak more than one language in primary scools, it doesn't say they can't speak English, it says (and this is also untrue) that English is not their first language."my friend" your argument is refuted!!
Tell me who is supposed to have said your quote and I'll comment on its validity, wasn't Nick was it?.
Flake - I do not believe any body who was born her and has lived here for 20 years can't speak English.
Safe to say I run into more of "these types" of people than you do.
You like the rest have missed what the article says 32% speak more than one language!!
Speaking in a native tongue with people from your own background doesn't mean you can't speak English!!
AGh - You should also thank people like my Grandfather who also fought the Germans, stayed in a hospital for 6 months for his troubles and was never physically the same again... dont use the myth of the UK defeating the Nazis on their own, there were over 15 countries fighting the Nazis, that's why they were called the Allies!!!.
Take it from me the myth of Asian children not being able to speak English in priimary school is a money driven one, go to St Thomas School, Werneth for your proof.
...don’t use the myth of the UK defeating the Nazis on their own,...
Where exactly does this appear in my original comment - look again, ‘Fightback’ it doesn't! Don't presume to attribute or make up words that are not there. Having lived through it,I don't need anyone trying to teach me history. My phrase ‘I am still grateful that my parents’ generation...covers yours and all other granddads and fathers, whose efforts now allow us to be able to freely pass comment on all manner of things!
The fact that you chose to mention a war which is not mentioned in the original article, was mentioned, in my opinion, to prove that what you say is somethng that should not be challenged, because free speech was fought for in 19 45.
I remind everbody that applies to me as well as you.
Free speech, within certain civilised limits of tone and expression, of course, does indeed apply to everyone.
Some things, however, cannot be challenged. It is a matter of historical fact, not my opinion, that in immediate post-war Oldham, people, including those already mentioned, simply communicated, joined in, and got on with it.
and so de we..this you fail to appreciate.
An article written with the help of those needing to squeeze extra money out of central government by pigeon holing a certain section of society is producing as a by-product, some of the vile and hate filled articles here.
Who's fault is that? Asians I suppose.
Have Your Say
this is a joke soon the english language in oldham will be gone people should be made to learn our lingo before they enter the country has i know a few non-english who have got married abroad then few months later their partners come over and cant speak any english thats why i say cant speak the lingo not allowed to come here to live has they cant mix with others and look for work so no english no entry
By madblue @ 14/08/2009 13:07:21