English a second language for 32 per cent

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.