Byron Primary School, Bradford, Only Has 26 Native English Speakers Out Of 700 Pupils

The Huffington Post UK   First Posted: 28/02/2012 11:29 Updated: 28/02/2012 11:29

A primary school has 26 out of 700 pupils who speak English as their native language but this has not stopped the school from receiving positive feedback from inspections body Ofsted and ranking high in league tables.

The rest of the pupils, who amount to 96.3% of the Bradford school's population, use another language, a Freedom of Information (FOI) request revealed.

According to the FOI response, primary school children in Bradford speak 140 languages, ranging from Polish to Punjabi.

Despite the difficulties the school may face with communication and language barriers, the school ranks in the top 25% in the country based on its exam results. Nearly 80% of Year 6 pupils gaining the required English and maths standards, the Telegraph reported, a figure higher than the national average.

In its latest Ofsted report, the school was graded 2 for "good".

Ofsted inspector Kathleen McArthur commented: "At this good school, every pupil is known and valued as an individual due to the outstanding care, guidance and support they receive."

"Those learning English as an additional language make good progress in their learning."

Headteacher Richard O'Sullivan embraced the situation as an "opportunity, not a problem".

"Many of these teachers are exceptional linguists with the ability to switch between languages," he said.

But the report added in order to improve the school needed to further promote community cohesion by "extending pupil's awareness of other cultures and lifestyles both nationally and globally."

An FOI request made in July last year revealed Bradford Moor Primary school had 99% of its pupils with English as an additional language (EAL), while Victoria Primary School's EAL pupils made up 97.6%.

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aritul
I wish HP had an edit button.
07:20 PM on 02/28/2012
I wonder what their accents will sound like.
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cdncommentator
03:48 AM on 02/29/2012
Local British. Children raised in a country where their first language is foreign will adopt their environment's language and accent if they are young enough.
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aritul
I wish HP had an edit button.
05:05 AM on 02/29/2012
I asked because I figured since it seems that they are surrounded by a majority of people whose native language is not English (their parents and fellow pupils), they might develop a unique accent.
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monilove42
What is a micro-bio?
06:42 PM on 02/28/2012
With two of the posts here...apparently written in English...I have to question them with phrases like "...hugely less..." and "...English,you know,this countries primary language ?"...

People migrate and it is to one's advantage to learn more than one language.
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Paul Wagland
Resistance is fertile
11:03 AM on 02/29/2012
It's so often the case that the most staunch nationalists have the weakest grasp of our language!
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monilove42
What is a micro-bio?
02:14 PM on 02/29/2012
I agree Paul...a person's inability to adapt or change or usually detrimental.
04:22 PM on 02/28/2012
I would be interested in learning how the native english speaking children perform in exams compared to their peers with same level of deprivation, class, family background etc. taught in schools where 96% of pupils were native english speakers. I would also be interested to be able to compare the amount of money spent per pupil in both those schools. I suspect the one with the majority of english speakers would be hugely less. The usual platitudes would be wheeled out about needing to employ additional multilanguage teaching assistants etc. No one then considers the huge advantage this, often one to one, mentoring gives to EAL pupils. According to Macphearson, that amounts to institutional racism!
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uksnapper
01:44 PM on 02/28/2012
Are the children being taught in English,you know,this countries primary language ?
If not they should be and left to learn their families native language at home.
I can not understand why people elect to live in the UK without embracing British culture and most importantly, language.
11:21 PM on 02/28/2012
correct, if the the school is in Bradford, England, then 100% of pupils should be speaking english, i doubt that Ofsted would be allowed to say anything negative, given the ethnic majority that has evolved in this area.
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butterfly123
12:51 PM on 02/28/2012
i wonder how many other schools are similar to this, and everyone says there isn't a problem.
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monilove42
What is a micro-bio?
06:43 PM on 02/28/2012
There isn't a problem. Language is only a temporary barrier...open your mind...you'd be surprised what your brain is capable of doing.
08:05 PM on 02/28/2012
Wrong. I live in NYC and my nephew, who is half Puerto Rican/half Dominican, has gotten into trouble in his first grade class because he doesn't speak or understand Spanish. He lives in a predominately Hispanic neighborhood in Manhattan and goes to a school that is about 95% Hispanic. The majority of these children were born in the US but either do not speak English or have a very limited understanding of English. Seems if you do not understand Spanish, you are wrong.

The US has made the big mistake of not having an official language which means languages of others are continually forced upon everyone. This has little to do with opening one's mind but rather being able to assimilate into the culture and society that has been present for over 200 years.

Not being able to speak English fluently creates a barrier. Have you ever heard a person "ax" instead of ask? It's like nails going down a chalkboard and unfortunately all too often heard by those who can't speak English. Eventually these children will grow up and more than often will not be able to move forward in life due to the language barrier.