So how can we teach our migrant children which turn up on our 
doorstep? What thought did Tony Blair give to this when he opened our doors to their families?
Just to let you know what is happening in Fenland, my home patch, where a secondary school has resorted to using a caretaker’s house to cope with the demands of teaching English to children from migrant families.
The property became vacant when a new caretaker was taken on who lives nearby and the upstairs is being used as a classroom while the ground floor is used for one-to-one coaching.
More than 100 pupils speaking about 17 different languages have joined the school in the past two years, for which it has so far received no extra funding. Nevertheless, the headteacher has employed a teacher and two specialised teaching assistants, which is costing about £50,000 a year in wages alone. He admits to feeling let down by the lack of support from government and said:
“We have got to provide for these young people who have very different needs. Of course they are welcome to this town and the school, but there isn’t any extra educational funding being provided for these youngsters.
“Some of the children that now speak English also need extra coaching to achieve higher grades.”
“Many need higher level coaching, which means we need a whole range of different help. The problem is massive.”
These pupils will also have to meet our educational targets, it’s such a nightmare for our dedicated teachers and I really sympathise. I wish the school heads luck who are applying for extra resources.
In a fair democracy, you wouldn’t have to ask, this situation was totally avoidable by having foresight and planning ahead.
It doesn’t surprise me the government has done little. Some aspects of our education system are really squeezed but extra funding has been limited.
The government has been overspending of late and hence the reduction in the rate of spending. Things are going to get tight.
Bearing in mind your previous post, I fail to see why the Govt can’t set up remote schools. It can’t be difficult to give pupils a laptop and on-line English teaching.
Yes, I have taught in schools where this sort of thing happens. Teachers do their best in a virtually impossible situation. I don’t know why any government can’t foresee the difficulties – perhaps they should consult teachers in the first place. WW – you can’t teach a language totally online.
Given that we are members of the European Community, we are obliged to welcome these people, just as we ought to be welcomed if we went to work in Poland (for example). However the resources should be made available and it surprises me that all this wasn’t anticipated.
“More than 100 pupils speaking about 17 different languages have joined the school in the past two years, for which it has so far received no extra funding”.
Only 17. Try visiting schools in Brent, Haringey and Newham!
ASnybody with a grain of sense would have seen this coming, and will know it can only get worse.
I’m afraid there ain’t much common sense out there. Look at the FA
G’day from Australia, Ellee,
What an uplifting story. Do keep us updated on this one.
I am a journalist too, but unlike you, I have not yet read Samuel Pepys. It’s on my to-do list.
Nice to “meet” you.
Keep smiling
David
Which government ever had foresight and planned ahead, Ellee?
This is one of the reasons why proper border controls are important.