NEW ARRIVALS/MOBILITY NETWORK

A ‘Pupil Voice’ Research Project was carried out by Pat Ward, School Improvement Partner in 2010 on behalf of the RNLC Pupil Mobility/New Arrivals Network.

The research was undertaken in seven primaryschools, all of which were experiencing particularly high levels of pupil mobility. They also represented a wide range of geographical areas.

The aim of the research was to consult with pupils about how schools can best support new arrivals. Many schools already have good practice but we hope this summary will be helpful to schools which are experiencing changing communities.

Questions asked:

1.Tell me what it was like on your first day at this school?

2.What helped you on your first day?

3.Was there anything else that would have helped?

4.What was your old school like? Did you learn English there?

5.How long were you at home before you started school again? (Information from school if necessary)

6.When you first started were you able to do the work you were given? Did you enjoy it?

7.What or who helped you most to do your work properly?

8.How did you feel in the playground when you first came to the school?

9.Tell me something that was really difficult, when you first came.

10.Tell me about something you really like about your school now.

A total of 45 pupils from years 1-6 were interviewed & all had sufficient English to express themselves effectively.

As some of the responses were repeated in answer to more than one question, the following is an amalgamation of the responses. The summary is in three sections,

1)Concerns expressed by the pupils,

2)Strategies pupils found supportive,

3)Strategies suggested by the pupils themselves to support them.

Concerns expressed by the pupils:

The first day:

  • All pupils said they had felt ‘scared’; other descriptions used were ‘nervous’, ‘shy’, ‘frightened’ & even ‘terrified’.
  • Several found the size of the school & playground daunting & were scared of doing something wrong or not finding a friend.
  • Finding their way around the school was difficult.
  • Several pupils were confused by the daily routines & regime of bells if the school had one.
  • Pupils found it difficult to understand what was happening e.g. assemblies, moving to maths sets, going to ICT.
  • Pupils worried about making friends.

In the classroom:

  • Reading out aloud in class.
  • Not knowing the sounds made by English letters.
  • Speaking in another language all the time.
  • Asking & answering questions.
  • Writing stories.
  • Understanding the way Maths is taught (this was a major concern)
  • Being given ‘baby work’.

Strategies pupils found supportive:

The first day:

  • Being given a buddy, preferably one who spoke the same language, either someone in their class or in the school
  • Being given a tour of the school.
  • Getting the uniform on the first day ‘so you didn’t look different’
  • Teachers being ‘very kind’
  • Being given a designated adult e.g. person who admitted them, BTA or EMA teacher who checked on them several times a day
  • Meeting their teacher before their first day
  • Sharing playtime & lunchtime with their brothers/sisters
  • Having someone in the school with the same language introduced to them if there was no one in their own class

Strategies pupils found helpful in the classroom:

  • Receiving a list of names of pupils in their class or everyone wearing a name badge.
  • Teachers using more visuals ‘so we understand better’.
  • Having an information card with name & home language to show to other pupils ‘as it’s so difficult at first to talk in English’.
  • Being given a visual dictionary in the home language immediately.
  • Having individual/small group support for the first few weeks.
  • Doing more learning through games.
  • Being taught playground games e.g. ‘sticky toffee’.
  • Being given a booklet before starting school ‘about the different ways of doing Maths’.
  • Being given a copy of the alphabet with the sound each letter makes.
  • Having small group sessions with a BTA or EMA teacher.
  • Having induction programmes which included activities such as cooking, visits to shops & the local area.
  • Having a strong relationship with the class teacher.
  • Having access to the ‘Google’ translation site.
  • Teachers using hand gestures.
  • Teachers encouraging work based games.
  • Teachers planning inclusive lessons with lots of visuals.

Suggestions made by the pupils to support future new arrivals:

  • Having a special teacher to work with you for the first 2-3 weeks.
  • Being given booklets to help you before you joined, especially for Maths.
  • Being taught the playground games on the first few days.
  • Ensuring everyone knows about uniform.
  • Being helped to understand the routines before you start school.
  • Getting a ‘proper’ tour of the school.
  • Knowing what the class has been learning before you start school (‘I could have learned a bit about the Tudors before I started’)
  • Asking what work the pupils had done in their previous school(s)
  • Telling parents what their children need to know so they can help them catch up.
  • Making sure everyone gets a buddy, preferably with the same language.

Other information which can be useful in supporting the new arrivals:

Previous schooling;

The pupils had a wide range of previous educational experiences ranging from no schooling to attending schools in more than one country.

Many differences were identified including:

  • Schools in England are much bigger,
  • The school days are longer,
  • African schools do not have doors,
  • School meals are different,
  • Behaviour management is different,
  • Few schools had IWBs or ICT,
  • Most schools had pupils with the same religion,
  • Teachers in AfghanistanNigeria ‘hit children’,
  • Schools in Afghanistan, AlbaniaRomania did not have electricity, heating or lighting,
  • Teachers in other countries treated pupils differently,
  • Teaching of Maths was very different.

Suggestions for schools to consider from the research:

  • Select potential buddies & provide training (some schools already do this)
  • Ensure all teachers follow the school’s guidelines for induction & identifying buddies,
  • Consider identifying a key worker to monitor that guidelines are adhered to for all arrivals,
  • Consider being flexible during the first few days so siblings can play together,
  • Consider a shorter day for a limited time,
  • Ensure teachers receive training to develop their skills in supporting early learners of English,
  • Encourage pupils to write in their own language sometimes.

Support being currently developed by the network:

In response to the concern expressed by most of the pupils, the network is compiling a simple ‘Guidance to Maths’ which we hope will support pupils and enable parents to help their children.

Mobility/New Arrivals Network

RNLC (Redbridge Networked Learning Communities)

February 2011

An electronic copy of the complete research document or this summary is available from:

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