Effective Work By School Boosts Bangladeshi Pupil Attainment

Date published: 07/05/2004

Well-focused efforts by Falinge Park High School are helping Bangladeshi teenagers make better progress at school, a new report by the Office for Standards in Education (Ofsted) finds.

Achievement of Bangladeshi Heritage Pupils explores the educational experience of Bangladeshi pupils and finds that pupils of Bangladeshi heritage are making more progress than some other ethnic minority groups between Key Stage 3 and GCSE.

Today's report details the actions the school is taking to raise the achievement of Bangladeshi pupils. These actions include continued support in learning and using English, adapting the curriculum to make it more relevant to the pupils and their heritage, and taking steps to involve parents in school life.

Her Majesty's Chief Inspector of Schools, David Bell, said:

"This report highlights the good work that is being done to improve the educational experience of Bangladeshi pupils, and their communities recognise and appreciate this.

"Schools can often offer a safe and steadying influence to counteract difficulties Bangladeshi pupils may face outside school, by creating an ethos which respects diversity and supports ambition for high achievement."

Pupils had great confidence in their teachers and were sure that teachers would deal with any racist incidents in an impartial and sensitive way. Parents, teachers and pupils saw the work of schools as a strong counter to malign factors in the community, such as racism and criminality. A number of pupils - mostly boys - spoke about situations outside school in which they were occasionally subject to serious racial abuse. Bangladeshi parents and teachers also raised concerns that some teenage Bangladeshi boys were getting into trouble outside school, which occasionally brought them into conflict with the law.

The inspectors noted some differences between the aspirations of the young and the concerns of some adult members of the communities, especially with regard to Bangladeshi girls. They also found that extended holidays in Bangladesh which run into term-time can pose a particular problem to pupils' progress.

Continued help in English was found to be critical in raising the achievements of Bangladeshi pupils. Out-of-school classes are also an important element in schools' efforts to boost achievement, but poor take-up of these opportunities by Bangladeshi pupils, as well as other pupils targeted, lessens the impact of such initiatives in some schools.

To help raise the achievement of Bangladeshi pupils, today's report recommends that schools should:

• build an ethos that recognises and celebrates diversity and takes a firm stand on racism
• analyse pupils' performance data to track progress and plan appropriate action to meet their needs
• use a range of strategies to improve the English language skills of Bangladeshi pupils
• develop links between schools and Bangladeshi families with the help of bilingual staff
• reflect aspects of the cultural heritage of Bangladeshi pupils in the curriculum
• monitor and encourage take-up of support classes and extra curricular activities
• further involve Bangladeshi parents in school life so they can better support their children's education and exploit the full range of opportunities provided.

David Bell said: "Achievement by pupils of Bangladeshi heritage is improving but is not yet fulfilling their potential.

"I would urge more schools to follow the positive examples set out in today's report in order to help pupils of Bangladeshi heritage achieve more educational success in the future."