Polish children boosting standards among English pupils, study suggests

[lastlid]

"The influx of Polish children into schools in the UK has helped lift their British-born classmates’ grades despite language difficulties, an economic study suggests.
Roman Catholic schools in particular have seen a surge in demand for places since the enlargement of the European Union eight years ago. But while many of the new pupils arrived with little or no English, they do not appear to have held their classmates back even in reading and writing.
And in mathematics, the researchers found evidence that they had a positive influence on the others, the researchers found.
One theory is that the Polish children were better educated than their British counterparts in the first place and that they brought with them the same “work ethos” which brought their families to Britain. As a result they may have been that they had a positive influence on their peers, it is thought."


http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/ukne...-suggests.html

[Iani]

Three things come to mind here

1. If the kids have the same work ethos as their fathers - who come over and work their arses off, then it's hardly surprising standards are raising.

2. It's been said many times (Though certain politicians don't seem to either accept it or won't tolerate it being said, but will move mountains to ensure THEIR kids aren't the ones to suffer) that childrens learning is directly proportional to the atmosphere in the classroom. In other words, the less headbangers there are, the more likely it is everyone else can get on with the studies.
It's even been shown that if you put a headbanger in a private school, he/she will make good progress, stripped away from peer pressure.

So have an influx of kids who regard schools as a place to learn, not as a place to try and look big, then it's bound to have an affect.

3. Even though these kids have language difficulties, it hasn't held the others back. Now what is this in contrast with!!!!!!!!!!!!! Everyone knows exactly what (or rather who) I am talking about, and these are kids born over here.

[lastlid]

I think a lot is to do with the nature of the Polish individuals in question. I am sure that these observations don't apply to all Polish kids. Just in the same way that not all Asians perform admirably in British schools.

[grahamw48]

For me it's the parent/s' input into the equation that makes all the difference.

With very few exceptions, kids tend to take to school with them the attitudes and motivations experienced at home.

[Terpe]

For me it's the parent/s' input into the equation that makes all the difference.

With very few exceptions, kids tend to take to school with them the attitudes and motivations experienced at home.

Well said that man

[joebloggs]

yes little joe can count to 5 in 4 different languages