In Migrants outstrip native pupils in GCSEs in The Sunday Times [London] on March 4, 2012 by Jack Grimston, he writes of “pupils for whom English is a second Language working so hard that their GCSE results have overtaken those of nativee speakers for the first time.
Official figures show 80.8% of those whose first language is not English gained at least five GCSEs at grade C or above last year, compared with 80.4% of those from English-speaking families. The figures add to evidence that the children of immigrants and minorities are overtaking white Britons at school and university, particularly in the poorest social groups.
Experts said the difference was the result of the focus and ambition of many recently-arrived families, together with the boost to brainpower that children gain from being brought up speaking more than one language fluently.
They warned, however that too many white working-class children had become alienated from school while their families lacked ambition for them and felt they had no chance of rising up the social scale…”
June 12, 2012 at 9:15 pm
The children realise what drove their parents there in terms of social and economic status. The parents might have implanted it in them that education and hard work are the sure best ways to raise one’s status in the world, hence the achievements. They can’t do less.
June 13, 2012 at 5:01 am
Thanks, Fatai. I believe your angle is right on the mark.
Regards,
TOLA.