If your child was the only English child...

[ALovelyBunchOfCoconuts]

Would it be an issue for you?

DD (4) is starting school Sept and we had her first intake day today where she met her teacher and peers and had a play.

None of the children in her class spoke English. The parents were also pretty vague in their understanding.

DD will therefore be the only English child in her class (also the only one from her preschool setting, in a faith school which was our third choice)

Does anyone think this will be an issue? Do I need to ask the school about any provisions they have to assist the foreign children? Will DD get left out because she is English? Am I thinking about this too much?

Yes I'd be concerned. In a local neighbourhood there is a school which has a predominantly Asian intake. Given that integration is an issue I asked the head teacher if her white pupils and Asian ones mixed well outside school and formed healthy friendships. She replied that she had no idea! Given the importance of the topic we crossed that school off our list on the way out of the playground.

I chose not to accept a school for my sons' where they would be in the dominant ESL minority because I was concerned that they would only mix with a limited group of people, so I think you are being reasonable.

I think it is better where possible to have a school with as broad a mix of cultures as possible rather than a dominant sub-culture (even if, as in my case, your children are part of that dominant sub-culture)

Glad it worked out OP.

thank you :)

Glad you got it sorted to ypur satisfaction op. i wouldn't want my dd to be in a class with that sort of language mix eve if it is attended to at the school my own dd was in a class with about a third muslim children, where because of their own strong religious and family ties there was very little mixing outside school. the muslim families tended to stick together and didn't allow their chidren to attend birthday parties of the non muslim children

My nephew went to a school where the vast majority of his peers were learning english as a second language. TBH it kind of felt that he was sidelined compared to pupils who had higher needs. Lots of homework sent home with an emphasis on play at school. At the end of the first year they sent home his work folder, 90% of the worksheets were done as homework. It did feel like we were doing the teachers job.

Since moved to a rural area, local school is predominantly farmers kids and comparatively there seems to be much more discipline. DN seems to be thriving at the new school.

TBH i wouldnt put my child there