Written question asked by Rachael Maskell (Labour) on Tuesday, 21 May 2024, in the House of Commons. It was due for an answer on Thursday, 23 May 2024. It was answered by Damian Hinds (Conservative) on Thursday, 23 May 2024 on behalf of the Department for Education.

Languages: Education

Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Education, if she will make an assessment of the Swedish model of providing mother tongue lessons to children of new communities as they migrate into mainstream classes.

Answer: Schools are responsible for ensuring that all pupils, including those with a first language other than English, can access the full school curriculum and have the opportunity to realise their full potential in education. It is for individual schools to determine how to support those pupils with a first language other than English in developing proficiency in the English language, as they are best placed to understand and respond to the specific needs of those pupils. Schools have flexibility over their budgets, including any funding allocated through the English as an Additional Language factor in the national funding formula for schools, in order to put appropriate measures in place to support pupils with English language development needs.

Secondary information