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Asset Languages at Bristol Metropolitan College
(formerly Whitefield Fishponds Community School)
'We really value the Asset Languages scheme as a means of accrediting each stage of the students’ language learning in a way that succeeds in motivating them to achieve.' Theresa Thorne, Head Teacher
Context
Whitefield Fishponds Community School was Bristol’s first Specialist Language College and a multi-ethnic mixed comprehensive 11-16 school covering an urban population. The roll is currently 664 but there is constant inward mobility. The school is proud of the cultural diversity of the community it serves.
As part of the Pathfinder project for Building Schools of the Future it reopened in April 2008 as Bristol Metropolitan College.
The ethnic profile of the school is changing significantly. The ethnicity breakdown has 53% BOME students and 47% White British, with increasing numbers of Black African (Somali) and Polish students. There are 36% English as an Additional Language (EAL) students (242 students, of whom currently 45 receive daily intervention).
Key objectives
To accredit a range of languages in KS3 and KS4 using Asset Languages.
How the programme is organised
All students study 2 languages in KS3 — French plus German or Arabic.
In KS4 all, apart from a very small number of disapplied students, take a language — GCSE French, German, Urdu or Arabic or CBLC French. Community languages are accredited where possible and the school has developed a website to support Bristol teachers with the process.
In the past these languages have been at GCSE — Dutch, Polish, Panjabi, Bengali, Chinese, Turkish, Chinese and Portuguese.
Since the advent of Asset Languages, Urdu, Arabic, Somali, Panjabi, French and German have all been accredited in KS3 and 4. This has mostly been in listening and reading.
'It's funny, but good to do an exam in our language. I loved hearing the people speak.'
Asset Languages Student
For students of Arabic, Polish and Dutch who have gained GCSE early we have taught and entered students successfully for AS and A level in Year 11 (Polish in conjunction with the Bristol Polish School).
Results/effect
The University of the West of England, the lead university in the Routes into Languages Government initiative within the South-West region, is interested in how Asset is being used at the school and will be collecting information on this.
Future developments
- It is hoped to add writing and speaking at KS3, and maybe experiment with taking exams during differing exam windows ie not taking every exam at once. At KS4 C/D borderline candidates will be entered for two skills in the hope of gaining a half GCSE equivalent.
- It is planned to introduce Somali Preliminary and Intermediate when available.
- Various languages and skills will be accredited using Asset. This will give opportunities for certification to students who will not access a GCSE at KS4 eg Special Educational Needs (SEN) students, and students with script languages who can speak and listen but not read and write at the same level.
Author: Mrs Linda Button, Director of Language College
