'Outstanding' London school where 71 languages are spoken.
A London school where pupils speak 71 languages has been judged outstanding by inspectors.Many children at Southfields Community College do not speak English when they arrive - some having fled war zones.
That has not stopped the school gaining the highestpossible grades from education watchdog Ofsted.
In a report to be published shortly, it gives the school a grade 1 - outstanding - for each of its key criteria, including teaching, curriculum and leadership from headteacher Jacqueline Valin.
Ofsted?s report said: ?Parents rightly feel [the school] gives their child every chance of succeeding in life.?
Ms Valin said the school?s success was built on high expectations.
?One thing we say to students is failure is not an option,? she said. ?Whatever they want to do, they can do it. It?s about raising aspirations.?
Ofsted praised the school for concentrating on the three Rs in pupils? first three years. This enabled them to make ?excellent progress? in GCSEs.
Last year, 29 per cent of pupils achieved at least five A* to C grades including English and maths. When any mix of subjects was included, 55 per cent scored five Cs or more.
Inspectors said: ?Given students? exceptionally low attainment on entry, this is remarkable.?
The Wandsworth school sees as wrong the perception that pupils with little English hold others back.
About 550 of its 1,300 children are bilingual.
source: Daily Mail Online
