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1 in 8 school children from an ethnic minority
Last updated at 07:07am on 27.04.07One in five schoolchildren is from an ethnic minority - almost double the figure a decade ago.
The annual school census reveals a Britain where one in eight pupils speaks a language other than English at home.
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One in seven primary school children in England now does not speak English as their first language. Picture posed by models
The record figures include more than 40,000 children from Eastern Europe who have enrolled at schools since the enlargement of the European Union in 2004.
The statistics emerged as the race relations watchdog warned that Britain's segregated schools are a "ticking timebomb".
The Commission for Racial Equality's director of policy said parents must stop sending their children to schools where most pupils come from similar religious or racial backgrounds.
Nick Johnson also suggested schools should be given more money to admit a racially mixed intake. He said: "We're in fear of turning into a mini-America with racially determined schools.
"Schools are where our children first learn how to get along with people from other cultures and backgrounds. Racially segregated schools prevent this from happening. This is a ticking timebomb."
His comments came as figures published by the Department for Education and Skills showed the biggest year- on-year increase in ethnic minority pupils for a decade.
They account for just under a fifth (19.8 per cent) of England's 6.5million primary and secondary pupils, up from 11 per cent when Labour came to power.
Meanwhile, the number of primary pupils alone who do not speak English as their first language increased by seven per cent from last year to 448,000 - or about one child in seven. Overall, it is around one in eight.
But the Commission for Racial Equality is concerned that there are not enough resources to integrate pupils from such diverse backgrounds. Mr Johnson said he was particularly worried about Tony Blair's controversial city academies and trust schools.
He added that some of these are using their extra freedoms to "cream off pupils from certain ethnic backgrounds or religions, thus ... increasing racial tensions".
The Conservatives said ministers had been caught off-guard by the increase in non-native English speakers in schools.
Tory education spokesman David Willetts said: "The Government has completely failed to keep up with the rate of change in our school population."
A DfES spokesman said: "The Education and Inspections Act 2006 placed a new duty on the governing bodies of all maintained schools, including faith schools, to promote community cohesion."
Reader views (5)
Here's a sample of the latest views published. You can click view all to read all views that readers have sent in.
No surprise - we are, after all, the benefits assisted dustbin of the world.
- Neil Watson, Wallington, UK
Jane, the technicalities of race and immigration aside, have you got the faintest clue of what you are talking about?
Our music industry has far greater investment and export volumes than ever before. Our literary and artistic culture reveives greater recognition worldwide than ever before and many of our old traditions are experiencing a strong and lasting renaisance. If our culture is eroding so much, then why on earth is is doing so well?
If anything is to blame for any demonstrable decline in culture, it isn't the migrant population, who to a degree take an interest in and occasionally enhance it. The blame lies with the British themselves, too busy immitating the US, watching American made TV, indulging in tawdry dumbing down (like Big Brother) and actively and stubbornly divorcing themselves from their culture and heritage.
I'm proud to be British, but with that pride comes an obligation to uphold the good values of the past, preserve the progress of the present and develop ourselves for the future. I happily serve that obligation. Being British should leave no room for racism and immigrant bashing or any other discrimination and no True Brit should ever encourage, accept or tolerate them in anyone else. To do otherwise is to shame yourself and let down this nation.
- Andrew, Swindon, UK
At the risk of being branded racist; this is proof that immigration is out of control. Our culture has been erroded to such a degree that there is nothing left and the next generation of Britons will make up just 75 percent of the population, add to that continuing levels of new commers and we will be reduced to below 50 per cent. Asylum should, of course, be granted to those in genuine peril but once the danger has passed they must return to their home country.
- Jane, London
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