Schools selected as UK ambassadors for language diversity

Five UK schools have been selected from over 400 entries to lead in addressing the challenges of language barriers in the classroom.

The initiative, launched by Pocketalk, aimed to support the millions of UK school children with English as an additional language. The programme aims to help all children in the classroom by improving efficiencies by reducing the demands on staff.

Pocketalk, a global leader in translation solutions, invited schools across the UK to apply for the opportunity to trial its AI-based direct translator, to facilitate real-time, secure, instant conversations.

In nine weeks, the programme attracted over 400 entries from early learning settings, primary, and secondary schools nationwide; highlighting the enormity of the need.

The selected schools were chosen based on their compelling submissions, which evidenced the school’s language diversity and the myriad of languages spoken.

The winning submissions also highlighted the challenges that students, teachers and their families face on a daily basis both at school and at home. The ambassador schools that have been selected are: Parkfield Community School in West Midlands, Greetland Academy in West Yorks, Essa Primary School in Greater Manchester, Upper Batley High School in West Yorks, and Tower Road Academy in Lincolnshire. 

Jess O’Dwyer, general manager UK at Pocketalk, said: “We know through our conversations with education staff that UK schools face huge challenges when it comes to supporting students who speak English as an additional language. Not only does this impact the student's education in school, but it also presents challenges for staff to communicate with the child’s support system at home. 
 
“We’ve also found that language diversity in schools impacts the whole class, not just the student who doesn't speak English. This is because staff members are having to translate using outdated, inefficient translation solutions.
 
“The importance of bridging language gaps in UK schools cannot be overstated. With an estimated 300 languages spoken in classrooms across the country, initiatives like this are essential for fostering inclusivity and successful educational environments. One of the ambassador schools has more than 75 per cent students speaking English as an additional language, and around 60 different languages and dialects spoken - this is where Pocketalk can hopefully have a huge impact.”