Richmond West Primary School in Melbourne operates bilingual programs in English/Mandarin Chinese and English/Vietnamese. The programs support and encourage children in the development of Chinese or Vietnamese as a first language, as well as English as a second language, while also offering a strong start to second language learning for students from English-speaking backgrounds. An evaluation of the program earlier this year has shown how bilingual learning can enhance outcomes for students of all social and economic backgrounds, including those students identified as disadvantaged.
The learning offered in language, science and social science classes should prepare students for the issues raised by a globalised society – Educational Leadership.