Thank you and goodbye to ta and seeya as academy rejects slang

Pupils at the Sheffield Springs Academy have been told to use standard English in the classroom rather than ‘text talk’ or expressions such as ‘hiya’ and ‘cheers’.

The United Learning Trust (ULT) which runs the school, which has 1,100 students aged for 11 to 18 and is an working class area of the city, believes the use of slang can give the wrong impression to employers at an interview.

The trust’s deputy chief executive Kathy August said: “We want to make sure that our youngsters are not just leaving school with the necessary A to Cs in GCSEs but that they also have a whole range of employability skills.

“We know through the close relationships we have with business partners and commercial partners that when they are doing interviews with youngsters, not only are they looking at the qualifications, they are also looking at how they conduct themselves.

“ What we want to make sure of is that they are confident in using standard English. Slang doesn’t really give the right impression of the person.”

“Youngsters going to interviews for their first job need to make a good impression so that employers have confidence in them.

“It’s not difficult to get youngster out of the habit of using slang.

“When youngsters are talking together they use text speak and that’s absolutely fine, that’s what you do in a social context, but when you are getting prepared for life and going for interviews you need to be confident in using standard English.

“I’m a parent and when youngsters are at home we all have to make sure that we are all working together because this is for the benefit of those young people and their future.”

The academy has not brought in a policy ordering the banning of slang language but is encouraging pupils to use proper English.

Mrs August added: “Using slang is a habit but youngsters are very adaptable and once they know that is what is expected and they know the reason is to help their employability skills they will pick it up very quickly. It’s not a big problem at all.

“It’s something new and people are saying why are we doing it but once we have explained it hasn’t been a problem.”

Mrs August added: “We are not trying to stamp out dialect or accents, it is simply the use of slang words. For example if someone goes for an interview it is more preferable to say ‘Good morning’ rather than ‘Hiya’ and when the person leaves an employer would much rather here the words ‘Goodbye’ rather than ‘Cheers’ or ‘Seeya’. Thank you is a better word to use than Ta.”

Sheffield Springs was one of the first purpose-built academies to open in Yorkshire in 2006.

It replaced the Myrtle Springs School.