HC Deb 07 May 1981 vol 4 cc113-4W
Mr. Deakins

asked the Secretary of State for Education and Science what is the number of teachers of modern foreign languages in State schools.

Dr. Boyson

this information is not available to my Department for maintained schools as a whole. A sample survey of maintained secondary schools in 1977 indicated that in England and wales there were some 23,000 teachers teaching modern languages, other than Welsh or English, as a second language. Each teacher is counted only once regardless of the number of modern languages he or she was teaching. Part-time teachers are included on the basis of their full-time equivalents.

Mr. Deakins

asked the Secretary of State for Education and Science how many pupils in state schools study modern foreign languages.

Dr. Boyson

This information is not collected routinely or in detail for all schools. It is estimated from a sample survey of maintained secondary schools in 1977 that in England and Wales the following proportions of pupils were taking French and German, the two main modern foreign languages studied.

Percentage of pupils studying
French German
per cent. per cent.
Year groups 1, 2 and 3 80 12
Year groups 4 and 5 35 10
Sixth Forms 19 8

Mr. Deakins

asked the Secretary of State for Education and Science what was the number of entries, to Certificate of Secondary Education and O and A-level examinations, respectively, in modern foreign languages in State schools in the latest year for which figures are available; and what were the numbers of passes at each level.

Dr. Boyson

From the latest available information it is estimated that of the 693,800 leavers from English maintained schools in 1978–79, 230,400 had attempted CSE or O-leel examinations in modern foreign languages and 16,000 had attempted A-levels in these subjects. Higher grades at O-level or CSE were achieved by 85,300 of these leavers and other grades by 124,100. Inaddition, 11,900 leavers had A-level passes.

Mr. Deakins

asked the Secretary of State for Education and Science why he is recommending the teaching of modern foreign languages in State schools as part of the core curriculum.

Dr. Boyson

The study of modern languages can offer young people intellectual stimulus and cultural benefits, as well as being of direct practical value. The Government believe that proficiency in a foreign language will become an increasingly important skill in the future, and that a start should be made during the secondary education of most pupils. "The Second Curriculum" (March 1981) set out a number of unresolved questions about modern language provision in schools, which will be considered further in consultation with the interests most directly concerned.