§ Lord Harrisonasked Her Majesty's Government:
Why the decision was taken to make modern languages non-compulsory for children over the age of 14 in secondary education. [HL411]
§ Lord FilkinThe recent changes to the national curriculum for 14 to 16 year-olds, with modern foreign languages and design and technology becoming entitlement areas as opposed to compulsory requirements, were undertaken to provide greater flexibility, allowing schools to offer programmes that better meet their students' individual needs and strengths. We recognise the importance of modern foreign languages. That is why all students have a statutory entitlement to follow a languages course should they wish to do so and schools can of course retain compulsion if they so wish.
§ Lord Harrisonasked Her Majesty's Government:
What steps they propose to take to counter the decline in take-up of modern language studies:
52WA
- (a) in comprehensive schools;
- (b) in schools in the North of England; and
- (c) amongst boys. [HL412]
§ Lord FilkinThe changes to the statutory curriculum at key stage 4 were introduced to enable schools to offer more choice and flexibility to their pupils, facilitating the introduction of new types of learning— in particular more vocational approaches. This was proving difficult within the constraints of the previous requirements. The flexibility in the new curriculum creates space for students to pursue learning programmes that reflect their aspirations and needs as well as maintaining a strong grasp of the basics. In this new flexibility students have an entitlement to follow a course in modern foreign languages.
The changes at key stage 4 should not impact on our able and enthusiastic linguists, who we expect will continue to study languages at GCSE, A-level and beyond. Our ambition for key stage 2 learning is that we engage pupils when we know that they are more receptive, so that we maximise their potential for language learning. Our National Languages Strategy puts forward a vision of high-quality language learning for all, regardless of gender, supported by a new national recognition scheme—the Languages Ladder. In doing so it is in fact seeking to reconfigure the existing curriculum, extending pupils' language learning experience into key stage 2 and supporting a more flexible and personalised curriculum for the 14 to 19 phase.
Provision of a varied and personalised range of courses is being supported by new arrangements in relation to accreditation. It is now possible for students in all maintained schools and of both genders to be assessed through a wide range of non-traditional schemes, which have been given numerical equivalences by the Qualifications and Curriculum Authority. This includes a number of level 1 and level 2 qualifications. It also underpins the proposed reforms of the 14 to 19 agenda as set out in Mike Tomlinson's report.
There are currently 62 specialist language colleges in the north-east, north-west and York and Humber regions with more interest from schools in applying for this specialism in the current round.
There are also a number of innovative MFL-related projects taking place in the north. For example, the Sheffield-based VIPs pilot scheme aims to equip students with language skills directly transferable to the world of work. Students are allocated to an international company and visit the company during the academic year. They have a "mentor" within the company who will offer face-to-face and e-mail support. All students follow a language course leading to NVQ qualifications.
§ Lord Harrisonasked Her Majesty's Government:
How many schools meet the government standard of modern languages teaching in primary schools of one 20-minute lesson per week. [HL413]
§ Lord FilkinOn 30 September this year the Department for Education and Skills published the results of research, undertaken in the 2002–03 academic year, into the extent and nature of foreign language learning activities at key stage 2. This 53WA research highlighted that 44 per cent of all schools teaching key stage 2 pupils in England were offering language learning programmes in some form, with 35 per cent using curriculum time to do so. Approximately 3 per cent of schools were making a 20-minute per week provision for foreign language learning for their key stage 2 pupils.
The 44 per cent figure represents a significant increase since the Qualifications and Curriculum Authority and University of Warwick published research in 2000 that stated that 20 per cent of primary schools were teaching foreign languages.
§ Lord Harrisonasked Her Majesty's Government:
What steps they are taking to ensure that primary schools have enough teachers qualified in modern languages tuition to meet the government standard of modern languages teaching. [HL414]
§ Lord FilkinThere has been considerable progress on the development of language learning in primary schools, underpinned by the launch in December 2002 of the Government's National Languages Strategy for England. The strategy recognises the importance of developing a workforce to implement primary language learning, and much of our work to date has focussed on this area.
In developing a school workforce, we are building up a cadre of both specialist teachers and non-teacher specialists to support primary language learning. 580 places have been allocated this year for primary initial teacher training with a specialism in French, German, Spanish or Italian, and we intend to expand this programme further next year. This means that over 1,200 teacher trainees will have been trained by the end of this year. In addition we have allocated 50 primary MFL places a year to the Graduate Teacher Programme.
For existing teachers, we have funded primary MFL advanced skills teacher posts and are working with the TTA to develop and pilot CPD courses for existing primary teachers to enhance language skills and MFL pedagogy.
For non-teacher specialists, we are working with the British Council to extend the foreign language assistants programme into primary schools, and are developing training for teaching assistants to support primary language learning.