§ Mr. Alex CarlileTo ask the Secretary of State for Wales (1) how many children educated in maintained schools in Wales passed Russian A-level in 1987; if he is satisfied with the quantity and standard of Russian teaching in Wales; and if he will make a statement;
(2) how many children educated in maintained schools in Wales passed Italian A-level in 1987; if he is satisfied with the quantity and standard of Italian teaching in Wales; and if he will make a statement;
(3) how many children educated in maintained schools in Wales passed Spanish A-level in 1987; if he is satisfied with the quantity and standard of Spanish teaching in Wales; and if he will make a statement;
(4) if he is satisfied with the quantity and standard of German teaching in Wales; and if he will make a statement;
(5) if he is satisfied with the quantity and standard of French teaching in Wales; and if he will make a statement.
§ Mr. Wyn RobertsThe policy statement "Modern Languages in the School Curriculum" recognised recent improvements in the nature and provision of foreign language teaching. While levels of performance taken as a whole have improved, there is evidence that much higher standards can be achieved, especially in oral communication. Recent attention by LEAs in service training programmes, and the work of LEA advisers, will enhance the quality of foreign language teaching and will help raise standards of achievement. I hope to see, also, a greater diversity in the range of languages offered in schools.
Implementation of the national curriculum will mean that all pupils up to the age of 16 in maintained secondary schools will in due course study a modern language, which will, in Wales, be in addition to Welsh.
The numbers of pupils educated at maintained schools who passed Spanish, Italian and Russian at A-level in 1987 in Wales were 46, five and one respectively.