Kelly announces cash for language drive
Every primary school pupil will be given the opportunity to learn a language during the school day, the Government has announced today.
Education Secretary Ruth Kelly has unveiled a £115 million package, £60 million of which will be used to train 6,000 new specialist language teachers for primary schools, as well as to provide additional training for existing staff.
A further £30 million will be allocated to increasing the number of specialist language schools. Currently only 200 of the 2,188 specialist schools in England concentrate on foreign languages.
The Education Secretary is keen to reverse the trend that has seen a decline in the number of pupils opting to study French and German at both GCSE and A-level.
She said: “Languages are vital for children in today’s world. They open doors to new experiences, increase employment opportunities and break down cultural barriers.”
“This investment will fund a major increase in language teachers to ensure that every child aged seven to 11 will have the opportunity to study another language and develop interest in the culture of other nations. This is critical if more young people are to continue studying languages at secondary school level and beyond.”
In addition, schools will be encouraged to develop international links, and community languages such as Italian, Greek and Bengali will be offered alongside the modern languages of French and German.
In 2004, 3.9 per cent fewer pupils studied French at GCSE compared to the previous year. The proportion of pupils studying German at A-level also declined by 8.1 per cent last year.
