The Languages Company

Primary Languages

We are working to ensure that every child has the opportunity to learn a language in Key Stage 2. This involves monitoring progress, supporting Local Authorities and working with our partners to develop the necessary support tools. Priorities in 2009-10 will be to enable better progression from 7 through to secondary school, including the major challenges of transition and to help introduce appropriate kinds of assessment for primary age children.

We are preparing for the day when languages will be a statutory part of the primary curriculum as proposed in The Languages Review and agreed by the Secretary of State. Following Sir Jim Rose’s current review of the Primary Curriculum this is likely to take place in 2011.

Many Primary Languages Consultants completed an on-line survey last year which has successfully helped us to make the case for the continued funding for Primary Languages and to plan central support. The main findings from this survey show that almost every LA runs central training for primary languages which includes language training as well as methodology, that the support from LAs has been based on the Key Stage 2 framework and their priorities for 2010-11 are mostly progression, language training for staff teaching Years 5 and 6, and assessment. If you would like a fuller analysis of this survey you can access it here