The Languages Company

Current Policy Developments

The following no longer necessarily represent Government policy. In particular the new primary curriculum was not passed into law before the election, and there is a question mark over the future of the Phase 4 Diplomas. This page will be updated as soon as there is any definite indication of future policy priorities.

In August the Government affirmed its commitment to primary languages and set out its approach to future developments.

This section is devoted to current developments in languages education policy in the UK.

Following the publication of the Languages Review in 2007, there has been a trend in England towards greater coherence in languages policy from 7-19.

Primary Languages

Following the proposals of Lord Dearing's Languages Review it was decided that languages should be a statutory part of the Primary Curriculum. Sir Jim Rose was asked to make proposals on how this would happen in his Independent Review of the Primary Curriculum.

His initial proposals were published in December 2008. They placed languages in a new area of learning entitled Understanding English, Communication and Languages.

After further consultation on the more detailed proposals for the new Areas of Learning the Final Report was published in March. It confirmed the proposals contained in the Initial Report. Specifically it makes five specific proposals –

1 Languages should be situated in the area of learning entitled ‘understanding English, communication and languages’, enabling teachers and learners to exploit the links between English and the chosen language(s).

2 Schools should focus on teaching only one or two languages in order to ensure that they are able to achieve progression over four years in line with the expectations of the Key stage 2 framework for languages.

3 Schools should be free to choose which languages to teach. But should take into account the need for progression to Key Stage 3.

4 Current workforce development programmes should continue at existing levels of funding.

5 OFSTED should review progress no later than 2014.

In addition the report contains detailed proposals on each Area of Learning.

Secondary languages

In England the Secondary Curriculum was substantially revised in 2007 (for first implementation in 2008)  This is intended to give school greater flexibility and also to lead to higher achievement.    The new languages curriculum is far less topic driven than previously and it explicitly relates language learning to intercultural understanding.  Support for the new curriculum is being offered by the subject association ALL which has a website  (www.all-nsc.org.uk/nsc/) dedicated to the new curriculum,

14-19

The new Diploma in Languages and International Communication for students aged 14-19 will be introduced in 2011.  After consultation is  throughout the summer of 2009 the Line of Learning and Criteria were approved by OFQUAL.  Work is currently taking place to develop qualifications.  The latest information on the proposed Lines of Learning and Criteria is available on the Diploma Website (www.diploma-in-languages.co.uk).

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