Thousands of pupils will benefit from a new flagship language programme, designed to boost the quality of language lessons in primary and secondary schools. The programme aims to meet Government’s targets of increasing the number of pupils taking languages at GCSE level and beyond, by providing high-quality, evidence-based language training.
Improve Language Teaching
The Department for Education announced IOE, University College London’s (UCL) Faculty of Education and Society has successfully secured a contract worth £14.9 million to run its Language Hubs programme in primary and secondary schools over the next three years, building on the ground-breaking work the National Centre for Excellence for Language Pedagogy (NCELP) had delivered to improve language teaching.
Recruitment will begin for up to 25 lead schools who specialise in languages to support up to 105 partner schools who sign up to the programme, in its first year. The lead schools will work with partner secondary schools by modelling best practice and evidence-based training for language teachers. The programme aims to improve the transition of language learning from Key Stage 2 to Key Stage 3, so students have strong language knowledge – an important component of a broad and balanced curriculum.
Another part of the Language Hubs programme will be focused on German. Plans will be developed to promote German language learning and culture, working with trained German specialist teachers to widen the participation of German language learning in both primary and secondary schools. UCL IOE will partner with Goethe-Institut to implement these phased plans.
This will support the Department’s EBacc ambition for 90 per cent of year 10 pupils in state-funded schools to study a combination of core academic subjects including a language, by 2025.
Raising Academic Standards
Nick Gibb, Minister for School Standards explained, “Our economy needs people who can communicate across the globe and trade with overseas businesses. This programme is about ensuring we have the next generation of young people with the languages needed to compete on the world stage.
“Raising academic standards in schools has been a key priority for the Government since 2010. Our range of Curriculum Hubs – exemplary schools spreading their best practice – have played a huge part in improving the quality of teaching in schools. Language teachers will benefit from rigorous training and knowledge, working with experts, to improve language lessons in both primary and secondary schools, opening up these global opportunities for generations to come.”
The Language Hubs programme will be rolled out in line with Ian Bauckham’s 2016 Modern Foreign Languages Pedagogy Review which recommended the need for systematic knowledge of the vocabulary, grammar, and phonics of the language being studied. It will also deliver on the Department’s Schools White Paper pledge to create a network of Language Hubs.
Since 2012, the Department has rolled out several curriculum Hubs including Maths Hubs, English Hubs, Music Hubs and Computing Hubs, which were all designed to develop expertise in subject specific teaching. The Language Hubs programme will build on the success of curriculum hubs to help to build a system of leadership in languages in the lead schools as well as personal development for teachers in the partner schools.
In addition to the launch of the Language Hubs programme, the Department is announcing an expansion to the Mandarin Excellence Programme (MEP) which began in 2016. This programme has been highly successful, with our data showing pupils who have been on the MEP are more likely to get a higher grade (Level 8 or 9) in GCSE Mandarin than pupils not on the programme. The programme is expanding and recruiting an additional 21 schools over the next two years to reach an expected 100 participating schools by September 2024.
The Department will also hold a consultation on changes to Chinese A level subject content, with the intention of making this qualification more appropriate for students without a Chinese speaking background.
Find out more about the IQM Inclusive School Award
If your school is interested in obtaining the IQM Inclusive School Award or you wish to talk to a member of the IQM team please telephone:
028 7127 7857 (9.00 am to 5.00 pm)
or email: [email protected] for further details.
Want more information on the IQM Award? Click here to request your free IQM information pack.