What’s happening to Primary Language Learning?
Uploaded on November 21, 2009 by eyesplash Mikul
There has been much debate about the status of Primary Language Learning, beginning when the General Election process led to the rejection of The New Primary Curriculum being added to the Statute books. Will the entitlement become statutory or will, heaven forbid, PLL be abandoned?
Forums have been buzzing with ideas opinions and worries.
Today, Kate Board, Chief Executive of CILT wrote the following letter to one such fora:-
Dear colleagues
In light of recent discussions on the forum, we thought it important to clarify the current status of languages at Key Stage 2.
Key Stage 2 languages do not currently have the legal status to become statutory in September 2011. However, the entitlement to learn a foreign language in Key Stage 2 still stands, having come into effect this year.
As many of you are aware, reforming the primary curriculum was one of the key provisions removed from the Children Schools and Families Bill during consideration of Lords Amendments in April 2010. The introduction of statutory languages in Key Stage 2 from September 2011 was part of the proposed new primary curriculum and therefore was also removed from the Bill. (For more information, please see the Children Schools and Families Bill
The future shape of the primary curriculum and the statutory status of languages will depend on the policies of the new government. CILT is in close contact with Baroness Coussins, and others in a position of influence through the All-Party Parliamentary Group on Modern Languages, and we are very grateful to her for raising this issue so prominently. We will continue to work together to encourage this dialogue and to promote the further development of language teaching in the primary school.
Kind regards,
Kate Board
Chief Executive
CILT, the National Centre for Languages
As far as I’m concerned, I passionately believe in Primary Languages and will fight for the continuance of a policy that gives pupils the right and entitlement to learn other languages during their Primary years.
Leave a Reply
This site uses Akismet to reduce spam. Learn how your comment data is processed.
