By Gavin Mackintosh-
School Standards Minister, Nick Gibb, has today established a new initiative to deliver a nation of confident linguists and ensure businesses have the skilled workers they need for maximum development.
Good language skills potentially pave the way for exciting opportunities and careers. A survey of employers by the Confederation of British Industries (CBI) and Pearson found that almost two thirds of businesses say foreign language skills are important among their employees, particularly in helping build relations with clients, customers and suppliers.
Today’s announcement, backed by the CBI, will see the creation of a national language centre, along with nine leading schools across the country acting as language hubs, to improve the teaching of Spanish, French and German. The selected 9 schools include:
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- Dartford Grammar School, Dartford
- Dixons Kings Academy, Bradford
- Presdales School, Ware, Hertfordshire
- Sir William Borlase’s Grammar School, Marlow
- St James’ School, Exeter
- The Broxbourne School, Broxbourne, Hertfordshire
- Archbishop Temple School, Preston
- Blatchington Mill School and Sixth Form, Hove
- Cardinal Hume Catholic School, Gateshead
Gibb’s department say there are 1.9 million more children in good or outstanding schools than in 2010, representing 86% of pupils compared to 66% in 2010. The school’s standard minister’s department did not specify whether the good schools they are referring to include primary schools, or just secondary schools. The stated percentage of 86% would appear too high to include primary schools in the Uk, though would be impressive even if it were simply referring to secondary schools in the U.k, including state schools.
The statistics comes from overall inspections of schools from Ofsted, though The Eye Of Media.Com questions the accuracy of Ofsted findings in that statistics if it includes primary schools. Many Uk primary schools have improved in standard in the past couple of years ever since the British government adopted a higher standard of academics for end of year primary school Sats exams, but many state primary schools are still below a standard our own researchers will qualify as good.
Many nine and ten year olds in British primary schools still struggle with basic spellings, and many still cannot write a letter and punctuate it well. At that age, the kids are still young, but the standard for comparison is other good state and private primary schools in the U.k, and good primary schools abroad. Language skills for example is not strong in Uk Primary schools, compared to primary schools abroad. Not many primary school pupils in the U.k have a fair knowledge of French or Spanish compared to foreign schools.
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Today’s announcement will help to raise standards further and ensure our young people are equipped with the knowledge and skills they need to succeed.
School Standards Minister Nick Gibb said:
It has never been more important for young people to learn a foreign language than now. An outward looking global nation needs a new generation of young people comfortable with the language and culture of our overseas trading partners.
This programme will give teachers the expertise and support they need to teach pupils key languages such as Spanish, French and German – languages that businesses say they want from their employees. The knowledge pupils will gain in this subject at GCSE and A level will help deliver the skilled workforce we need and build a Britain that is fit for the future.
The Government has already made modern foreign language teaching a priority through its inclusion in the English Baccalaureate and more pupils are now studying them at G.C.S.E than in 2010. The first pupils have just sat the new gold standard modern foreign language GCSEs, which are on a par with the best in the world and deliver the skilled workforce Britain’s industries need.
Matthew Fell, CBI UK Policy Director, said:
”As the UK looks to strengthen its trading relationships with nations across the world, our education system must adapt to support this goal. Studying foreign languages, developing cultural awareness and understanding global business is vital if the UK is to maintain a competitive edge on the international stage.
The launch of a Centre of Excellence for Modern Languages and regional hubs should play a big part in delivering this.
Businesses can play a role too by championing foreign language skills among their employees and supporting training wherever possible”.
Pic Credits:Nic.Ginns.Org.Uk
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