Fears over ‘lack of uptake’ for language study

An advocate of modern language learning has highlighted what she calls a “disturbing” lack of uptake across Suffolk.

County councillor Caroline Page recently sang in Mandarin at the Anglo Chinese Cultural Exchange’s new year celebration in Ipswich.

While her rendition of The Moon Represents My Heart was meant to entertain the Corn Exchange audience, she said it also carried a serious message about command of modern languages and tuition uptake.

From September last year it became compulsory for primary school children aged seven and above to learn another language.

Ms Page believes that requirement should be carried into secondary education, and that Chinese language be added to the GCSE syllabus.

She said: “I find it quite disturbing that people are just not learning languages. It is a crying shame.

“It’s not the fault of individuals but it is in our own hands to change. We’re behind not just the rest of the world but the rest of the country.

“In the 25 years I have lived here, there has developed a much more healthy ethnic mix – but that is not really being reflected in the languages we are teaching.”

She has been learning Mandarin for 12 years, and Suffolk College cut the course about ten years ago because it was considered a “minority language”.

Last month, a study by the Open Public Services Network found variations in take-up across the country, with 0.47 language GCSEs studied per pupil in Suffolk – about half the average in some London authorities.

Another report, released this week by the CfBT Education Trust and the British Council, also noted a low uptake at GCSE and A-level, despite finding a “modest increase” in schools offering Mandarin – a language considered valuable for widening job opportunities and the global market resilience of the UK.

Ms Page said: “The government has a clear understanding that league tables can get in the way of personal attainment. This may prevent schools thinking it’s a good idea to teach it.

“Schools do the best they can, and it would be unfair to blame the county council, but when it became not compulsory to learn a language, there was a downward slide. Now that has changed in primary schools, we need to make it compulsory to teach the right languages.”

The county council said it was supporting development of primary languages with a scheme called Linguamarque, which it hopes will have a knock-on effect on secondary modern foreign languages (MFL) uptake, although it could take up to four years to see the full impact.

Education chief, Lisa Chambers said: “From September 2014 a new requirement came into effect which puts primary languages on the same footing as other foundation subjects. This is vital to ensure Suffolk’s children have the opportunity to learn another language fluently.

“There is a national decline in the take up of MFL, however I’m proud that Suffolk is forging ahead with such an innovative and focussed initiative which will support the development of language learning.

“We understand the importance of providing tailored and effective support for pupils to learn a language across the key stages. Through ‘Raising the Bar’, we want young people to aspire to a career around subjects they love. This support will help prepare them for a range of multilingual careers.”