Evaluation of the Key Stage 2 Language Learning Pathfinders

Of course, the phrase ‘make no difference’ implies maintaining the status quo. This schoolhad yet to ‘spread’ languages throughout KS2 and the headteacher, while correctly beingdefined by one of her colleagues as ‘supportive’, was not yet able to guarantee that the fullentitlement would be in place by the due date.The positive influence of supportive school management is crucial in sustaining anycurriculum development. In another school, one headteacher who was about to leave herpost raised questions over the future of languages. She expressed her doubts in this way:‘If I were to remain Head, I would ensure this continued, working with the SLC to employFLAs to provide expertise with the LSA, continue to use ICT resources and the resourcesthe AST has developed.’ (headteacher)It was recognised that a new headteacher might have different priorities.Sustainability in education has dimensions beyond the purely financial. Questions needed tobe considered on the issues of staffing, actually finding appropriate people to do the workand keeping them in post. Initial training and further professional development of thosedirectly involved in teaching were also addressed.The learning experience of the pupils themselves was not overlooked since, with thereduction in status of languages in KS4 – from statutory requirement to entitlement – therewas an expressed hope, already mentioned in the Green paper that introduced the change,that pupils would be so enthused by their primary language learning that they would bemotivated to continue with languages beyond the option stage in Year 9.The issues of transition and transfer have been analysed in detail earlier in this report but, indiscussing how schools were planning to keep their languages developing, sustaining theachievements of the Pathfinder and building upon them, primary teachers and local authoritystaff stressed the need to make more - and more effective - links with secondary schools.As well as the usual reasons cited: recognition of pupils’ achievements, sense ofprogression, continuity of learning, there was the broader and more fundamental issue ofdeveloping the national policy. If after all the efforts made before, during and after thePathfinder programme, secondary schools continued to take little or no account of languageprovision among their feeder schools (and it was suggested by several primary teachersduring interviews that this was, indeed, the situation in their area), there was bound to beincreasing scepticism in those primary schools where languages had yet to be properlyintroduced. Authorities with less developed primary languages policies might also findreasons or pretexts to delay allocation of funding to this aspect of the curriculum.103