Evaluation of the Key Stage 2 Language Learning Pathfinders

channelled through this school. At the beginning of the Pathfinder, the SLC was workingwith seven of the LA's fifty-nine primaries (its own partner schools). The number of primaryschools involved increased marginally but, in the later stages of the Pathfinder, there wasalso more ‘in depth’ work in those specific schools to develop languages across KS2.Most participants encountered accepted that the collaboration with LA1 had been beneficial,but it was clear that there had been relatively little contact after the initial developmentalstage.Several factors, labelled as ‘unfavourable’ by the main protagonists, had created a difficultclimate for primary language developments. Only four of the Borough’s secondary schoolshad retained languages as a compulsory subject in key stage 4. This inevitably reduced thecapacity of secondary schools to take on responsibility for developing languages in theirfeeder schools. There was also considerable 'leakage' at the primary-secondary transferstage with some parents selecting secondary schools in neighbouring LAs for their children.The precise extent of this problem at the time of the case-study visit was not investigated butthere is no doubt that if it was, indeed, significant, it did not help the development of strongsystems for transition and it may also have affected the morale of teachers interested inprimary languages in both primaries and secondary schools.Despite some difficulties in attaining all the aims of the Pathfinder, notably the commitmentof other secondary schools to develop similar outreach language teaching, there had been anumber of worthy initiatives on the part of the SLC, including special events for gifted andtalented pupils, experimentation with a family learning scheme, the production of ICTresources and associated training, and surveys of pupil attitudes.There had also been real efforts to diversify provision which had resulted in an increase inSpanish and some more German being taught. The level of some teachers’ competence,however, was rather low, therefore providing a rather poor model for pupils.The main obstacle to be overcome, if the authority’s schools are to be ready for 2010, is theover-reliance on the single SLC and the lack of interest and engagement - so far - from othersecondary schools in creating new ‘families’ of schools.Both LAs benefited from the proximity of HEIs, providing specialist initial and in-servicetraining. Primary teachers in both authorities were also supported if they took advantage oflanguage refreshment classes, some of which, in LA1, were organised by LA staffthemselves.136