Evaluation of the Key Stage 2 Language Learning Pathfinders

Case Study 5This LA is a large authority - geographically and regarding the number of primary schools -with a mix of urban and rural areas. Language delivery was well established and verystrongly LA led. In some schools, languages had been present since the early or late 1990s,although on the back burner for some of the time. The Pathfinder project aimed to revitaliseprovision and extend it to all schools. Over 260 schools were involved at the start of theproject.The main language was French, although there was also some Spanish andGerman. Delivery was strongly resource based: the LA produced materials for all threelanguages (videos, CD, books) and has been updating them (interactive CD-ROMs). Somecase study schools added other commercially available material (printed, taped, CD-ROM).Schemes of work in some schools combined LA materials with QCA material. All case studyschools reported strong support from the Pathfinder co-ordinator, both for delivery of INSETor lesson observations and differentiated training. In year 2 of the Pathfinder, one teacherreported attendance of the primary French TTA course and two teachers reported CPD ledby secondary schools in their clusters.Provision varied across the case study schools. Primary teachers delivered in allschools, most of whom trained in using the LA produced resources. In two case studyschools, French was introduced in a cross curricular way (simple vocabulary, phrases,numbers) to develop children’s curiosity of different languages and cultures. In one of these,French was in the Y6 time-table, while it was left to the other teachers to include it in theiryear groups. In another school, pupils had taster sessions (register, cross curricularelements) in different languages before settling into French in Y5 and Y6. These were aboutlanguage and cultural awareness. Each year group worked with the year specific LAresource. Short periods were included in KS1 (e.g. songs in French).In a fourth school, language teaching was time-tabled, consisted of variouslanguages, and was mainly oral, to further awareness of language as a connection betweenpeople. Y5 and Y6 did 3 languages in year 1 of the Pathfinder. Although content andmethodology broadly followed the LA resources, additional resources provided opportunitiesto ‘taste’ other languages, especially Spanish and German, the latter to facilitate pupils’choice in secondary school. Some schools offered language clubs outside school hours. Inall case study schools, the emphasis was on speaking and listening (which allowed forinclusion), although there was a trend towards more writing. In some schools, languageteaching was supported by 6th formers from local secondary schools, FLAs, students fromFrench universities, and PGCE students. One school had offered Y6 pupils a trip to France,another was planning such trips.Pupils displayed a positive attitude and enthusiasm towards languages (‘It’s actuallynice to learn a language because … you might go to that country’ [pupil]), as did staff, someof whom enjoyed the challenge of using their language skills, while others had issues withskills, despite available training.Assessment practice across the case study schools varied ranging from informalassessment (discussion and observation) to pupils’ self-assessment (‘I can do’ lists) toannual pro formas. For most schools, the usual primary-secondary links were in place fortransition and transfer, but only some noted languages on the transfer form or included themin Y6 pupils’ end of year reports.All case study schools endorsed the idea of primary languages and made someprovisions for sustaining them, but the need for staff training and concern that the KS2Framework will make any languages other than French recede were noted.‘I strongly […] believe that we need to equip children to communicate in another tongue,whichever one we choose’ (headteacher).138