Evaluation of the Key Stage 2 Language Learning Pathfinders

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• Collaborative ‘clusters’ of schools were also very beneficial in this regard. Classteachers’ confidence in languages remained fairly low, despite the majority havingobtained some form of language qualification.• Continuing Professional Development (CPD) differentiated as appropriate andincorporating linguistic competence as well as methodology was found to be vital inaddressing this aspect.• The provision of quality resources was a major contributor to teacher confidence andthereby increased competence.• Training was crucial for both primary and secondary staff to enable primarylanguages to achieve success.1.2.3. Progression and Assessment• Some Pathfinders had devised schemes of work with differentiated activities andmaterials matched to rising levels of difficulty to ensure progression within each yearand upward through the years. However, in some cases these were not developedthroughout KS2.• In some instances there were challenges in achieving progression, for example,where children received the same content in different years with no overall strategyfor progression from year to year. This problem resulted from staff moving betweendifferent year groups and limited staff expertise.• In the majority of Pathfinders the Languages Ladder was an unknown aspect ofnational provision. Some Pathfinders were using the European Languages Portfoliobut this was not necessarily consistent across all schools. One Pathfinder used atiered language award with criteria.• Generally assessment was underdeveloped in many Pathfinders. Even whereassessment formed part of the local authority scheme of work and devised units, itwas not always carried out and practice varied within Pathfinders.• A range of assessment strategies was used across the case study schools whichmainly involved informal monitoring.• Recording of assessment evidence was limited although there were very goodexamples of practice including profile cards or sheets to record pupils’ progress.• In some Pathfinders, however, little or no attention had been paid to measuringpupils’ progress. Indeed, there was some resistance to the notion of an imposedscheme and the worry that introducing assessment would change the whole nature5
of the experience. Individual feedback to pupils was often lacking, yet pupils werekeen to receive this.1.2.4. Transition and Transfer• Primary-secondary patterns of transfer were complex in the majority of Pathfinderlocal authorities. This created real challenge in achieving continuity and progressionwhere secondary schools received pupils from a large range of feeder schools.• Lack of continuity in a language was a concern voiced by many, especially where thesecondary school changed its Year 7 language from year to year. However, someteachers were not concerned about the change of language as they felt pupils weredeveloping generic transferable language skills.• In some Pathfinder schools effective transition and transfer arrangements were inplace, or were developing and a minority of schools/Pathfinders were workingtowards a transfer document including information relating specifically to languagesfor transfer to secondary school.• In many schools no meetings had taken place between primary and secondary staff.Where liaison between sectors had taken place, in particular mutual observation, thishad been beneficial in encouraging teachers to evaluate their own practice.• Very few schools mentioned any link with the KS3 Framework and a minority ofschools mentioned NC levels sent to the secondary school.• There is little knowledge amongst many primary teachers about how or if work inprimary will be carried on in secondary school, and some teachers feel disheartenedand frustrated that good primary languages practice in primary might be neitheracknowledged nor built on at secondary.• In some cases secondary schools were responding to work done in primaries byrethinking the KS3 curriculum or being aware of the need to rethink.1.2.5. Sustainability and Replicability• In most local Pathfinder authorities, there was a strong expectation that primarylanguages would be sustained at least at the level achieved during the Pathfinderfunding.• Schools already providing a language learning experience to all pupils throughoutKS2 were very much in the minority. Provision in many schools depended on the6
Page 1 and 2: RESEARCHEvaluation of the Key Stage
Page 3 and 4: Contents1. Executive summary 32. In
Page 5: practice and factors that might imp
Page 9 and 10: • The analysis revealed the need
Page 11 and 12: • Are pupils with SEN and gifted
Page 13 and 14: Both respondent characteristics and
Page 15 and 16: Interviews were recorded and a 25%
Page 17 and 18: 2.2. Advantages and disadvantages o
Page 19 and 20: 2.2.2. Languages Delivery by the Pr
Page 21 and 22: 2.2.4. Languages Delivery through a
Page 23 and 24: Analysing these models, conditions
Page 25 and 26: • Schools should be encouraged to
Page 27 and 28: however, instances of schools where
Page 29 and 30: 3.1.3.4. Time allocated to language
Page 31 and 32: ‘French would not be taught now a
Page 33 and 34: • beneficial for the subject’s
Page 35 and 36: Many teachers remained very depende
Page 37 and 38: Table 2: Integration and Communicat
Page 39 and 40: ‘We’ve written a letter and dra
Page 41 and 42: ‘it makes you realise that if acc
Page 43 and 44: Table 5: Languages and Learning - Q
Page 45 and 46: 3.1.5. Pupils - Learning and Attitu
Page 47 and 48: • useful for travelling abroad -
Page 49 and 50: • ‘Comments at the end to help
Page 51 and 52: ‘At times they find it difficult
Page 53 and 54: teacher who knew our level.’ In t
Page 55 and 56: In most Pathfinders, however, there
Page 57 and 58:
3.2.2. Recommendations• Primary t
Page 59 and 60:
Effective staffing is essential to
Page 61 and 62:
Martin and Mitchell 1993). In anoth
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Nineteen respondents had specialise
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As revealed in questionnaire 1, in
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However, some teachers were pleasan
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However, there were frequent instan
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• team-teaching on the ground•
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involved external bodies in the del
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Generally, there was a sense that s
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• Methods of recording progressio
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However, there were challenges in a
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In one Pathfinder one school cluste
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One example of assessment included
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trying to evaluate, prior to each u
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Case study: exemplar of a well deve
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In some Pathfinder schools effectiv
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‘Only a very small number (6/7) g
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• transfer of more sensitive info
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‘…I know the Year 7 teachers we
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3.4.5. Links to KS3 Framework/Natio
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situation was especially difficult
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3.5. Sustainability and Replicabili
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develop ‘effective and replicable
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3.5.4. Leadership and managementThe
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on one aspect of delivery. This was
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3.5.5. Staff and staff expertiseIn
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‘Usually it is impromptu: 10 or 1
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‘The reason why I have decided to
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c) there is obvious progression fro
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to be constrained. Methodologies ge
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Time spent on the project was gathe
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Estimating development costs of res
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There were significant differences
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on staff costs, with the impact on
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5. CONCLUSIONSOverall, this evaluat
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5.2. Teacher Competence• Primary
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o for training secondary teachers i
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ReferencesBell, E with Cox, K. (199
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Case Study 2Case study 2 is a compa
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channelled through this school. At
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Case Study 5This LA is a large auth
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Case Study 7Case study 7 is a joint
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Evaluation of the Key Stage 2 Language Learning Pathfinders

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