Evaluation of the Key Stage 2 Language Learning Pathfinders

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it’s actually made more sense, the French has made more sense to them after they’ve learntanother language. So, it doesn’t always follow that it needs to be the same. I think it’s thewhole idea of just learning another language and because we do a lot of it verbally anyway,the links you begin to see and they use that in terms of words from other languages that gettaken up by English or in other countries and so they begin to see those links and they cansee where they come from, so it gives them a much broader perspective.’ (primary teacher)‘When they [the pupils] know they’re going to transfer through to whatever school and someof them will be doing Spanish, I’ve never heard any of the children complain about it and[say,] ‘oh it’s been a waste of time doing this’. It’s an excitement that they are going to learnanother language.’ (primary teacher)In one Pathfinder where there was an emphasis on a multilingual investigative approachand thinking skills in languages, teachers felt that a change of language at secondary wouldnot be detrimental, as pupils were developing generic language skills:‘I think what we’re doing is laying the foundations for a more problem solving approach;we’re teaching them skills of remembering and learning language, that it should positivelyeffect whatever language they go on to look at.’ (primary teachers)3.4.4 Information transfer/communicationIn some Pathfinder schools effective transition and transfer arrangements were in place orwere developing. These included general transition activities, for example:• meetings with secondary staff• good liaison with the High School with the Year 6 teacher going to a meeting at theHigh School and the High School sending staff to the primary school in the summerterm• series of visits – sometimes reciprocal• involvement in secondary activities, e.g. French day• homework Club in Year 5 and ICT club in Year 6 so children meet the secondaryschool teachers and familiarity develops• standard pro-forma of formal assessment records• (electronic) core transfer document, including SATs results• areas of collaboration, e.g. ICT• pupil induction days at the secondary school91
• transfer of more sensitive information verbally• parents’ information evening.There was evidence of local authority meetings between primary and secondary staff tooutline the Pathfinder languages project and some schools/Pathfinders were workingtowards a transfer document including information relating specifically to languages fortransfer to secondary school. In some Pathfinder schools, this was already well developedand examples included:• pupil portfolios/profile cards/certificates to take to secondary school to show whatthey have achieved including the level• records of children’s achievement in French with photocopied material of assessedwork and NC levels• information relating to French attainment with levels• the European Languages Portfolio• own ‘Languages Portfolio’ with records of language skills, including languagesspoken at home, overseen by the teacher but completed by the children• a tiered language award with criteria• meetings with the secondary school languages staff• mutual observation planned for some staff, observing secondary colleagues in a localsecondary school to which many pupils transfer, and a secondary teacher coming towatch Year 6 French teaching.Case Study: example of good practice in transitionTransition to KS3 had been of particular interest to one local authority andtransfer to the secondary sector had therefore been a key area for exploration.As a Pathfinder the intention has been to build upon earlier experience oftransition initiatives and to extend opportunities for primary and secondaryteachers to observe each other’s teaching in literacy and numeracy as well as inearly language learning. A practical example of a transition project in practice,co-ordinated by the primary AST, was found in one school, which had receivedfunding for teacher release time, so that AST and secondary colleagues couldwork together. This had involved several secondary MFL teachers, includingsome from the independent sector, observing the primary AST at work.According to the headteacher, ‘They have been overwhelmed at the quality of thework going on. It is about whether the secondary schools are able, willing, to takeon board where we’re at. Everyone comes away thinking, ‘This is amazing, this isfantastic,’ but then the onus must be on them [the secondary schools] to take itforward.’ (headteacher)92
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RESEARCHEvaluation of the Key Stage
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Contents1. Executive summary 32. In
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practice and factors that might imp
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of the experience. Individual feedb
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• The analysis revealed the need
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• Are pupils with SEN and gifted
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Both respondent characteristics and
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Interviews were recorded and a 25%
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2.2. Advantages and disadvantages o
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2.2.2. Languages Delivery by the Pr
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2.2.4. Languages Delivery through a
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Analysing these models, conditions
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• Schools should be encouraged to
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however, instances of schools where
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3.1.3.4. Time allocated to language
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‘French would not be taught now a
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• beneficial for the subject’s
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Many teachers remained very depende
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Table 2: Integration and Communicat
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‘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
Page 63 and 64: Nineteen respondents had specialise
Page 65 and 66: As revealed in questionnaire 1, in
Page 67 and 68: However, some teachers were pleasan
Page 69 and 70: However, there were frequent instan
Page 71 and 72: • team-teaching on the ground•
Page 73 and 74: involved external bodies in the del
Page 75 and 76: Generally, there was a sense that s
Page 77 and 78: • Methods of recording progressio
Page 79 and 80: However, there were challenges in a
Page 81 and 82: In one Pathfinder one school cluste
Page 83 and 84: One example of assessment included
Page 85 and 86: trying to evaluate, prior to each u
Page 87 and 88: Case study: exemplar of a well deve
Page 89 and 90: In some Pathfinder schools effectiv
Page 91: ‘Only a very small number (6/7) g
Page 95 and 96: ‘…I know the Year 7 teachers we
Page 97 and 98: 3.4.5. Links to KS3 Framework/Natio
Page 99 and 100: situation was especially difficult
Page 101 and 102: 3.5. Sustainability and Replicabili
Page 103 and 104: develop ‘effective and replicable
Page 105 and 106: 3.5.4. Leadership and managementThe
Page 107 and 108: on one aspect of delivery. This was
Page 109 and 110: 3.5.5. Staff and staff expertiseIn
Page 111 and 112: ‘Usually it is impromptu: 10 or 1
Page 113 and 114: ‘The reason why I have decided to
Page 115 and 116: c) there is obvious progression fro
Page 117 and 118: to be constrained. Methodologies ge
Page 119 and 120: Time spent on the project was gathe
Page 121 and 122: Estimating development costs of res
Page 123 and 124: There were significant differences
Page 125 and 126: on staff costs, with the impact on
Page 127 and 128: 5. CONCLUSIONSOverall, this evaluat
Page 129 and 130: 5.2. Teacher Competence• Primary
Page 131 and 132: o for training secondary teachers i
Page 133 and 134: ReferencesBell, E with Cox, K. (199
Page 135 and 136: Case Study 2Case study 2 is a compa
Page 137 and 138: channelled through this school. At
Page 139 and 140: Case Study 5This LA is a large auth
Page 141 and 142: Case Study 7Case study 7 is a joint
Page 143:
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