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Introduction
| Overview
| Becoming an LC
| CILT support
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Language Colleges - an overview
Key characteristics
Language Colleges commit themselves to a four-year development plan with specific targets to improve their standards as a whole and to raise performance and participation in modern foreign languages. They aim to promote an international ethos across the whole curriculum and they develop close links with schools abroad. They will have the support of industry, both financially and through the provision of advice and management support. Language Colleges use and develop best practice techniques for raising educational standards. They work with other schools and the wider community in sharing facilities and educational resources.
How do they fit in to the wider Specialist Schools initiative?
The Specialist Schools Programme helps schools, in partnership with private
sector sponsors and supported by additional Government funding, to build
on their particular strengths, establish distinctive identities through
their chosen specialisms, and achieve their targets to raise standards.
Specialist schools have a special focus on their chosen subject area but
must meet the full National Curriculum requirements and deliver a broad
and balanced education to all pupils. The October 2001 OFSTED survey of
the Programme Specialist
Schools: An evaluation of progress (pdf, 229 kB) confirmed that,
for the vast majority of existing specialist schools, specialist status
has helped them to sustain or accelerate the pace of whole-school improvement
and has acted as a catalyst for innovation.
Specialist schools aim to:
- raise standards of achievement, particularly in the specialist subjects, for all their pupils;
- extend the range of opportunities available to pupils which best meet their needs and interests;
- raise the standards of teaching and learning in the specialist subjects;
- develop a visible character in their chosen specialism which signals its changed identity and which is reflected in the school's aims. This new identity should be clear to other schools and the local community;
- benefit other schools in the area; and
- strengthen the links between schools and private or charitable sector sponsors. Sponsors will not only support the specialism with cash or goods sponsorship, but will also take an ongoing role in the development of the school.
Any maintained secondary school in England may apply to be designated
as a specialist school in one of eight specialist areas: language, sports,
arts (performing, visual or media), business & enterprise, technology,
engineering, science, and mathematics & computing. Schools can also combine
two specialisms. Schools designated in their chosen specialist area are
referred to as 'Colleges' (e.g. Language Colleges).
Language Colleges driving innovation in MFL
It is clear that Language Colleges are perceived to be at the hub of
change in developing effective practice in Modern Foreign Language learning.
There are currently 309 Language Colleges
in England and there will be more! Published in March 2007, Lord Dearing's report on languages policy and learning a foreign language confirmed the expansion of the specialist schools programme to 400 Language Colleges by 2010. It recommended a more geographical spread of SLCs across England. Specialist colleges
are diverse, each with their own challenges to face and specialist areas
of expertise to develop and share.
Language Colleges working in the community
The community development plan includes working together with a family
of local schools. This family includes secondary and special schools and
feeder primary schools. It also requires the school to work with the wider
community such as parents, local adults and local businesses. Specialist
Language Colleges also work closely with international partners to help
create an outward looking, global ethos within the whole school. Language
Colleges have particularly enjoyed working with their feeder primary schools,
in some cases, developing ideas from the National Literacy Strategy. Other
successful community initiatives include running 'Languages and the world
of work' days for local secondary schools, international days or weeks,
summer schools and GCSE revision classes, language classes for parents
and small children.
Language Colleges extending language learning opportunities
Schools are also encouraged to look at alternative accreditation to GCSE for pupils studying a second Modern Foreign Language at Key Stage 4. It is difficult to predict the specific language capabilities that our students may require later in life. It is often in the sixth form that a wide choice of languages are offered including lesser taught languages such as Mandarin, Japanese and Arabic. Language Colleges are expected to encourage a greater take-up at A level in Modern Foreign Languages. Language Colleges are encouraged to explore and develop curriculum innovation. There has been a diversity of excellent initiatives including teaching art, geography and history through the medium of the foreign language, early GCSE entries in Year 9 and Year 10, using new technologies such as interactive whiteboards to teach and learn, and teaching Japanese as the first foreign language.
