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Language Trends 2007 - Secondary

 

This survey has been carried out annually over the past 5 years to explore languages provision and take-up in schools at KS4. In this latest 2007 survey, the content was extended to cover KS3 in more detail than previously.

The questionnaire was sent out to a representative random sample of 2,000 secondary schools in England, 1500 maintained and 500 independent schools. A total of 860 completed questionnaires were received for this national analysis, a response rate of 43%.

The 2007 Language Trends Secondary survey highlighted the following key findings:

  • The very rapid decline in pupil numbers in Key Stage 4 appears to be slowing. Figures for Year 11 show a small decline on last year, and are stable for Year 10.
  • Schools with low participation rates are reluctant to set targets to increase them. Only 17% of schools with languages optional in Key Stage 4 have acted on the Government’s requirement to set a benchmark for participation in languages – the same proportion as last year.
  • In the independent sector, languages for all in Key Stage 4 is still the norm. Independent schools also offer a greater choice of languages, though there is a greater diversity of qualifications in the maintained sector.
  • French and German have been seriously affected by the decline, but Spanish continues to see increases in pupil numbers. More schools now offer Spanish than German. (Although, in terms of pupil numbers, German still has 40% more GCSE candidates than Spanish.)
  • There has been a growth in the use of alternative qualifications to GCSE, in particular Asset Languages. The number of maintained schools using Asset Languages has risen to 14% from 9% last year.
  • Nearly one third of schools have reduced lesson time for languages in Key Stage 3 and 6% are compressing Key Stage 3 into two years instead of three.