Language Trends 2022 - analysis and questions

 Background:

The survey was carried out by the British Council.

The introduction to the document states the purpose of the report:

"Language Trends is an annual survey of primary and secondary schools in England, designed to gather information about the situation for language teaching and learning.

Its aims are:

(i)                 to assess the impact of policy measures in relation to languages; and,

(ii)              to analyse strengths and weaknesses based both on quantitative evidence and on views expressed by teachers"

  Similar areas are covered each year in order to establish 'trends' with respect to these aims from year to year.  When new policy initiatives are introduced, new questions are added.  The British Council reports on the Trends being measured and makes some of its own judgements and recommendations based on the answers.

Following a summary of the introduction, this briefing summarises the British Council’s report under the 3 main headings used in the report of (1) primary, (2) transition and (3) secondary/independent. 

The report offers a very useful overview of current policies and their impact. As stated in the introduction, “The Language Trends series shows general shifts in data and seeks to provide a springboard for teachers, school leaders, academics, inspectors, policy makers, school pupils and the general public to consider particular aspects of language learning more deeply.”

It is appropriate therefore for ALL to suggest points for reflection/action to support ALL members in reaching independent judgements and recommendations in response to the data.  This may include suggesting points to consider which have not been included in the report, (perhaps because questions were not asked, or policies not considered) but which may be having a significant impact of the situation for language teaching and learning. (e.g. the Progress 8 measure, severe grading, Brexit.)

As this document is a key point of reference for anyone discussing the landscape of languages, it is essential to have a grasp of its content in order to be able to discuss the issues raised.

 

Key messages from the Report

Introduction (pp. 3 – 6)

The introduction gives the purpose of the report (see above), headline findings, the policy context and background and the research outline.

 

5 headline findings

1.      Four out of five responding primary schools have been teaching languages for more than five years.

2.      There is a great deal of variation in the amount of time devoted to languages in different primary schools across the country. Some pupils receive less than 30 minutes per week.

3.      The trend in all school types is that an increasing number of schools are reporting no international engagement.

4.      Our data show that the government is not on target to meet its EBacc targets for numbers of pupils taking a GCSE in a language.

5.      Spanish is now firmly established as the most popular A level language in England.

 

The Policy context and background usefully summarises the elements which inform the focus of the report:  National Curriculum requirements (only apply to maintained state schools);  EBacc measure (the government target is for 75% to study GCSE language by 2022, and 90% by 2025);  the 2016 Pedagogy review;  DfE-funded NCELP (set up to increase take-up at GCSE); the new DfE GCSE subject content;  the Ofsted Curriculum Research Review; the Mandarin Excellence programme and the imminent Latin Excellence programme (starting 2022).

 

The research outline notes the continuity from previous reports. Response rate was higher this year, but along with information in the following sections, we see that there is a proportionately higher response rate from independent and state schools in least deprived area, which may well skew some of the findings.

 

ALL points for reflection

Are these the 5 headlines you would select, and within these, are these trends reflecting a real change?

 

PRIMARY (pp. 6 – 12)

Relevant headline findings:

1.      Four out of five responding primary schools have been teaching languages for more than five years.

2.      There is a great deal of variation in the amount of time devoted to languages in different primary schools across the country. Some pupils receive less than 30 minutes per week.

3.      The trend in all school types is that an increasing number of schools are reporting no international engagement.

 

In comparison with previous years:

·         increase in number allocating a set time each week for language learning

·         increase in planning for progress in one language throughout KS2 (in line with government policy).

·         increase in use of formal assessments

·         increase in French most commonly taught

·         diversification of language appears to be low

·         individual schools report broadly same time allocation to previous years, but note that some report 'no language teaching' in KS2

·         affluent schools more likely to give higher time allocation

·         reduction in international engagement

·         10 challenges to meeting NC requirements ranked in similar order to previous year, though impact of Covid less of an issue (from 1^st to 3^rd place), curriculum time now the greatest challenge (from 2^nd to 1^st place) and staff language proficiency a greater challenge (from 4^th to 2^nd place)

·         Themes generated from open ended answers to question about what is working well the same as 2021: teacher's competence, the pupils' motivation and resources.

·         'Even better if' themes. 1. Continuing Professional Development for teachers; 2. Funding, including for resources; 3. Time for languages on a crowded primary curriculum.  (The first 2 were included in 2021, and the last was implied in 2021.)

 

ALL Points for reflection

 How can ALL support schools seeking to offer more time allocation for languages?

How much of the decrease in international engagement was a consequence of pandemic, lockdown and travel restrictions? And will there be an increase post pandemic? Will the increased confidence with Teams / Zoom help? What has been the impact of Brexit, both in opportunities / practicalities and in attitudes?

What are the issues around the choice and variety of languages taught at primary, both for the primary experience and then issues around transition?  What does this lead to for expectations for primary and secondary teachers given that in the majority of cases, secondaries will draw from a number of primaries and there is no mechanism for requiring consistency?

 

TRANSITION FROM PRIMARY TO SECONDARY (pp. 13 – 18)

In comparison with previous years:

·         decline in contact between primary and secondary in relation to languages

·         greater proportion of primary provide transfer information (28%)

·         decline in proportion of secondary schools with access to transfer info (75%)

·         secondary teachers report a decline in primary outcomes and preparedness for secondary (carrying on trend from last year)

·         transition issues raised in qualitative comments: range of languages at primary. NCELP cited by a secondary school as a solution for starting from scratch yet not repeating primary experience,

·         similar situation re: proportions continuing the same language primary to secondary (3% allow continuity for all, 66% allow continuity for some, 22% for majority and 8% for none)

·         selection of answers to open-ended question about transition issues covered different areas compared to last year: primary school teachers cited frustration about lack of continuity (last year focussed on finding and CPD,) and comments from secondary referred to the impact of COVID on pupils' confidence and learning (In 2021 cited problem of lack of coherence in provision across 40 feeder primary schools.)

 

Relevant headline findings:

None.  Presumably as the findings are very similar to previous years.

 

ALL Points for reflection

 The issue of transfer of information and coherent continuity is a permanent one.  How can ALL support realistic expectations of what can be achieved within the current system in English schools? (i.e. limited LEA control).

 

FINDINGS FROM SECONDARY AND INDEPENDENT SCHOOL SURVEYS (pp. 19 – 25)

Relevant headline findings:

3. The trend in all school types is that an increasing number of schools are reporting no international engagement.

4. Our data show that the government is not on target to meet its EBacc targets for numbers of pupils taking a GCSE in a language.

5. Spanish is now firmly established as the most popular A level language in England.

 

NB: The nature of the questions and the way on which results were reported sometimes make it impossible to make reliable objective comments about the trend from one year to another.

 

In comparison with previous years:

KS3:

·         Similar relative weighting of languages offered at KS3: French most popular, then Spanish then German. Slight increase in independent schools offering German.

·         The raw numbers of schools offering 'Languages other than the big 3' are greater than in 2021.  Presumably future reports will be able to track the success of the Latin Excellence programme and Mandarin Excellence programme e.g. this survey reports that in state schools less than 6% offer Latin at KS3 (of these, 3 out of 4 are in more affluent areas and only 1 is in the north of England). In independent schools, 65% offer Latin GCSE.

·         Statistics on disapplication at Y9 cannot be compared based on the 2022 report.  2021 reported up to 20% of Year 9 students not learning a language.  2022 reports 35% of state schools report that some pupils are disapplied for a variety of reasons.  [It is not therefore possible to comment on a trend.] And yet this was one of the 5 'headline' trends in 2021 :  ‘Withdrawal of some pupils from language lessons continues to be a concerning issue at Key Stage 3'

·         This year an additional question was inserted to ask teachers to comment on pedagogy This presumably is to allow for gathering information on a policy measure relating to language government 'policy' : NCELP. It is not therefore possible to comment on a trend based on this survey. The question made explicit mention of NCELP (a government funded programme) and also of EPI (not funded by government).   No other method was suggested in the survey. The survey states: 'It is important to bear in mind that pedagogy – the art and method of teaching – cannot be properly ascertained in a large-scale survey such as Language Trends.'

·         Classics are referenced in this report but not in last year’s, presumably in order to track the future impact of the Latin Excellence Programme in state schools.

 

ALL Points for reflection

KS3: Regarding the numbers taking languages at year 9 to what extent was this because of COVID and what will the situation be for 2023? How many students are not studying MFL in Year 9?  The survey does not report on this, but it is a critical element for encouraging a higher up-take of MFL across the ability range.  How can we support schools in offering FL to all across KS3?

 

Pedagogy: Given the reservations the document itself highlights, is reporting preferred pedagogy in this way potentially misleading? The DfE-funded  NCELP approach and DfE GCSE subject content are meant to be instrumental in increasing up-take of GCSE and the Bac figures.  How can this be measured?  How are the initiatives being independently monitored and evaluated? How can ALL promote teaching and learning which can support all learners at KS3?

 

KS4:

·         GCSE French entries in 2021 are stable in French, reduced in German and higher in Spanish. As last year, the claim is made that this trend indicates that Spanish will be the most popular GCSE in 2026.

·         On average, 52% of pupils in Year 10 and 51% of pupils in Year 11 are doing a language for GCSE. This is a drop of one percentage point for each year group from 2021. (Note that this is nowhere near the Government’s EBacc ambition of 75% for 2022 and 90% by 2025)

·         There has been a drop in the proportion of pupils in the independent sector studying a language: down 7% points for each year group.

·         78% of independent schools offer IGCSE and 38% GCSE (2021: 44% and 77% respectively.  [NB The 2021 figure was confirmed to be an error and should read 2021: 77% and 44% respectively.]

·         In independent schools, 65% offer Latin GCSE

 

ALL Points for reflection KS4:

Assessment: The lack of positivity about the new GCSE matches concerns ALL and many others have expressed.  What further steps can ALL take?

We need to continue to press for severe grading to be properly addressed bringing MFL in line with the other EBacc subjects beyond the small adjustment made to bring French and German in line with Spanish.  This needs to be reported each year, even if the trend is that there has been no change, because of the enormous impact which this continues to have on numbers studying in both stat and independent sectors.

 

KS5:

·         For the third year running, Spanish is the most popular A level replacing the long-standing tradition of French being in the top spot. '

·         German A level has once again declined slightly

·         Entries for other modern languages at A level are higher than last year, but are far below pre-pandemic levels.

 

ALL Points for reflection

KS5:

Continuing concern around the decline (continued in June 2022) with probably an ever-increasing skew to only the most able doing MFL at A level. What realistic steps can be taken to reverse this trend?

German continues to be in decline in all stages.  How can ALL support initiatives to reverse this decline?

 

INTERNATIONAL ENGAGEMENT:

The percentage of schools with partner schools is similar to previous years, the numbers with joint curriculum projects is lower than pre-pandemic.

In both state and independent schools, those replying ‘none’ to the question about international engagement has increased sharply during the pandemic (from 11% 2018 to 45% 2022 in state, and from 3% 2018 to 18% 2022 in independent).

16 out of 769 state schools reported they had been awarded funding through the Turing scheme, the UK government’s programme to provide funding for international opportunities in education and training across the world.

 

ALL Points for reflection

How much of the decrease in international engagement was a consequence of pandemic, lockdown and travel restrictions? And will there be an increase post pandemic? Will the increased confidence with Teams / Zoom help? What has been the impact of Brexit, both in opportunities / practicalities and in attitudes?  What might be the reasons for schools not applying for the Turing scheme? How can ALL encourage applications?

 

MODERN LANGUAGE ASSISTANTS:

Access to MLAs varies according to sector, quintile and region.

More MLAs are employed in Independent sector (1 in 3) than in the state sector (1 in 4) and of those in the state sector, almost half are in Quintile 1. About 1/8 of schools in the North of England have an MLA compared with 1 in 3 in the south west.

 

ALL Points for reflection

What are the reasons for differences in employing MLAs according to sector, quintile and region? How can the MLA system support schools’ individual needs and ensure value for money?

 

WHAT IS WORKING WELL:

The themes recurring in comments on 'what is working well' (last year headed 'sharing next practice) were exactly the same as 2021: 1. High quality teaching and learning, particularly at Key Stage 3; 2. Having a department with established teachers who have harmonious relationships with their pupils; 3. Commitment to languages from Senior Management.

 

EVEN BETTER IF:

The 'even better if' section identified 3 themes: 1. Time for languages (as the 2021 trends report, but specifically wanting more at KS3) ; 2. The new GCSE in French, German and Spanish (but note that this was a negative reaction to the proposed new GCSE); 3. Resources (e.g. wanting time to develop their own resources)

Note that the 2021 trends survey also included the desire to return to face- to face teaching and trips.

 

ALL Points for reflection

How can ALL promote realistic time allocation to MFL in schools?  How can ALL promote increased take-up of MFL despite the new GCSE changes? How can ALL support more collaboration with respect to resources, including involving corporate sponsors?