Schools Minister Vernon Coaker has today confirmed plans to bring in a new curriculum for primary education, which emphasises the importance of foreign language skills.

The new legislation is based on recommendations from an independent review of the primary curriculum by Sir Jim Rose, which stated that all children aged 7-11 should learn at least one foreign language as part of the new ‘Understanding English, Communication and Languages’ area of learning.

CILT, the National Centre for Languages welcome the recommendation for languages to become a statutory part of the primary curriculum in Key Stage 2.  Chief Executive, Kathryn Board says: “It affords language learning a status equal to that of other subjects in the primary curriculum. We are also pleased that in one of the six new areas of learning, the Independent Review places language learning alongside English and communication. 

“This recommendation reflects the relationship between language learning and English literacy that CILT promote. CILT has been working with the National Strategies to produce documentation which offers schools support and guidance to create a whole school language policy.”

Read the press release at DCSF News 19 November 2009.