Ofsted evaluations

Languages

The changing landscape of languages
(Ofsted, July 2008)

Ofsted report on language teaching and learning in all educational phases and initial teacher training between 2004 and 2007. Part B (pages 30-39) focuses on primary languages and draws on findings from Ofsted’s 2005 evaluation of Key Stage 2 Pathfinders alongside reports from inspections carried out in an additional 60 schools between 2005 and 2007.

Areas of evaluation include provision, quality of teaching and learning, the impact of languages on other areas of the curriculum, planning and resources, with related recommendations for schools, LAs and government organisations.

Implementing languages entitlement in primary schools: Evaluation of Key Stage 2 Pathfinders
(Ofsted, July 2005)

Report evaluating progress in ten primary languages Pathfinder authorities during 2004. The Pathfinders were set up following the announcement of the National Languages Strategy in order to trial Key Stage 2 languages and develop models of provision.. Ofsted’s report looks at the quality of leadership and management and its impact on pupils’ achievement, as well as key aspects of provision such as staffing, training and primary-secondary dialogue. Find out more about the Key stage 2 Pathfinders at Primary languages research.

Want to know more about inspecting languages in primary schools?

Education

Evaluation of the primary and secondary national strategies
(Ofsted, February 2008)

Ofsted report evaluating the impact of the primary and secondary national strategies, focusing on progress since 2005 and the quality of transition from primary to secondary school. Continuity of learning is a key consideration as well as the role of Local Authority support for schools.

Initial teacher training

Every language matters: an evaluation of the extent and impact of initial training to teach a wider range of languages 
(Ofsted, February 2008)

Report evaluating the strengths and weaknesses of initial teacher training in languages other than French, German, Irish, Spanish and Welsh. The survey aimed to find out whether training through a PGCE route, which is rarely accessible for potential teachers of community languages, has a positive impact on the quality of teaching. It also aimed to assess the quality of provision when alternative or no training programmes exist for teachers.

Primary languages in initial teaching training 
(Ofsted, January 2008)

Ofsted report from a survey evaluating quality in initial teacher training with regard to its suitability for equipping trainees with the knowledge and skills to implement the Key Stage 2 entitlement to languages in 2009/10. Comparisons are made with their 2003 report

Primary modern foreign languages in initial teacher training (Ofsted, November 2003)

Subject inspection reports

Ofsted subject and aspect inspection reports give the findings from school inspections of individual subjects. These are conducted in addition to institutional inspections to enable particular subjects to be evaluated in detail. Which subjects are inspected depends on the programme of surveys agreed annually by Ofsted, DCSF and DIUS .

The most recent subject inspection report for primary languages is 

Ofsted Subject Reports 2003/04 - Modern foreign languages in primary schools  

Previous years

Ofsted Subject Reports 2002/03 - Primary Modern foreign languages 

Ofsted Subject Reports 2000/01 - Primary Modern Foreign Languages 

Ofsted Subject Reports 1998/99 - Modern Foreign Languages 

  • Languages Work
  • lingu@net europa
  • Languages ICT
  • ITT MFL
  • Vocational Languages Resource Bank