Written question WQ88631
- Asked by
- Heledd FychanPlaid
- To be answered by
- Minister for Education and the Welsh Language
- Tabled
- Due
- Answered
- Time to answer
- 8 days
Question
What is the Welsh Government doing to encourage more young people to take a modern foreign language as a GCSE?
Answer
Answered by Minister for Education and the Welsh Language
Welsh Government has a clear vision and strategy to support international language learning in Wales set out within the Global Futures 2022-2025 strategic plan which I announced in November. The plan’s strategic aims and actions are taken forward in partnership by Welsh Government, Estyn, regional education consortia and other key partners as schools deliver the Curriculum for Wales.
Demonstrating the careers and opportunities that studying international languages can lead to, as well as raising the aspirations of our learners is central to the Cardiff University’s Modern Foreign Languages Student Mentoring Programme. The programme was launched in 2015 and places undergraduates from Cardiff, Swansea, Bangor and Aberystwyth universities into local schools in Wales to mentor year 8 and 9 pupils, to support them in their studies and encourage them to consider choosing modern foreign languages at GCSE. It will work with over 120 schools across Wales this year.
There are also perceptions around learning international languages that need to change and our Taith programme offers funding for our secondary schools to run international learning exchanges for their pupils and staff which will deepen learners understanding of other cultures and broadening the horizons for all our learners.
The Curriculum for Wales will help generate momentum for language learning from primary through to secondary, allowing a platform to facilitate meaningful change with international languages becoming part of all schools’ holistic planning within the Language Literacy and Communication AoLE. I expect to see all language departments working closely together to develop their international languages provision as part of the language, literacy and communication AoLE.
Qualifications Wales is also creating a brand-new set of Made-for-Wales GCSEs to align with Curriculum for Wales and meet the requirements of our future learners. Learners in Wales will study the new GCSEs with first teaching from 2025, when the first cohort of Curriculum for Wales learners reaches Year 10, with the first GCSEs awarded in 2027.