Supporting the new secondary curriculum for languages

Our aim is to provide a one-stop-shop, with links to the official websites and a wide range of support and information.

To get in touch, please email languages@all-nsc.org.uk. If you would like to discuss something by phone, give a phone number along with your message and we will get back to you.

LinkedUp award scheme

The final deadline for applications has now passed, and we are on track to reach our target of 108 projects. Summaries of the projects from the first three application rounds have been posted on the LinkedUp web pages, and the first set of project materials will go live on the resource bank from October. Starting in the autumn, there will also be a series of national and regional dissemination events. Find out more...

What support for the new curriculum is still available?

The programme of free workshops led by RSAs ended in March. However, there will continue to be opportunities to find out about the new curriculum and to build on the work achieved so far:
- ALL is continuing to run workshops through ALL branches, networks, language days and other events
- We are offering follow-up workshops to help schools implement their curriculum in collaboration with Links into Languages
- We can put individual schools in touch with an expert who can provide advice
- We will continue to keep this website live
Please get in touch via languages@all-nsc.org.uk if you would like to arrange a workshop for your own school, local authority or trainees. Our expert trainers have expertise in a wide range of aspects of the curriculum and we can put you in touch with the right person. 61% of all delegates since September rated events as 'excellent' and 97% good or excellent.

Changes with the new Government

As you will be aware, the new Government is making significant changes to education policy and to the support that will be available to schools. However, ALL's activities are continuing as usual, and we will be making the case strongly for ongoing support for languages at national level. ALL publishes a lively magazine, Languages Today, runs branch and network events across the country, holds the annual Language World conference and supports individual languages through journals and events. Find out more...

What else is new?

QCDA has published a booklet summarising their vision of how the secondary national curriculum should continue to be developed in schools, entitled From Implementation to Development (pdf, 2.39MB). Much of this material can help to make the case to senior management for changes you would like to make in languages.

If you haven't looked at it recently, QCDA's new National Curriculum website is full of useful information about the new primary curriculum as well as the secondary curriculum.

Guidance from the DCSF on the new Vetting and Barring Scheme Read more...

How to sum up the languages curriculum in 8 minutes? This is how we did it at the recent cross-curriculum conferences - Compelling learning in languages (ppt, 1.8 MB)

Buy your copy of CURRICULUM NOW!
The new publication from Rachel Hawkes has received glowing feedback from language teachers. Find out more and download an order form...

Ofsted has published an interesting report on the impact of the new curriculum so far.

Useful documents

THE RENEWED FRAMEWORK FOR LANGUAGES: The new version of the Key Stage 3 Framework is now available online, together with examples of learning activities. It has been designed to complement the new secondary curriculum and to help departments with their planning. The objectives, guidance and exemplification can be accessed on http://nationalstrategies.standards.dcsf.gov.uk/mfl. In a hurry? Click on this link to download a pdf of all the objectives!

Downloadable resource pack: key documents relating to the new curriculum can now be downloaded to print off as a useful reference guide...

- What is a compelling learning experience? QCA explains...

- The QCDA website has a great checklist of ways of building Personal, Learning and Thinking Skills into language learning...

- The PoS at a glance - download it here. The programme of study on one side of A4 for easy reference.

The official new secondary curriculum website
http://curriculum.qcda.gov.uk has comprehensive information about the new curriculum, including the revised Programme of Study for languages, guidance and case studies.

You can download the revised programme of study for languages here. The PoS applies to Key Stage 3 and came into force for Year 7 from September 2008. But it's not just about the programme of study. The new curriculum takes a holistic view of all secondary education including the 14-19 phase, and we recommend that language teachers get involved in discussion and planning at whole school level in order to ensure that languages play a full role in any new developments.

You can also download here the very useful big picture diagram of the new curriculum.