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1200277

registered interest
date	03/06/2020
answering body	Department for Education
answering dept id	60
answering dept short name	Education
answering dept sort name	Education
hansard heading	Languages: GCSE
house id	2
legislature	25277 pref label House of Lords
question text	Her Majesty's Government how many candidates for a language GCSE who entered for examination in summer 2020 were subsequently withdrawn by 15 May; and of those, how many were entered for less-taught, heritage or community languages.
tabling member printed	Baroness Coussins
uin	HL5174
answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 17/06/2020 answer text <p>The Department does not hold information about candidates who entered for a language GCSE examination in Summer 2020 and were subsequently withdrawn. Exam entries are a matter for the individual, independent exam boards.</p> answering member printed Baroness Berridge question first answered 17/06/2020 16:13:57 answering member 4218 label Biography information for Baroness Berridge
tabling member	3829 label Biography information for Baroness Coussins

1191966

registered interest
date	30/04/2020
answering body	Department for Education
answering dept id	60
answering dept short name	Education
answering dept sort name	Education
hansard heading	Assessments: Languages
house id	2
legislature	25277 pref label House of Lords
question text	To ask Her Majesty's Government whether supplementary schools which are (1) registered as community language examination centres, and (2) not registered as community language examination centres, have been informed that they can provide their language students with teacher assessments and predicted grades on the same basis as mainstream schools.
tabling member printed	Baroness Coussins
uin	HL3763
answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 15/05/2020 answer text <p>This is a matter for the Office of Qualifications and Examinations Regulation (Ofqual) and I have asked its Chief Regulator, Sally Collier, to write directly to the noble Baroness. A copy of her reply will be placed in the House of Lords Library.</p><p> </p> answering member printed Baroness Berridge question first answered 15/05/2020 13:20:13 answering member 4218 label Biography information for Baroness Berridge
tabling member	3829 label Biography information for Baroness Coussins

1191967

registered interest
date	30/04/2020
answering body	Department for Education
answering dept id	60
answering dept short name	Education
answering dept sort name	Education
hansard heading	GCSE: Coronavirus
house id	2
legislature	25277 pref label House of Lords
question text	To ask Her Majesty's Government whether students studying for GCSEs in a foreign language at a supplementary school will be eligible to sit the examination in the Autumn if they have been unable to do so this summer due to COVID-19.
tabling member printed	Baroness Coussins
uin	HL3764
answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 15/05/2020 answer text <p>We are working with the independent qualifications regulator, Ofqual, and the exam boards to ensure that students have the opportunity to sit exams in the autumn. This includes those who have studied at supplementary schools. Ofqual will be consulting on proposed arrangements.</p><p> </p> answering member printed Baroness Berridge question first answered 15/05/2020 12:18:48 answering member 4218 label Biography information for Baroness Berridge
tabling member	3829 label Biography information for Baroness Coussins

1191968

registered interest
date	30/04/2020
answering body	Department for Education
answering dept id	60
answering dept short name	Education
answering dept sort name	Education
hansard heading	Assessments: Coronavirus
house id	2
legislature	25277 pref label House of Lords
question text	To ask Her Majesty's Government what plans they have to ensure that all language students at supplementary schools who have been entered for a GCSE examination in that language this summer but are unable to sit it because of COVID-19 are refunded automatically with their full entrance fee.
tabling member printed	Baroness Coussins
uin	HL3765
answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 15/05/2020 answer text <p>The department recognises that schools and colleges want clarity on exam fees following the announcement that GCSE exams will not take place this summer. The department and the exam boards are working together to ensure that they are provided with further information as soon as possible<em>.</em></p><p><em><br> </em></p> answering member printed Baroness Berridge question first answered 15/05/2020 13:19:02 answering member 4218 label Biography information for Baroness Berridge
tabling member	3829 label Biography information for Baroness Coussins

1149929

registered interest
date	16/10/2019
answering body	Department for Education
answering dept id	60
answering dept short name	Education
answering dept sort name	Education
hansard heading	Languages: English Baccalaureate
house id	2
legislature	25277 pref label House of Lords
question text	To ask Her Majesty's Government whether they have any plans to drop their targets for the uptake of modern foreign languages as part of the English Baccalaureate; and if so, why.
tabling member printed	Baroness Coussins
uin	HL142
answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 28/10/2019 answer text <p>Following the decision by the previous government in 2004 to make modern foreign languages non-compulsory at Key Stage 4, uptake at GCSE for languages decreased significantly.</p><p> </p><p>We want more pupils to study languages, which unlock huge opportunities in life. That is why we made languages compulsory at Key Stage 2, and included them as part of the English Baccalaureate set of subjects. Under the current government, the decline has reversed and the proportion of pupils taking languages has risen from 40% in 2010 to 47% in 2019.</p><p> </p><p>However, we know there is more to do. That is why we are investing millions of pounds in a range of programmes, including the MFL pedagogy pilot, a digi-mentoring scheme, and the Mandarin Excellence Programme. We will continue to listen to stakeholders and review other ways to improve take up of these important subjects, including but not limited to German.</p> answering member printed Lord Agnew of Oulton grouped question UIN HL22 question first answered 28/10/2019 17:46:27 answering member 4689 label Biography information for Lord Agnew of Oulton
tabling member	3829 label Biography information for Baroness Coussins

1149729

registered interest
date	14/10/2019
answering body	Department for Education
answering dept id	60
answering dept short name	Education
answering dept sort name	Education
hansard heading	German Language: Secondary Education
house id	2
legislature	25277 pref label House of Lords
question text	To ask Her Majesty's Government what plans they have to introduce a German Excellence Programme, along the lines of the Mandarin Excellence Programme, to boost the take-up of German in state secondary schools.
tabling member printed	Baroness Coussins
uin	HL22
answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 28/10/2019 answer text <p>Following the decision by the previous government in 2004 to make modern foreign languages non-compulsory at Key Stage 4, uptake at GCSE for languages decreased significantly.</p><p> </p><p>We want more pupils to study languages, which unlock huge opportunities in life. That is why we made languages compulsory at Key Stage 2, and included them as part of the English Baccalaureate set of subjects. Under the current government, the decline has reversed and the proportion of pupils taking languages has risen from 40% in 2010 to 47% in 2019.</p><p> </p><p>However, we know there is more to do. That is why we are investing millions of pounds in a range of programmes, including the MFL pedagogy pilot, a digi-mentoring scheme, and the Mandarin Excellence Programme. We will continue to listen to stakeholders and review other ways to improve take up of these important subjects, including but not limited to German.</p> answering member printed Lord Agnew of Oulton grouped question UIN HL142 question first answered 28/10/2019 17:46:27 answering member 4689 label Biography information for Lord Agnew of Oulton
tabling member	3829 label Biography information for Baroness Coussins

1138282

registered interest
date	10/07/2019
answering body	Department for Education
answering dept id	60
answering dept short name	Education
answering dept sort name	Education
hansard heading	Languages: Education
house id	2
legislature	25277 pref label House of Lords
question text	To ask Her Majesty's Government what is their assessment of the 2019 Language Trends Survey, published by the British Council in July, in particular its findings that (1) disadvantaged pupils are less likely to take a language GCSE, and (2) only a quarter of state schools offer pupil exchanges abroad, compared to almost half of independent schools.
tabling member printed	Baroness Coussins
uin	HL17079
answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 22/07/2019 answer text <p>The department notes the British Council Language Trends 2019 Survey and wants to see more pupils take languages at GCSE and experience international opportunities, including those from disadvantaged backgrounds. We have included languages as a pillar within the English Baccalaureate school performance measure to address the sharp fall in take up following the decision to make the subject non-compulsory at key stage 4 in 2004. This has seen the proportion of pupils who take languages GCSE increase from 40% in 2010 to 46% last year, and we want to see these numbers increase.</p><p> </p><p>In the department’s £4.8 million Modern Foreign Language (MFL) Pedagogy pilot programme, one of the 9 lead schools is in an Opportunity Area and another is in the Opportunity North East area. We have launched a pilot project in MFL undergraduate mentoring for secondary school pupils. This project specifically targets areas of high disadvantage to extend access to languages for all pupils and focuses on areas of low uptake. We are also piloting a financial incentive to improve the retention of MFL teachers in 25 local authorities that are most in need.</p><p> </p><p>In partnership with the British Council, the department is offering thousands of young people the chance to take part in international exchanges and visits. Backed by £2.5 million, schools in England can apply for grants to take pupils aged 11 and above to visit partner schools around the world. The programme is principally focused on those from disadvantaged backgrounds and we want to encourage as many schools as possible to sign up for this opportunity.</p> answering member printed Lord Agnew of Oulton question first answered 22/07/2019 11:43:23 answering member 4689 label Biography information for Lord Agnew of Oulton
tabling member	3829 label Biography information for Baroness Coussins

1130223

registered interest
date	05/06/2019
answering body	Department for Education
answering dept id	60
answering dept short name	Education
answering dept sort name	Education
hansard heading	Languages: Qualifications
house id	2
legislature	25277 pref label House of Lords
question text	To ask Her Majesty's Government what plans they have to address regional inequalities in the take-up of modern foreign languages at GCSE and A-level.
tabling member printed	Baroness Coussins
uin	HL16084
answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 19/06/2019 answer text <p>The department has several measures in place which aim to help reduce regional variation in the uptake of languages at GCSE and A level. In our £4.8 million Modern Foreign Language (MFL) Pedagogy pilot programme, one of the nine lead schools is in an Opportunity Area and another is in the Opportunity North East area. The department also launched a pilot project in MFL undergraduate mentoring for secondary school pupils. This project targets areas of high disadvantage to extend access to languages for all pupils and focuses on areas of low uptake.</p><p>Our new international school exchange programme is aimed at young people from disadvantaged backgrounds and areas. The department is also piloting a financial incentive to incentivise retention of MFL teachers in 25 local authorities that are most in need.</p><p>The proportion of pupils taking a language at GCSE declined after study of the subject was made non-compulsory at key stage 4 in 2004. 79% of pupils aged 15 in all schools took a language GCSE in 2000, but this had dropped to 43% of pupils at the end of key stage 4 in 2010. We have introduced the English Baccalaureate performance measure to halt this decline. Since 2010, the percentage of pupils in state-funded schools taking a language GCSE has increased from 40% in 2010 to 46% in 2018. The reformed national curriculum now makes it compulsory for pupils in maintained schools to be taught a foreign language in key stage 2.</p> answering member printed Lord Agnew of Oulton question first answered 19/06/2019 14:56:09 answering member 4689 label Biography information for Lord Agnew of Oulton
tabling member	3829 label Biography information for Baroness Coussins

1129505

registered interest
date	04/06/2019
answering body	Department for Education
answering dept id	60
answering dept short name	Education
answering dept sort name	Education
hansard heading	Languages: GCSE
house id	2
legislature	25277 pref label House of Lords
question text	To ask Her Majesty's Government what estimate they have made of the reduction in the number of pupils taking a modern language GCSE as a result of their school compressing Key Stage 3 into two years and making languages optional after the age of 13.
tabling member printed	Baroness Coussins
uin	HL15990
answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 18/06/2019 answer text <p>Languages are now compulsory at key stage 2, and since the introduction of the English Baccalaureate in 2010, language take-up at GCSE has increased from 40% to 46% last year. Ofqual’s recent provisional data for the summer 2019 exam series showed that overall entries to modern foreign languages (MFL) summer GCSE exams increased by 4% compared to last year.</p><p>Under Ofsted’s new framework, which will be introduced in September, inspectors will be alert to signs of curriculum narrowing at key stage 3. If a school has a shortened key stage 3, inspectors will look to see that the school has made provisions to ensure that pupils still have the opportunity to study a broad range of subjects, commensurate with the national curriculum, in years 7-9.</p><p>The department is supporting schools to increase the number of pupils taking GCSEs in languages through several programmes. These include the £4.8 million MFL pedagogy programme, an undergraduate digi-mentoring scheme, the £10 million Mandarin Excellence Programme, and targeted communications activity at key points in the school year to encourage pupils to study languages.</p><p> </p> answering member printed Lord Agnew of Oulton question first answered 18/06/2019 13:10:38 answering member 4689 label Biography information for Lord Agnew of Oulton
tabling member	3829 label Biography information for Baroness Coussins

1129509

registered interest
date	04/06/2019
answering body	Department for Education
answering dept id	60
answering dept short name	Education
answering dept sort name	Education
hansard heading	Erasmus+ Programme
house id	2
legislature	25277 pref label House of Lords
question text	To ask Her Majesty's Government what plans they have to fund undergraduates taking a third year abroad, currently funded under the Erasmus Plus programme, after 2020.
tabling member printed	Baroness Coussins
uin	HL15994
answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 18/06/2019 answer text <p>The government values international exchange and collaboration in education and training as part of its vision for a global Britain. Irrespective of the outcome of Article 50 negotiations with the European Union, the government wants UK and European countries to continue to give young people and students the chance to benefit from each other’s world-leading universities post-exit.</p><p>We are open to exploring participation in the Erasmus+ successor scheme (2021-27) though this will ultimately be subject to wider UK-EU negotiations on the future partnership. This is part of considering a wide range of options with regards to the future of international exchange and collaboration in education and training, including potential domestic alternatives.</p><p>While Erasmus+ is the largest mobility programme in which the UK participates, evidence suggests that around half of UK higher education outward mobilities take place outside of the Erasmus+ programme. It is clear other EU countries strongly value and benefit from the UK participating in Erasmus+, and we can expect our world-leading higher education providers to continue their strong track record of partnering with overseas institutions in all eventualities.</p> answering member printed Viscount Younger of Leckie question first answered 18/06/2019 15:01:45 answering member 4169 label Biography information for Viscount Younger of Leckie
tabling member	3829 label Biography information for Baroness Coussins