MP calls for Government to follow Cambridge on modern language teaching (Cambridge Liberal Democrats)

Cambridge Liberal Democrats <camlibdems@gmail.com>

MP calls for Government to follow Cambridge on modern language teaching

November 8, 2007 5:00 PM

Local MP David Howarth is calling for the Government to follow the Parkside Federation's lead in foreign languages.

David's call follows news that fewer than half of pupils in England took a modern European language GCSE this year. When the Government stopped modern languages being compulsory for GCSE students in 2003 the number of young people studying them at this level fell dramatically.

In Cambridge the Parkside Federation schools demand that all their pupils study a modern language at GCSE level and the schools offer a range of different languages to take.

David said:

"Learning foreign languages is incredibly important not just for its commercial advantages but also because it broadens our horizons and teaches young people about the different ways in which other people live around the world.

David Howarth MP

"We need to do much more to encourage young people to study modern languages. I hope that the Government follows the example of the Parkside Federation and reinstates modern languages as compulsory subjects at GCSE."