New research shows that the Scottish government remains some distance from fully implementing a crucial language-learning policy for schools, three years on from the original deadline of August 2021 - and that some key measures are moving in the wrong direction.
The research, published by the government, shows that almost all primary schools are delivering some kind of language learning from P1 - when historically this would not have taken place until upper primary.
Credited for the change is the government’s so-called 1+2 languages policy, which says pupils should begin learning a second language when they start primary school. This language (L2) should be taught consistently from P1-S3, with a third language (L3) introduced from P5.
The government had initially committed to delivering the 1+2 languages policy by August 2021.
Primaries and secondaries struggling with languages
However, around a third (31 per cent) of primary schools describe the teaching of the second language as “partial”, with 68 per cent saying they are delivering the entitlement in full.
Meanwhile, 39 per cent of secondaries describe their second language offer in S1-3 as “partial” - with 61 per cent saying they are offering the entitlement in full.
The research, published yesterday, applies to the 2022-23 school year. When last carried out two years ago, in 2021, 69 per cent of primaries and 70 per cent of secondaries reported delivering the entitlement to learn a second language in full.
The new data, therefore, shows a marked decrease in the proportion of secondary schools delivering a second language continuously from S1-S3. The research says this could be down to “an increasing number of schools allowing students to opt out of languages at the end of S2”.
When it came to the third language, 76 per cent of primary schools said they were providing the entitlement and 88 per cent of secondaries (64 per cent and 87.5 per cent respectively in 2021).
The research suggests that, because L3 does not have to be taught continuously, “it may be easier to implement”.
In both primary and secondary schools, the most-taught second language was French and the most-taught third language was Spanish.
The new data follows concern about the dwindling number of students opting to study languages at Higher.
Long decline in uptake of languages
After annual Scottish Qualifications Authority (SQA) exam results data was published this month, Tes Scotland revealed that Higher entries for the four main modern languages in Scottish schools had, in overall numbers, been steadily declining since 1986.
In 1986, entries for French, German, Spanish and Italian made up 6.5 per cent of all Higher entries (10,833 out of 166,403).
By 2024, the same four languages only made up 3.1 per cent of all SQA Higher entries (6,075 out of 196,250).
The new research report states that L2 provision in primary “remains stable” and “lies in sharp contrast to the provision of languages prior to the 2013 introduction of the 1+2 policy, when language learning did not start before P5”.
The 1+2 policy was “never intended to be a short-term initiative, but rather a change programme that would deliver a permanent transformation in the way languages are perceived and taught in schools”.
The research adds: “Despite an understandable loss of momentum due to the impact of the pandemic on schools’ priorities, results continue to show there has been a substantial culture shift in how schools approach language learning since the 1+2 policy was first introduced.”
It says the government plans to “continue to engage and work with key stakeholders and delivery partners” to build “a common understanding of what a full implementation means and how to address the remaining barriers”.
The research involved 1,565 primary, 307 secondary and 51 special schools, representing around 79 per cent of mainstream primary, 86 per cent of mainstream secondary and 50 per cent of special schools in Scotland (compared with approximately 86 per cent of primary, 88 per cent of secondary and 35 per cent of special schools in 2021).
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