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Written question asked by Lisa Cameron (Scottish National Party) on Wednesday, 9 December 2015, in the House of Commons. It was due for an answer on Monday, 14 December 2015 (named day). It was answered by Nick Gibb (Conservative) on Monday, 14 December 2015 on behalf of the Department for Education.

Japanese Language

Question

To ask the Secretary of State for Education, what plans the Government has to increase the study of Japanese in schools.

Answer

The government supports the efforts of the Japan Foundation to help schools teaching Japanese. Since September 2014, maintained primary schools in England must teach a modern or ancient foreign language to pupils at key stage 2 (ages 7 to 11). Schools can choose which language or languages to teach and should enable pupils to make substantial progress in one language by the end of primary school.

The government took action in 2010 to halt the decline in the number of school children taking language GCSEs by including it within the English Baccalaureate. This has had a positive effect on the take up of languages in schools. The proportion of the cohort in state funded schools entered for a modern foreign language has risen from 40 per cent in 2010 to 49 per cent in 2015. The government’s goal is that, in time, at least 90 per cent of pupils enter GCSEs in the EBacc subjects of English, maths, science, humanities and languages.

Secondary information

Type
Written question
Reference
19314
Session
2015-16
Registered interest declared
Yes
Subjects
Japanese language
Link
View this Written question on www.parliament.uk