£1 million boost for language teaching in schools

23 Apr 2014 03:42 PM

The Scottish Government’s commitment for every child to start learning a second language from P1 onwards and a third no later than P5 by 2020 has been strengthened by a further investment of £1 million.

The increase brings the total, additional funding for languages in schools in 2014/2015 to £5 million. The money will build on the good work already underway in Scotland as part of the 1+2 policy, the most ambitious languages learning programme in the UK.

The funds will be given to local authorities to use in schools and to support teachers and pupils in the teaching and learning of languages.

Minister for Learning and Scotland’s Languages Dr Alasdair Allan said:

“The economic and cultural opportunities that can be unlocked by learning a second or third language for both the individual and Scotland as a whole are vast. Our ambition for schools and our future generations through the 1+2 languages policy are hugely aspirational to reflect this.

“Our 1+2 policy is based on the European model to create the conditions in which every child will learn two languages in addition to their own mother tongue.

“There is already excellent work happening in classrooms every day, across Scotland, however, to meet our longer term ambitions and to prevent the slight, but current, reduction in the uptake of languages, it is absolutely imperative that we do all we can to continue to prioritise language learning in schools.”

Notes To Editors

Language learning in Scotland.