So, let’s get this right. First New Labour decides to end the mandatory teaching of at least one secondary language to children under the age 16. Now, it’s setting targets for schools to ensure that at least half of them continue learning a second language. Meanwhile, they’re trying to convince us all they’re trying to reduce the amount of paperwork and target-meeting that teachers have to do.
What’s wrong with this picture? Is it possible that the government have realised their mistake, don’t want to appear to have done a u-turn and have done the next best thing?
Personally, I think teaching everyone at least one secondary language up to the age of 18 would be an even better idea. I would have hated it at the time, but I would have been very grateful now.