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Original poster

Language GSCE mandatory for all new Year 7s ?

63 replies

mjuyhn234 · 13/07/2015 14:06

Attended my DS induction evening last week where it was announced that in line with latest gov policy all Year 7s would be required to study the Ebacc subjects, one of which is a language up to GSCE level.

It'll also play a part in the Progress 8 measure. In order for a school to do 'well' , pupils will need to study a language. i.e. if they don't study a language, then 10% of the progress 8 measure will automatically =0 as that particular ‘e-bacc' slot will be empty.

schoolsweek.co.uk/all-pupils-to-take-ebacc-subjects-to-age-16-says-schools-minister/

Happy for any secondary teachers to correct me. Slowly getting my head around this measure and what impact it will have on my sons education. I have sympathy for schools as they have to work with the measure that the gov has thrown at them but it won’t help DS!

I'm annoyed about this as it wont be in my sons best interest to study a language, he has issues with literacy and Ed Phy report has suggested we steer well clear of MFL. His time would be better spent doing something he can achieve at rather than scraping a pass on a subject he already dislikes. He’s had French for an hour a week since year 3 and its not an area of natural ability!

DS will attend the local upper where traditionally about a third do a language GSCSE. I guess they will have to employ more MFL teachers to cope with the demand for the kids doing GSCEs in 2020 as practically all will need to do a language. If they don’t, then the school risks lower scores on the Progress 8 measure.

I think it should be sufficient to study a language until age 14 and optional thereafter.

If a child has low literacy scores, I can’t see any benefit to that child in learning an MFL.

OP posts:
YeOldTrout · 13/07/2015 21:47

Are there enough MFL teachers for almost all yr7s to take GCSE MFL??

thehumanjam · 13/07/2015 21:08

I was reading that unless schools enter 100% of their pupils for the Ebacc they will not be able to be rated Ofsted outstanding.

I disagree with this. At ds's school
(which incidentally has a high take-up of Ebacc subjects) there is a small minority of pupils that opt for more vocational subjects, forcing them to do subjects that they struggle in is counter-productive. It's important that we offer an education for all pupils, some pupils will struggle get to the magic C's or grade 4/5 under the new system and it's wrong to insist that they study for subjects that they just won't excel in just to fulfil an unrealistic target. I'm not talking about average pupils that could pass with hard work and good teaching, I'm referring to pupils that leave primary school on NC level 3 or even 2. School should be an enjoyable experience for every pupil where you are encouraged to reach your potential not a hard slog with poor grades to show for your efforts.

Leeds2 · 13/07/2015 20:34

My DD (just finished Year 12) had to do a MFL (or Latin) at GCSE. I honestly thought most schools did the same.

SallyMcgally · 13/07/2015 20:30

It's all part of having a more rounded education. My DS's school forces everyone to do three sciences, and nobody seems to complain about that at all (except me); I'm always bemused at why people get so much more het up over languages.

Original poster
mjuyhn234 · 13/07/2015 20:28

When I visited my local uppers, I was struck by the feedback from teachers I spoke to that MFLs were best suited to the more able. I wasn’t educated in the UK so was a bit taken aback by this attitude but figured that they most know what they were talking about. Now they’ll have to teach everyone and staff up. Good news I suppose if you are an MFL teacher/tutor. I can imagine it causing a major headache for secondary schools.

In my secondary school days everyone did at least French. I did French and German, can’t say they’ve helped me much in my chosen career. I went down the Engineering route and was very glad to ditch them even though they didn’t pose any particular difficulties for me.

Alas DS will struggle. He’d be much better off learning how to code than learning an MFL. More beneficial to the economy too ;)

Looks like I will have to get him past GCSEs and then he’ll have the freedom to concentrate on the things he can achieve at. I find it depressing.

Not sure why the latest edict places such an emphasis on MFL and Geography/History for the education of the masses! I haven’t seen any solid research to back it up.

Good article here on Progress 8
headguruteacher.com/2015/05/02/progress-8-looks-like-data-garbage-to-me/

OP posts:
FuzzyWizard · 13/07/2015 18:37

New year 7s... Although I'd expect schools to start moving in that direction sooner so you may see extra Key Stage 3 language or history/geography lessons or more restricted option choices for those in year 8-9 next year. This is mostly to do with schools gearing up in terms of staffing.

thehumanjam · 13/07/2015 18:33

Does this come into effect with the new year 7s? I had read that it came into effect with the current year 9s but I thought that couldn't be correct as we haven't received any communication from our school.

FuzzyWizard · 13/07/2015 18:29

There is no reason why MFL has to be the reserve of the high ability. It was compulsory at my school and I went to a fairly rubbish bog standard comp. I think it is really useful for helping kids with their English language too.

FuzzyWizard · 13/07/2015 18:27

Language GCSE will indeed be mandatory for his year group and he will need to do either history or geography.
There may be some exceptions made for reasons to do with diagnosed SEN but the government has made clear that any school not routinely entering "100%" for the ebacc will likely be restricted to an ofsted rating of "Requires Improvement" as they have said that the "top grades" (plural!) will not be allowed to be given.

Original poster
mjuyhn234 · 13/07/2015 16:05

Double Science, no triple . Its an Upper that is an academy. Its not unusual in that it doesn't offer triple from my research. I wish it did.

I'd assume DS would take Geography, History too literary for him.

My point is that Gov has decided that Language GCSE is mandatory for 2020 GCSEs, think it was announced in June and Upper is responding to change in the goal posts. If kids have to study that language GCSE anyway, why would a school put the pressure of them trying yet another 'ebacc' GCSE ?

When I did the tours of the local schools, it seemed MFLs were the reserve of the more able kids.

OP posts:
titchy · 13/07/2015 15:45

Double science plus history, or single science, history and geography would still count.

And why on earth doesn't your school offer triple science? Or is it not mainstream?

Original poster
mjuyhn234 · 13/07/2015 15:28

Well my reading of it is that kids sitting their GSCEs in 2020 will have to sit a language GSCE anyway.

It may well have to count towards the Progress 8 as they may not have studied another qualifying ebacc subject to fit the slot. I'm sure some schools will be be forced down the MFL route. DS school doesnt offer Triple/Computer Science for example.

OP posts:
titchy · 13/07/2015 14:21

Progress 8 doesn't have to include an MFL - it has to include 3 'EBacc' as well as English and Maths, but the 3 Ebacc subjects could be Science, Computing and History if the school wished.

Progress 8