Languages at state schools - are these figures right?

[UnquietDad]

article here

17%? Seventeen percent? Surely not. Means our LA must be untypical - as far as I know, most of the state comps here have a languages department. It would be odd for them not to.

And one for the pedants: "despite them being no longer compulsory beyond the age of 14" should of course be "despite their...."

I've just been to parents evening tonight and a teacher told me a language is no longer compulsory after 14 as there is a general lack of language teachers as I've already mentioned DD opted out.

Our school has some fantastic language teachers (native speakers from France and parts of Africa and the caribbean) but when GCSE was compulsory had to battle against those who weren't interested. The lessons are much better now the kids in those classes are those who have chosen to be there although some people from DD's form who would have liked to continue with a language were unable to because of clashes in the option blocks (they wanted to do history, geography or music in preference and could not do two out of these as well as french) especially as IT and citizenship takes up (wastes) a lot of the time

I despair at the gradual creep of these poncy, poofy, handwoven, tofu-eating, croc-wearing subjects like Citizenship and Travel & Tourism.

Soon there will be nobody at all doing German, Advanced Maths or Physics (consistently rated as the most diffcult subjects at A-Level).

Our children will all be going to the University of Central Crapshire (formerly Crapchester Poly) with their two Ds to study Batik with Aromatherapy or Media & Justin Timberlake Studies.

People complain about state schools being underrepresented at Oxbridge. It isn't the fault of the Oxbridge admissions tutors. It's the fault of the state schools themselves. State school staff encourage/allow their pupils to study non subjects at A level. Subjects that Oxbridge just don't accept as suitable evidence of the applican't calibre. If you have a bright child - check university websites BEFORE your child narrows his/her options by doing NON subjects at A level. Rant over.

The citizenship content seems quite good, understanding bank accounts, wage slips, voting, with a bit of health education but having to do coursework and an exam at the end.

I think we did something like that years ago but it was an extra in the time between end of exams and the official school leaving date.

Why does everyone say advanced maths and physics are the hard A levels (may be I am just wierd couldn't do batik or ice a cake to save my life)

Get this. So few children are now studying languages at secondary level that Cambridge is dropping its MFL requirement for candidates.
My DS's school still required everybody in his year to take a language. He's now year 11. In the present year 10 it's no longer compulsory.

"I despair at the gradual creep of these poncy, poofy, handwoven, tofu-eating, croc-wearing subjects like Citizenship and Travel & Tourism.

Soon there will be nobody at all doing German, Advanced Maths or Physics (consistently rated as the most diffcult subjects at A-Level).

Our children will all be going to the University of Central Crapshire (formerly Crapchester Poly) with their two Ds to study Batik with Aromatherapy or Media & Justin Timberlake Studies."

Bravo, UQD! I totally agree.
What's happening? Whatever the government spin doctors say, standards have dropped! When I was interviewing for a second in department in my teaching years, I threw roughly half of the applications in the bin. The spelling, grammar and phrasing were atrocious. If the candidates weren't capable of writing a letter of application, how could they be expected to impart knowledge to children?
I'm not blaming the candidates either. For this state of affairs to be reached, the standards of teaching had to be suffering already and the deline continues. If I correct my own children, they have been known to ask me why it matters! Thankfully, I think my law undergraduate daughter now realises that it does, especially in her chosen profession, where a deep understanding of language and all its nuances is essential

Is it possible to correct typos on this forum?

I agrre with UQD too and I eat tofu[, so object to the use of tofu eater as a derogatory term .

I remember when I was doing A levels Sociology had just appeared as a subject (yes, I'm that old!) and we used to laugh about it being a poncey non subject then.

It really makes me sad mfls have become non compulsory. This is a counter trend to the rest of Europe and reinforces the impression of the Brits being arrogant twats for not bothering to speak other people's languages when abroad or doing business overseas. So sad

Apologies if I insulted any genuine lovers of tofu. I was going to say "yoghurt-weaving" but wondered if it might upset yoghurt-eaters and weavers.