Question to the Department for Education:

To ask Her Majesty's Government what plans they have to enhance the teaching of foreign languages in England.

We are improving the teaching of foreign languages through our £4.8 million MFL Pedagogy Pilot, which commenced in December 2018. It is managed by the newly appointed MFL Centre for Excellence and is run through nine school-led hubs, to strengthen languages teaching at key stages 3 and 4 and to improve take up and attainment in the subject.

Recruiting and retaining excellent languages teachers is also a priority for this government. This is why we are offering tax-free bursaries of £26,000 for languages trainees with a 2:2 degree or higher starting their teacher training in 2020/21. Languages teachers will also receive three early-career payments totalling £6,000 spread across years 2, 3 and 4 of teaching. Those teaching languages in 39 local authority areas we have identified as having high need for teachers will receive higher payments totalling £9,000.

The department is also offering prestigious scholarships to those starting their teacher training in 2020/21 in languages. These scholarships are delivered in partnership with the British Council and successful scholars will receive a tax-free bursary of £28,000, as well as the same early-career payments as those who receive a bursary. All successful scholars will also receive a package of support provided by the professional bodies including free membership, resources and early career support.

These targeted initiatives form part of our wider strategy to recruit and retain teachers. The impact of commitments in the strategy - such as the Early Career Framework and plans to raise starting salaries to £30,000 by 2022/23 - will be felt by teachers of all subjects, including languages.

In terms of wider support for languages study, the English Baccalaureate performance measure, which includes languages, has seen the proportion of GCSE entries from pupils in state-funded schools in a modern foreign language (MFL) increase from 40% in 2010 to 47% in 2019. The reformed national curriculum now makes it compulsory for pupils in maintained schools to be taught a foreign language in key stage 2.