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Poole Leads The Way With Foreign Languages At GCSE

Poole Local Education Authority (LEA) has been praised for having one of the best records in the country for pupils studying a foreign language at GCSE.

Figures released last week by Schools Minister, Steven Twigg, show that Poole had 87 per cent of all 15-year-old pupils, taking GCSEs last year, studying French, German or Spanish – way ahead of the national average of 74 per cent.

The figures give a breakdown of the percentage of all 15-year-old pupils in each LEA who took at least one of the three languages at GCSE last year. On releasing the figures, Mr Twigg highlighted the need to do more to promote language learning at an earlier age in our schools. He also expressed a desire to work with LEAs throughout the country to encourage more pupils than ever before to take up a foreign language and develop an interest in other nations’ cultures.

Councillor Tony Woodcock, Cabinet Portfolio Holder for Education, Borough of Poole, said: "This is great news for our LEA and proves that Poole is ahead of the game again with education. Well done to everyone involved – Poole schools and pupils should be congratulated on this nationally recognised achievement. It is important that we continue to place value on the study of foreign languages, it not only helps students develop an interest in other nations’ cultures but the study also broadens their horizons and enjoyment of the wider world."

A copy of the regional figures can be seen on the website – www.dfes.gov.uk/leagateway under the statistics section.

Ruth Lawson, PR Officer, Borough of Poole, tel: (01202) 633295