Scottish children to start learning a second language when they start school

Scotland is moving to a Mother Tongue +2 policy, with first foreign language from P1 (=Year 1) and second foreign language from P5 (=Upper KS2), Scottish Minister for Learning Alasdair Allan has said. This brings forward beginning to teach languages to P1 rather than P6, which is when most schools currently introduce it. The Scottish Goverment has announced an investment of £4 million annually to support the new policy.

“The world is changing rapidly and radically and the Government has a duty to ensure that Scottish schools prepare young people so they can flourish and succeed in the globalised, multi-lingual world we now live in." Dr Allan said. “One indisputable aspect of modern life is that more people travel widely for jobs and leisure and we must respond accordingly; we will not be as successful as a country and economy if we remain essentially a mono-lingual society.

“The Scottish Government is committed to radically improving the provision of modern languages in our schools. We see the Barcelona Agreement to the ‘1+2’ arrangement – learning two languages in addition to the mother tongue – as key to delivering this commitment. This is unique within the UK and will bring us more into line with other EU member states."