Cardinal Hume School takes the lead in expanding language education

Cardinal Hume Catholic School’s role as a hub for the National Consortium for Languages Education (NCLE) reinforces its commitment to fostering language education and creating opportunities for students across Gateshead, as part of a nationwide initiative to boost language learning

This selection solidifies Cardinal Hume’s position as a secondary school committed to delivering the very highest level of education. It also demonstrates a commitment to promoting language education and expanding opportunities for students across the borough of Gateshead, and the wider region, through its role in supporting other secondary schools.

Cardinal Hume is part of Bishop Wilkinson Catholic Education Trust. BWCET supports and partners with five secondary schools, one middle school, one first school and forty-one primary schools across Northumberland, Gateshead, Sunderland and Durham.

University College London’s Institute of Education (IoE) is spearheading the Department of Education’s groundbreaking £14.9 million language programme, which is being implemented in primary and secondary schools nationwide over the next three years.

This initiative places a particular emphasis on increasing language learning opportunities for disadvantaged pupils. The goal is to develop strategies that encourage a broader range of students, including boys and those with special educational needs or disabilities, to choose languages as part of their academic journey. The key aims for the NCLE are to:

• encourage high-quality language teaching in schools
• increase language uptake at GCSE
• support levelling up opportunities for disadvantaged pupils
• better recognise and support the rich diversity of languages in addition to English

The newly-established NCLE has identified lead schools specialising in languages, to act as lead hub schools tasked with delivering training to up to seven partner schools to improve standards of language teaching.

Cardinal Hume has been selected to serve as a hub and will play a pivotal role in promoting language learning from primary school through to GCSE over the next three years, building upon the success of the modern foreign language hub pilot.

Language hubs were initially outlined in the government’s Schools White Paper, which underpins the Department for Education’s ambitious goal to have 90% of Year 10 students studying core academic subjects for the English Baccalaureate by 2025.

The ability to speak other languages is an incredibly useful asset for pupils, both professionally and personally. Research shows that there are clear educational, personal, cultural, social and career benefits in being able to communicate confidently in another language.

Brendan Robson, Headteacher at Cardinal Hume, said of the announcement: “We are delighted with this positive news, which really vindicates our commitment to languages. By participating in this initiative, we are contributing to the advancement of high-quality language education in England. This programme is both unique and exciting, and we look forward to working alongside the IoE in supporting such an important initiative.”