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| Version 0 | Version 1 |
|---|---|
| Schoolgirl wins fight for French | Schoolgirl wins fight for French |
| (about 2 hours later) | |
| A teenager who took her campaign to study GCSE French to the Prime Minister has won her battle. | A teenager who took her campaign to study GCSE French to the Prime Minister has won her battle. |
| Kim Snape, 15, was upset that French at her school in Leyland, Lancs, clashed with another of her GCSE choices. | Kim Snape, 15, was upset that French at her school in Leyland, Lancs, clashed with another of her GCSE choices. |
| She took up private lessons, paying £20 an hour, but wrote to Tony Blair, her MP and ministers, arguing she had a right to study the language in school. | She took up private lessons, paying £20 an hour, but wrote to Tony Blair, her MP and ministers, arguing she had a right to study the language in school. |
| Now Lancashire Council has agreed to pay for a course in French, as a "gesture of goodwill". | Now Lancashire Council has agreed to pay for a course in French, as a "gesture of goodwill". |
| Kim, who attends Worden Sports College, wanted to study Performing Arts, but was told she would have to drop French because of a timetable clash. | Kim, who attends Worden Sports College, wanted to study Performing Arts, but was told she would have to drop French because of a timetable clash. |
| In her campaign letters she pointed out that French was a subject teenagers were legally entitled to study. | In her campaign letters she pointed out that French was a subject teenagers were legally entitled to study. |
| A letter from education minister Lord Adonis acknowledged that modern languages, along with arts, design and technology and the humanities, were "statutory entitlement subjects". | A letter from education minister Lord Adonis acknowledged that modern languages, along with arts, design and technology and the humanities, were "statutory entitlement subjects". |
| Kim, who wants to continue studying French in further education, told her local paper the Leyland Guardian: "I was a bit upset about it at first when I realised I couldn't take French. I want to work with a foreign language, possibly overseas. | Kim, who wants to continue studying French in further education, told her local paper the Leyland Guardian: "I was a bit upset about it at first when I realised I couldn't take French. I want to work with a foreign language, possibly overseas. |
| "This is as much for my younger brother and sister as it is for me. | "This is as much for my younger brother and sister as it is for me. |
| "I feel I need to warn people who are in the same position." | "I feel I need to warn people who are in the same position." |
| Language decline | Language decline |
| The response from Lord Adonis came in a letter to local MP David Borrow. | The response from Lord Adonis came in a letter to local MP David Borrow. |
| He said: "Since September 2004, modern languages along with arts, design and technology and the humanities became statutory entitlement subjects. | He said: "Since September 2004, modern languages along with arts, design and technology and the humanities became statutory entitlement subjects. |
| "Schools must provide the opportunity for students to take a course in all four entitlement areas. | "Schools must provide the opportunity for students to take a course in all four entitlement areas. |
| "An option scheme forcing a student to choose between a course in a modern language and a course in another entitlement area, excluding the possibility of doing both, would not meet the statutory requirements." | "An option scheme forcing a student to choose between a course in a modern language and a course in another entitlement area, excluding the possibility of doing both, would not meet the statutory requirements." |
| Officials from the Department for Education and Skills confirmed a pupil who wanted to study a language at school between the age of 14 and 16 should have the chance to do so and should not have to pay for lessons. | |
| If there were timetable problems, a school could make arrangements with another school or college. | If there were timetable problems, a school could make arrangements with another school or college. |
| A spokesperson for Lancashire Council said the school had tried to make arrangements with another school but this had not worked. | |
| "The school has met the pupil and her parents and has made an agreement, without prejudice," she said. | |
| "The school has offered to pay for a correspondence course in French as a gesture of goodwill." | |
| Children in England only have to study a modern foreign language until they are 14. | Children in England only have to study a modern foreign language until they are 14. |
| Languages were made non-compulsory from September 2004 and concern has been expressed about the decline in language study. | Languages were made non-compulsory from September 2004 and concern has been expressed about the decline in language study. |
| A survey last year for the National Centre for Languages, Cilt, found that a majority of state schools had fewer than 50% of pupils studying a language in Key Stage 4 (the GCSE years). | A survey last year for the National Centre for Languages, Cilt, found that a majority of state schools had fewer than 50% of pupils studying a language in Key Stage 4 (the GCSE years). |
| In 29% of them, fewer than a quarter of students continued with a language after age 14. | In 29% of them, fewer than a quarter of students continued with a language after age 14. |
| The government has committed primary schools in England to giving children "an opportunity" to learn foreign languages. | The government has committed primary schools in England to giving children "an opportunity" to learn foreign languages. |