Tudor Grange Academy Solihull is thrilled to announce its selection as a lead school in the #LanguageHubs initiative, an integral part of the National Consortium for Languages Education (NCLE) to enhance language education quality in England.

The UK government has designated the first 19 schools to oversee the newly expanded network of language hubs across England, backed by a £14.9 million investment to disseminate exemplary language teaching practices and bolster language exam participation. The NCLE, a collaboration between UCL, the British Council, and the Goethe Institute, will oversee the scheme.

Among the inaugural Language Hubs unveiled by the Department for Education (DfE) today, Tudor Grange Academy School Solihull joins a pioneering group of 19 schools. These institutions will collaborate to establish the first 15 hubs, with four corners jointly led by two schools.

The First Language Hubs

• Cardinal Hume Catholic School – [North East]
• Littleover Community School – [East Midlands]
• The Priory Academy – [East Midlands]
• Anglo-European School – [East of England]
• Ada Lovelace CofE High School – [London]
• Sidney Stringer Academy and Lawrence Sheriff School (co-lead partnership) – [West Midlands]
• Painsley Catholic College and Arthur Terry (co-lead partnership) – [West Midlands]
• Tudor Grange Academy – [West Midlands]
• Cheadle Hulme High School – [North West]
• Keswick School – [North West]
• The Blue Coat CE School [North West]
• Dartford Grammar School and The Skinners’ Kent Academy (co-lead partnership) – [South East]
• Hove Park School – [South East]
• Admiral Lord Nelson School – [South East]
• Pate’s Grammar School and The Cotswold School Academy (co-lead partnership) – [South West]

National Consortium for Languages Education (NCLE)

Fostering Language Excellence

Each lead hub school will provide training to up to seven partner schools, aiming to elevate language teaching and learning standards across the country.

The hubs will work to improve language offerings and transition from Key Stage 2 to Key Stage 3 while ensuring pupils aged 14 to 18 from all backgrounds have access to language education. The program also aims to increase opportunities for disadvantaged pupils and promote home, heritage, and community language learning.

Schools Minister Nick Gibb commented, “Confident second language skills provide significant advantages in life, offering social, cultural, and economic benefits. This program equips teachers with the necessary training and knowledge to support pupils studying languages like German at GCSE.”

Key NCLE Objectives

• Promote high-quality language teaching in schools.
• Increase language uptake at GCSE level.
• Enhance opportunities for disadvantaged pupils.
• Address the gender performance gap among male students.
• Recognise and support the rich diversity of languages spoken by our students.

Visit the NCLE website for more information: NCLE Website.

What is involved?

As one of the selected hub schools, Tudor Grange Academy School Solihull will share its expertise in language education. We will train a select group of partner schools, facilitating the exchange of best practices and supporting high-quality language learning initiatives. 

Why is the government encouraging language education in schools? 

Languages are crucial for work and life in our globally competitive economy. We believe that languages and intercultural awareness can help to foster universal understanding. 

The Department for Education recognises that, as a country, we need more and better language skills and that these add value and widen opportunities for individuals, communities and society.

Benefits for Students

Speaking languages offers numerous benefits in education, personal development, culture, social interactions, and career prospects. The NCLE places particular emphasis on delivering high-quality language education to students in disadvantaged areas, thus promoting social mobility.

£400k Project to Boost German

The Language Hubs initiative includes a unique project to promote German language learning in schools, enhancing awareness of its advantages. The Goethe-Institut will lead this project with a £400,000 grant from the language hubs funding.

Empowering Language Excellence

We are very proud of the recognition that our Languages Department have received in being selected as an appropriate Lead Hub School to drive improvement in Languages with up to seven partner schools. This builds upon our success as a Teaching School, Maths Hub and EEF Research School. 

We are looking forward to being involved in such an exciting venture to support high-quality languages education.

Click here for the announcement in the national press.