I enjoy Mike Kent’s articles, so took a particular interest in his inspector’s comments about foreign languages teaching (TES, February 6). Yes, there is a debate about how and when to introduce younger learners to the written word; but given the state of teacher confidence at the moment, it surely doesn’t help to have Ofsted’s boots trampling all over the flower-bed.
I’m sure we will address these issues successfully in time, but for now teachers need to be encouraged and supported. Still it could have been worse - we had an inspector who gave part of his verbal feedback to one of our primary colleagues in French. He went on to grade her satisfactory because she made two pronunciation errors.
John Connor, Associate consultant, MFL, Thurrock.