Foreign languages will remain non-statutory for primary schools but teachers will be sent guidance to help them introduce or improve language courses.

The Government’s curriculum quango, the Qualifications and Curriculum Authority, is producing primary language materials to complement the curriculum.

Nine out of 10 independent schools teach languages to primary-age children, compared with only 22 per cent in the state sector.

A QCA spokeswoman said: “We expect these new guidance materials to include lots of teaching ideas and case studies. It should be a very valuable resource for primary teachers to dip in and out of.”

The guidance is being produced in line with the new national curriculum for 2000 and should be available from from September.

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