Schools: Classics

Lord Baker of Dorking Excerpts
Thursday 27th November 2014

(9 years, 5 months ago)

Lords Chamber
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Lord Nash Portrait Lord Nash
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Ita vero.

Lord Baker of Dorking Portrait Lord Baker of Dorking (Con)
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Is the Minister aware that Latin always has some friends and supporters, of which I am one? A little Latin in life gives a bit of intermittent pleasure from time to time. What is more to the point, I welcome what the Government have done in restoring modern foreign languages to the 16 year-old GCSE EBacc. That is a really significant move. I did it many years ago. It was dropped. I welcome its return.

Lord Nash Portrait Lord Nash
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I am grateful for the noble Lord’s comments. It is true that under the previous Government the number of core academic subjects slumped, but they are now reviving. Spanish GCSE particularly is up by 50% and, of course, these subjects qualify for both EBacc and the Progress 8 measure, which is coming in in 2016.