Our objectives

The campaign has six clear and ambitious objectives that set out the value of learning and using other languages in all phases of education, across all professional sectors and at all stages of life.

Speak to the Future wants to see:

(1) Every language valued as an asset

Encouraging policy makers and citizens to recognise that the many languages spoken across the UK are a valuable resource for social cohesion and economic success.

(2) A coherent experience of language learning for every child in primary school

Providing equity of access to a high quality language curriculum for every child from the age of seven, developing language skills and intercultural understanding, fostering a deeper knowledge of how language works, and providing the foundation for further language learning.

(3) Every child leaving secondary school with a recognised level of competence in at least one other language in addition to English

Equipping every school leaver to live and work in a global society, where confidence in learning and using other languages is a major advantage.

(4) Every graduate qualified in a second language

Preparing the current and next generations working in business, the professions, voluntary organisations, education and research to thrive and communicate confidently in complex global societies.

(5) An increase in the number of highly qualified language professionals

Fulfilling the growing need for language professionals, particularly English-speaking interpreters and translators, teachers in schools and higher education, and researchers specialising in languages and cultures and in interdisciplinary, multi-national research.

(6) Greater capacity in language skills and cultural agility in the workforce

Working more closely with employers and policy makers to strengthen language and cultural training in schools, further and higher education and in the workplace, and developing wider partnership activity to provide opportunities for employers and education to connect and collaborate.