The West Midlands Regional Language Network
From September 2025, Grand Union Language Network will join forces with Trent and Tame Language Network (based at Arthur Terry School and Painsley Catholic College) and Swanswell Language Network (based at Sidney Stringer Academy, Coventry) to form the West Midlands Regional Language Network.
Working collaboratively, we hope to extend our reach across the West Midlands supporting language teachers in Birmingham, Solihull, Coventry, Warwickshire, Worcestershire, Staffordshire and Stoke. Bringing together our different areas of specialism and expertise, teachers across the region will benefit from an enhanced programme of CPD sessions, increased opportunities to expand their professional network and the opportunity to work collaboratively with more schools from similar settings and contexts.
Each lead school within the West Midlands Regional Language Network is working on a national priority project exploring curriculum innovation, transition and Home Heritage and Community Language development. Findings from the projects will feed into NCLE’s Languages Leadership Framework, a tool to support middle and senior leaders in school to make more informed choices about their provision and to increase intrinsic motivation for language learning.
Grand Union – Modelling Motivation
Deep dive into curriculum planning: We hope to define optimal curricular conditions for language learning with our project. What are the preferred options for MFL curriculum models and why? What is the impact on the motivation of students and what is the financial logistical impact on the school? We will be working with a small selection of schools across the region with different curricular and contexts and collating and analysing quantitative and qualitative data to create case studies. Our case studies will be disseminated regionally and nationally on the LEO Platform to inform school leaders of their options.
Trent and Tame – Languages: Our Superpowers.
Using the concept of linguistic superheroes in KS2 and that being a linguist is a young person’s USP in KS3, three primary schools and their neighbouring secondary school will work collaboratively to develop a compelling and shared narrative about why we learn languages. Our case study will introduce a KS2-KS3 progression matrix of transversal skills which underpins language learning and will explore how this might be embedded into existing curriculum provision, to impact positively on intrinsic motivation for language learning.
Swanswell: Celebrating Multilingualism.
Working in conjunction with Coventry City of Languages, Swanswell is working to champion languages, with a particular focus on Home Heritage Community Languages, and celebrate the diversity in our city. We will be inviting schools to use our resources and participate in events, mainly around European Day of Languages (September) and Mother Language Day (February).
Swanswell Language Network
Steph Azarpey leads the Swanswell Language Network. Based at Sidney Stringer Academy, an incredibly diverse school where two thirds of students have English as an Additional Language. Steph leads on Community Languages in her school, as well as teaching Spanish and working
as a Lead Practitioner for MFL.
Trent and Tame Language Network
Led by Tracy Williams and Clare Oberman, the Trent and Tame Language Network have a particular interest in the leadership of languages including the importance of strategic thinking around transition. We are excited to work with primary and secondary schools to develop a shared narrative about the benefits of language learning and how this joined up thinking might impact positively on young people’s motivation for language learning as they move from primary to secondary school.
Swanswell Language Network Website
