At last it seems, the government has realised the importance and benefits of teaching Languages to primary school children. The news that learning a foreign language will be compulsory from the age of seven in England's primary schools, in an overhaul of the national curriculum, is to be announced by the education secretary.
The proposed changes are scheduled for introduction in 2014 but many schools are expected to begin implementing the new curriculum in the 2013 school year.
The proposals come amid concerns over a decline in pupils taking foreign languages at GCSE.
In 2010, 43% of GCSE pupils were entered for a language, down from a peak of 75% in 2002.
The last Labour government ended compulsory language study for children after the age of 14 in 2004, and many argue this downgraded the importance of language learning at an early age.
Shadow education secretary Stephen Twigg welcomed the government's ideas, saying: "I think it's absolutely right. Children will get a love of languages if they start them young."
Russell Hobby, general secretary of the school leaders' union, NAHT, said "learning foreign languages are great for young children: both useful and enjoyable. That's why almost every primary school in the country teaches them both already."
Some people argue this isn’t going far enough however. In May, a study commissioned by the Scottish government said children in Scotland should begin learning a second language as soon as they started school at the age of five. So are the proposals drastic enough? Luckily Cloud Cuckoo World is suitable for preschool children, so language learning doesn’t need to be put on hold until primary school.