To ensure that youngsters are able to succeed and compete at a global level, the government has made learning a foreign language compulsory at primary school level.

In starting early, it is hoped that children get used to the idea of being able to speak another language. This shift in attitudes to languages is about “normalising” the ability to confidently communicate in more than just one tongue.

However, schools are still playing catch-up. As a result, a network of foreign language teaching hubs is to be established in England so that teachers are capable of delivering foreign languages to a high level.

The two-year £1.8 million scheme will engage up to 2,000 school teachers, ensuring that they feel confident in teaching the new curriculum, which the government has described as being “forward-thinking” and high in expectation.

According to analysis by organisations like the British Council, there is a significant disconnect between what is expected by politicians and what is possible in schools.

For example, the educational organisation states that up to a quarter of primary schools are without staff with more than a GCSE in a foreign language. There is only so much they can teach with what is ultimately a basic understanding in a foreign language.

"By learning a foreign language young people can go on to study and work abroad, but it's not just that - knowledge of different languages and cultures is increasingly important to employers in the UK too,” education secretary Nicky Morgan was quoted by the BBC as saying.

"That's why the ability to speak and understand different languages is vital if young people are going to leave school able to get a job and get on in life. We know that teachers are integral to this language revival so we are backing these schemes led by teachers for teachers.”