Primary schools in England will receive about £340 extra each next year to support compulsory languages teaching.

Lord Dearing said: 'I invite all head teachers to see this announcement as an opportunity."

He said primary schools should press ahead with languages with the confidence that increased funding was secure for a further three years.

"By continuing to invest in more long term solutions, such as better trained teachers and more innovative resources, we will generate enthusiasm and confidence for studying languages in secondary school and beyond - far more effective than simple compulsion."

Mr Knight (schools minister) said the answer was to make children enthusiastic about languages at a younger age.