About Us
The Lakes Language Network is led by Keswick School, with its primary aim to promote and improve the teaching of Modern Foreign Languages across the region. With teachers and learners at the heart of everything we do, we provide CPD and training opportunities for MFL teachers at both primary and secondary level, as well as cultural events and careers advice for pupils. Our mission is to foster a love of language learning across our Cumbrian schools, as well as boosting uptake and examination outcomes at GCSE and A-Level.
Our Network Lead is Sophia West, Head of French at Keswick School. Sophia graduated from the University of Bristol in 2013 with a BA (Hons) in French and Philosophy, followed by the University of Glasgow in 2014, where she obtained an MRes in Arts, Modern Languages and Cultures. Sophia completed her PGCE in 2015, when she joined Keswick School as a teacher of French and German, and was appointed as Head of French in 2019. As part of this role, Sophia has worked closely with various Initial Teacher Training providers, and currently works closely with One Cumbria on an advisory basis with regards to their Primary and Secondary MFL ITT curricula.
As part of the Language Network programme, Sophia is currently working on a National Priority Project entitled Talking Classrooms: Stepping away from the textbook. Building on Keswick School’s outstanding track record in curriculum innovation in a rural county, this NPP seeks to meet language teachers’ appetite nationally to see motivational target language teaching in action and for continued support and training to develop their own curriculum design and practice without increasing workload. Sophia aims to provide training and support for schools who wish to develop their own curriculum design principles, using practical examples to show others how to tackle this in an achievable way. Watch this space for future CPD opportunities for teachers keen to use more target language with filmed evidence from Keswick’s best practice and AI-supported content creation.
