Role: Steering Group

PhD Student at University of Westminster and Founder of Casa do Livro- community library of Portuguese language.

I am delighted to collaborate with the London: City of Languages initiative. This represents a tangible step towards advocacy, raising visibility, and strengthening recognition of heritage and community languages across this wonderfully diverse city. I have worked with supplementary schools for 12 years,

This initiative offers the opportunity to position these schools as essential educational and cultural institutions. Through collective networks, shared expertise, and stronger policy engagement, London’s rich ecosystem of supplementary schools stands to gain with partnerships and structural support, enabling them to thrive and amplify the impact of their work across communities.

Michael is Managing Director of ‘Languages for All’ – A programme of The Reach Foundation

He writes:

“During the 2012 Olympics it felt like London was everyone’s ‘home’ Games. Our city is home to communities from around the world and we should do all we can to celebrate the languages that come with this diversity. I think the London: City of Languages initiative is a great chance to change the conversation about the indispensable role languages play in our lives.”

Languages For All (LFA) is a charitable project that establishes and supports local hubs, bringing together state schools and universities to collaborate on modern language tuition and enriching experiences to address the decline in modern language study. The program champions the vision for a country where learning a modern language is normal, possible, and valued. LFA’s core mission is to support more young people from state schools to pursue modern languages at an advanced and degree level, which it achieves by utilising centralised, consortium-style tuition and working with employers and cultural institutions on its Global Languages Ambassador Award to make language learning affordable, appealing, and relevant to students’ futures.

Languages Consultant and MA trainer at BCC

Bernadette is consultant for languages with Hackney Education Partnership.

Senior Languages Consultant at Harris Federation

Nathalie’s LInkedIn Profile:

Experienced senior leader particularly interested in coaching to improve the quality of teaching and learning. Former Director of MFL, Assistant Headteacher, Lead Professional Coach, ITE coordinator and NAML trainer. In my free time you will either catch me with a book in my hand, at the cinema with friends or rehearsing my lines and performing at the Barbican with the London Symphony Orchestra Community Choir.

Educator, researcher, and advocate for heritage language learners

Dr Fatima Khaled writes:

“Although much of my work has focused on Arabic learners, I strive to be a voice for all heritage learners. I am passionate about ensuring their identities are valued in education and about creating opportunities for them to thrive. My approach emphasises creative, project-based learning that builds confidence, motivation, and a sense of belonging while connecting learning to family and community. Through London: City of Languages, I hope to celebrate our city’s rich linguistic diversity, share ideas with colleagues, and strengthen bridges between schools, communities, and universities.”

Nadine Chadier, founder and former French lead at a bilingual school in Harrow, endeavours to encourage, value and nurture every child’s unique cultural heritage.

Nadine writes:

As a primary school educator I love building multilingual communities around enriching cultural and linguistic experiences. I thrive on working with  London’s Art providers to give every pupil a chance to discover and develop their own creativity through sustainable enrichment programmes.

Miriam Paridjanian is a passionate French teacher in a South London primary school, who is an advocate for celebrating the rich multicultural and multilingual society in which she lives and works. She writes:

“After ALL’s Language World in March 2025 I got a lift to the station from Anna Grainger (whom I’d never met before) and we got chatting about her project setting up Coventry City of Languages. I was so inspired by her energy and enthusiasm and I determined then and there to get the ball rolling on ‘London: City of Languages’, to celebrate the most multilingual city in the UK. I reached out to my contacts at the British Council and ALL London and was delighted that they shared my enthusiasm and took up my invitation to a hybrid meeting held at my school.

As a primary school educator and South London ALL primary hub leader I am enthused by the chance to share more widely the positive contribution that learning languages can have to the development of my pupils and I am very keen to join with others locally to share ideas about how to involve parents/carers and organise links with other school so that pupils can have an audience for their activities, and learn from each other.”

Head of Languages and Lead Practitioner, The Grey Coat Hospital 

As the Head of Languages and International Ethos in a vibrant London comprehensive school, I am committed to ensuring that every student, regardless of background, has the opportunity to learn at least two modern languages to open up the world in ways they might not have realised was possible. I am particularly interested in developing intellectual curiosity through the Languages curriculum. I also want to harness the linguistic and cultural richness that our students and teachers bring so that we learn from one another and that we see that diversity as something that makes our world a better place. 

Philip is Vice Chair of the London: City of Languages  Steering Group.

I’m so excited to see the London City of Languages initiative taking shape. I’ve been interested in the multilingual nature of London ever since working on the LUCIDE project on urban languages.
In my work supporting schools, universities and language policy, we’re increasingly seeing how powerful grassroots initiatives are for engagement, motivation and bringing languages to life in schools and communities, so I think London City of Languages is happening at exactly the right time!

Philip Harding-Esch – MA Oxon, DipTrans IoL(ET)

Past President for the Association for Language Learning (ALL) and former Deputy Honorary Membership Officer. Long-standing ALL London Branch Committee Member. Languages teacher (German, Spanish, Italian and EAL) and CPD Facilitator, Researcher, Filmmaker

“London, this wonderfully multicultural and multilingual city, welcomed me with open arms 20 years ago. It became my home away from home and the friends I made became my “framily”. I am thrilled to contribute my expertise to the City of Languages project to spotlight and celebrate the rich diversity of languages, cultures and communities across our London schools and homes. My hope is that we can build strong connections and opportunities for collaboration to strengthen our joint efforts for language education here in London.”