Primary Languages Network
Meet the people
behind PLN.
A small, passionate team with one shared mission — making primary languages work for every school, every teacher, and every child.
Janet Lloyd
Founder & Managing Director
" Every child deserves a second language. "
Janet started teaching in 1985. Over the following decades she worked as an MFL teacher, an Advanced Skills Teacher, an LA Consultant for Warrington — and eventually as a Regional Support Coordinator in the DCSF's national MFL team, mentoring authorities across the North West as they rolled out their own primary language programmes.
She contributed to the KS2 MFL Framework and worked on the TDA's 30-Hour Language Upskilling programme, securing government funding to give non-specialist teachers the skills to deliver languages with confidence. Those experiences shaped everything PLN would become.
In May 2011, she founded what was originally the Janet Lloyd Network — just four language teachers, twelve schools, and resources shared on paper and CD. The conviction was simple: the problem was never the teachers. It was the system around them. Non-specialists needed something built for them — practical, structured, and honest about what they were actually facing on a Monday morning.
Fourteen years later, PLN serves over 1,300 schools. Janet remains actively involved — still shaping the curriculum, still presenting at national conferences, still driven by the same belief she held in 1985: that every child, in every primary school, deserves the chance to learn a second language early enough for it to have a lasting impact.
She is a European Languages Award recipient, a BETTs 2024 finalist, and one of the most experienced voices in primary languages education in the UK.
Janet Lloyd
Founder
After 30 years in state education — teaching, training, and developing resources — Janet founded PLN with one conviction: the problem was never the teachers. It was the system. She built PLN to give every primary school the structure to make languages work.
Will Lloyd
Director
PE teacher turned languages advocate. Will learned Spanish as an adult and understands exactly what non-specialist teachers face. Over 10 years and 1,300+ schools, he developed the Languages Momentum Method — the five-pillar framework that turns fragile provision into something lasting.
Emilie Woodfroffe
Teacher Services Director
Emilie leads how PLN serves its teacher community — making sure every resource, course, and interaction actually helps teachers feel more capable in the classroom. Her background in primary education means she understands both the theory and the Monday morning reality.
Irene Hernandez
Multi-Media Lead
Irene brings languages to life through video, audio, and digital content. Her work sits at the heart of Video2Teach — creating the materials that give non-specialist teachers the confidence to deliver engaging, consistent lessons every week.
Catherine Simms
Network Coordinator
Catherine keeps the PLN community connected — supporting schools, coordinating events, and making sure the network continues to grow in the right direction. She's often the first point of contact for schools joining PLN and the person who makes them feel at home.
Kate Percival
Primary Languages Consultant
Kate brings deep expertise in primary languages teaching and curriculum design. She works directly with schools to support coordinators, develop provision, and help translate the Languages Momentum Method into practical, classroom-ready action.
Sylvia Brown
Customer & Operations Manager
Sylvia makes sure PLN runs smoothly — from membership to operations to making sure every school gets what it needs. Her attention to detail and care for schools keeps the whole machine working reliably behind the scenes.
Joanne Eccleshare
ITT Trainer
Jo works with trainee teachers at the start of their careers — building the confidence and knowledge they need to deliver languages from day one. She's shaping the next generation of primary teachers who won't be afraid of the languages lesson.
Tess Collings
Digital & Content Lead
Tess leads PLN's digital presence — building the content, campaigns, and creative assets that help schools understand what PLN offers and why it works. From social media to website to video, she tells the PLN story across every channel.
Peter Lloyd
Business Director
Peter ensures PLN is built to last — overseeing the business operations, financial health, and strategic direction that allow PLN to keep growing and serving more schools. He keeps the organisation stable so the mission can stay ambitious.
One mission.
Primary languages to be proud of.
We believe every primary school — regardless of budget, staffing, or specialist knowledge — can build a languages programme that works. The team above gets up every day to make that happen.
Read our full vision →