The decline of languages schooling in England is a well-recognized and miserable tale. Take-up of French at GCSE is down from 25% in 2009-10 to 18% in 2024-25. German has halved in the similar length from 10% to five%.
There may be an important hole in take-up at GCSE by way of deprived pupils (34%) when put next with the ones from extra privileged backgrounds (50%).
In March 2025, the meantime record of a overview of England’s nationwide curriculum identified languages as a selected drawback space. Languages schooling was once deemed to be furthest clear of the foundations set out by way of the overview panel. Those incorporated an attractive, coherent, knowledge-rich and inclusive curriculum, and the involvement of academics in its design and trying out.
The overview’s ultimate record, now printed, recommends a far sharper focal point at the provision of languages in number one faculties. It encourages a smoother transition from number one to secondary, which has been proven to reinforce languages take-up even in spaces with reasonably prime numbers of pupils from deprived backgrounds.
Its proposal of the advent of latest “stepped” {qualifications}, the place beginners can increase and financial institution their growth through the years, is promising. This has been embraced by way of the federal government reaction to the overview and organisations reminiscent of the United Kingdom Affiliation for Language Finding out.
The record issues to Hackney in London for instance of excellent observe. Right here, there’s a focal point on instructing just one language – Spanish – and sharing instructor coaching {and professional} construction throughout faculties. Figures display that the native authority had the absolute best take-up of Spanish throughout England. Scholars had been additionally much more likely to proceed with languages at GCSE.
A extra joined-up way is welcome. On the other hand, there’s a threat that by way of that specialize in a unmarried Eu language, faculties chance ignoring the large variety of languages that encompass pupils in probably the most maximum multilingual spaces of England.
Present languages
Celebrating pupils’ present multilingualism brings nice advantages. Analysis displays embracing the languages spoken by way of youngsters improves tutorial results for pupils throughout topics reminiscent of English, maths and science.
Many youngsters are already surrounded by way of different languages.
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Some efforts are already being made right here. Charity Global of Languages, Languages of the Global has created a curriculum which engages with the languages pupils already discuss at house in an try to dissolve the hierarchy of Eu languages. It really works with pupils between the ages of 7 and 15 to worth the learn about of languages already spoken in communities round faculties. It centres historical past, tradition and verbal exchange, whilst no longer shying clear of contested subjects reminiscent of migration.
But, regardless of projects like this, there is not any point out within the curriculum overview of that wider sphere of languages that constitutes this kind of wealthy tapestry of multicultural lifestyles in cities and towns throughout England.
A core caveat throughout the curriculum overview stems from contemporary adjustments made to the present curriculum for French, German and Spanish GCSEs. This new curriculum has no longer but reached its first examinations, which is able to occur in summer season 2026. The overview recommends the analysis of that new GCSE on the finish of its first instructing cycle in 2026.
This can be the most important second for academics to provide comments at the new specification. The former languages curriculum won grievance for except pupils from deprived backgrounds as a result of examination questions requested for responses in accordance with private revel in, reminiscent of describing vacations. Trainer comments will display whether or not the federal government has met its mentioned targets to make the brand new curriculum extra available and related for pupils.
It may additionally be the instant for the federal government to imagine extra particular inclusion of tradition within the curriculum at GCSE. How an enhanced consciousness of the results of local weather alternate and the improvement of virtual abilities may also be constructed into the learn about of languages, in step with the overview’s wider suggestions, will have to even be at the desk. As an example, language categories may just come with discussing how the social and political contexts of local weather alternate vary the world over, together with in Indigenous cultures.
In any case, the curriculum overview revisits what many professionals see because the disastrous resolution by way of the federal government in 2004 to make languages not obligatory at GCSE. Nevertheless it stops in need of recommending languages grow to be obligatory as soon as once more.
It is a disgrace. In step with polling by way of YouGov, taking a mandatory language studying is supported by way of a transparent majority of Britons. What’s extra, analysis has estimated that putting off the language barrier with Arabic, Chinese language, French and Spanish-speaking international locations may just building up UK exports every year by way of about £19 billion.
Creating a language obligatory at GCSE would additionally assist arrest the now catastrophic decline in languages uptake around the tutorial pipeline, as college languages departments face closure.
Most significantly, selling the learn about of languages would foster extra nuanced, culturally and linguistically knowledgeable responses to the forms of divisive political discourse an increasing number of on show in Britain these days. Finding out languages promotes cross-cultural working out and tolerance of ambiguity in an an increasing number of ambiguous global.
