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South Wales Guardian
01-07-2025
- General
- South Wales Guardian
Language GCSE take-up much lower in less affluent schools in England
Around half of GCSE students in state schools in England study a modern foreign language (MFL) – except in the most affluent areas where take-up is significantly higher, according to the British Council's Language Trends report. The survey of teachers at 1,011 schools in England suggests that recruitment challenges hit schools serving disadvantaged communities hardest. Around two in three (68%) of the least affluent schools reported difficulties hiring qualified MFL teachers, compared with 57% in the most affluent schools, according to the report. In the most affluent schools (quintile one), teachers reported that 69% of Year 11 pupils were studying a language for GCSE on average, compared with 47% in the most deprived schools (quintile five). Overall, teachers reported that 53% of pupils study a language for GCSE. Researchers calculated the quintiles, from least to most deprived areas, based on the percentage of pupils on free school meals (FSMs) – quintile one with the lowest percentage of children on FSMs and quintile five with the highest. The report said: 'Schools in more affluent areas are more likely, by over 20 percentage points, to have more pupils learning a language.' Vicky Gough, schools adviser at the British Council, said: 'This year's report shows a clear gap in language learning linked to socioeconomic background. 'Last year, we found just 6% of students across the UK thought it was very likely they'd use another language in their future career. 'Together, these findings highlight a stark reality: young people from less privileged backgrounds are missing out on opportunities their peers are more likely to access.' The report also suggested that small class sizes are making it harder for schools to keep language courses running at A-level. Just over half of schools reported having the capacity to offer A-level languages, either delivered within the school or in partnership with a neighbouring school. But among the least affluent schools, this figure dropped to just 31%. Report author Dr Ian Collen, from Queen's University Belfast, said: 'I continue to be concerned about small MFL classes not running at A-level. 'Local decisions have national consequences; when multiplied throughout England, it means that the language learning journey stops for hundreds of young people. 'We must invest at post-16 to ensure a healthier pipeline into further and higher education, and indeed the economy. Pepe Di'Iasio, general secretary of the Association of School and College Leaders (ASCL), said: 'Schools in all communities work very hard to provide excellent opportunities for their students to learn languages and fully recognise the benefits of language learning. 'However, this is one of the subject areas that is affected by severe teacher shortages across the country and these can be most acute in schools serving disadvantaged communities. 'In addition, languages are perceived as a difficult option, and this may deter children from disadvantaged backgrounds who lack academic confidence, and who may have had fewer opportunities to travel than their peers and, therefore, less exposure to other languages. 'We would like to see further action taken to support schools in boosting language learning.' Paul Whiteman, general secretary at school leaders' union NAHT, said: 'There are huge benefits for children learning a foreign language and there is some excellent language teaching in both primary and secondary schools. 'However, as this report shows, some schools are struggling to recruit the language teachers they need to offer courses at GCSE and beyond, with recruitment targets for modern foreign languages missed in the last couple of years. 'This needs addressing urgently if more pupils are to learn a language.'
Glasgow Times
01-07-2025
- General
- Glasgow Times
Language GCSE take-up much lower in less affluent schools in England
Around half of GCSE students in state schools in England study a modern foreign language (MFL) – except in the most affluent areas where take-up is significantly higher, according to the British Council's Language Trends report. The survey of teachers at 1,011 schools in England suggests that recruitment challenges hit schools serving disadvantaged communities hardest. Around two in three (68%) of the least affluent schools reported difficulties hiring qualified MFL teachers, compared with 57% in the most affluent schools, according to the report. In the most affluent schools (quintile one), teachers reported that 69% of Year 11 pupils were studying a language for GCSE on average, compared with 47% in the most deprived schools (quintile five). Overall, teachers reported that 53% of pupils study a language for GCSE. Researchers calculated the quintiles, from least to most deprived areas, based on the percentage of pupils on free school meals (FSMs) – quintile one with the lowest percentage of children on FSMs and quintile five with the highest. The report said: 'Schools in more affluent areas are more likely, by over 20 percentage points, to have more pupils learning a language.' Vicky Gough, schools adviser at the British Council, said: 'This year's report shows a clear gap in language learning linked to socioeconomic background. 'Last year, we found just 6% of students across the UK thought it was very likely they'd use another language in their future career. 'Together, these findings highlight a stark reality: young people from less privileged backgrounds are missing out on opportunities their peers are more likely to access.' The report also suggested that small class sizes are making it harder for schools to keep language courses running at A-level. Just over half of schools reported having the capacity to offer A-level languages, either delivered within the school or in partnership with a neighbouring school. But among the least affluent schools, this figure dropped to just 31%. Report author Dr Ian Collen, from Queen's University Belfast, said: 'I continue to be concerned about small MFL classes not running at A-level. 'Local decisions have national consequences; when multiplied throughout England, it means that the language learning journey stops for hundreds of young people. 'We must invest at post-16 to ensure a healthier pipeline into further and higher education, and indeed the economy. Pepe Di'Iasio, general secretary of the Association of School and College Leaders (ASCL), said: 'Schools in all communities work very hard to provide excellent opportunities for their students to learn languages and fully recognise the benefits of language learning. 'However, this is one of the subject areas that is affected by severe teacher shortages across the country and these can be most acute in schools serving disadvantaged communities. 'In addition, languages are perceived as a difficult option, and this may deter children from disadvantaged backgrounds who lack academic confidence, and who may have had fewer opportunities to travel than their peers and, therefore, less exposure to other languages. 'We would like to see further action taken to support schools in boosting language learning.' Paul Whiteman, general secretary at school leaders' union NAHT, said: 'There are huge benefits for children learning a foreign language and there is some excellent language teaching in both primary and secondary schools. 'However, as this report shows, some schools are struggling to recruit the language teachers they need to offer courses at GCSE and beyond, with recruitment targets for modern foreign languages missed in the last couple of years. 'This needs addressing urgently if more pupils are to learn a language.'
Leader Live
01-07-2025
- General
- Leader Live
Language GCSE take-up much lower in less affluent schools in England
Around half of GCSE students in state schools in England study a modern foreign language (MFL) – except in the most affluent areas where take-up is significantly higher, according to the British Council's Language Trends report. The survey of teachers at 1,011 schools in England suggests that recruitment challenges hit schools serving disadvantaged communities hardest. Around two in three (68%) of the least affluent schools reported difficulties hiring qualified MFL teachers, compared with 57% in the most affluent schools, according to the report. In the most affluent schools (quintile one), teachers reported that 69% of Year 11 pupils were studying a language for GCSE on average, compared with 47% in the most deprived schools (quintile five). Overall, teachers reported that 53% of pupils study a language for GCSE. Researchers calculated the quintiles, from least to most deprived areas, based on the percentage of pupils on free school meals (FSMs) – quintile one with the lowest percentage of children on FSMs and quintile five with the highest. The report said: 'Schools in more affluent areas are more likely, by over 20 percentage points, to have more pupils learning a language.' Vicky Gough, schools adviser at the British Council, said: 'This year's report shows a clear gap in language learning linked to socioeconomic background. 'Last year, we found just 6% of students across the UK thought it was very likely they'd use another language in their future career. 'Together, these findings highlight a stark reality: young people from less privileged backgrounds are missing out on opportunities their peers are more likely to access.' The report also suggested that small class sizes are making it harder for schools to keep language courses running at A-level. Just over half of schools reported having the capacity to offer A-level languages, either delivered within the school or in partnership with a neighbouring school. But among the least affluent schools, this figure dropped to just 31%. Report author Dr Ian Collen, from Queen's University Belfast, said: 'I continue to be concerned about small MFL classes not running at A-level. 'Local decisions have national consequences; when multiplied throughout England, it means that the language learning journey stops for hundreds of young people. 'We must invest at post-16 to ensure a healthier pipeline into further and higher education, and indeed the economy. Pepe Di'Iasio, general secretary of the Association of School and College Leaders (ASCL), said: 'Schools in all communities work very hard to provide excellent opportunities for their students to learn languages and fully recognise the benefits of language learning. 'However, this is one of the subject areas that is affected by severe teacher shortages across the country and these can be most acute in schools serving disadvantaged communities. 'In addition, languages are perceived as a difficult option, and this may deter children from disadvantaged backgrounds who lack academic confidence, and who may have had fewer opportunities to travel than their peers and, therefore, less exposure to other languages. 'We would like to see further action taken to support schools in boosting language learning.' Paul Whiteman, general secretary at school leaders' union NAHT, said: 'There are huge benefits for children learning a foreign language and there is some excellent language teaching in both primary and secondary schools. 'However, as this report shows, some schools are struggling to recruit the language teachers they need to offer courses at GCSE and beyond, with recruitment targets for modern foreign languages missed in the last couple of years. 'This needs addressing urgently if more pupils are to learn a language.'
Rhyl Journal
01-07-2025
- General
- Rhyl Journal
Language GCSE take-up much lower in less affluent schools in England
Around half of GCSE students in state schools in England study a modern foreign language (MFL) – except in the most affluent areas where take-up is significantly higher, according to the British Council's Language Trends report. The survey of teachers at 1,011 schools in England suggests that recruitment challenges hit schools serving disadvantaged communities hardest. Around two in three (68%) of the least affluent schools reported difficulties hiring qualified MFL teachers, compared with 57% in the most affluent schools, according to the report. In the most affluent schools (quintile one), teachers reported that 69% of Year 11 pupils were studying a language for GCSE on average, compared with 47% in the most deprived schools (quintile five). Overall, teachers reported that 53% of pupils study a language for GCSE. Researchers calculated the quintiles, from least to most deprived areas, based on the percentage of pupils on free school meals (FSMs) – quintile one with the lowest percentage of children on FSMs and quintile five with the highest. The report said: 'Schools in more affluent areas are more likely, by over 20 percentage points, to have more pupils learning a language.' Vicky Gough, schools adviser at the British Council, said: 'This year's report shows a clear gap in language learning linked to socioeconomic background. 'Last year, we found just 6% of students across the UK thought it was very likely they'd use another language in their future career. 'Together, these findings highlight a stark reality: young people from less privileged backgrounds are missing out on opportunities their peers are more likely to access.' The report also suggested that small class sizes are making it harder for schools to keep language courses running at A-level. Just over half of schools reported having the capacity to offer A-level languages, either delivered within the school or in partnership with a neighbouring school. But among the least affluent schools, this figure dropped to just 31%. Report author Dr Ian Collen, from Queen's University Belfast, said: 'I continue to be concerned about small MFL classes not running at A-level. 'Local decisions have national consequences; when multiplied throughout England, it means that the language learning journey stops for hundreds of young people. 'We must invest at post-16 to ensure a healthier pipeline into further and higher education, and indeed the economy. Pepe Di'Iasio, general secretary of the Association of School and College Leaders (ASCL), said: 'Schools in all communities work very hard to provide excellent opportunities for their students to learn languages and fully recognise the benefits of language learning. 'However, this is one of the subject areas that is affected by severe teacher shortages across the country and these can be most acute in schools serving disadvantaged communities. 'In addition, languages are perceived as a difficult option, and this may deter children from disadvantaged backgrounds who lack academic confidence, and who may have had fewer opportunities to travel than their peers and, therefore, less exposure to other languages. 'We would like to see further action taken to support schools in boosting language learning.' Paul Whiteman, general secretary at school leaders' union NAHT, said: 'There are huge benefits for children learning a foreign language and there is some excellent language teaching in both primary and secondary schools. 'However, as this report shows, some schools are struggling to recruit the language teachers they need to offer courses at GCSE and beyond, with recruitment targets for modern foreign languages missed in the last couple of years. 'This needs addressing urgently if more pupils are to learn a language.'
Yahoo
12-06-2025
- Yahoo
Spanish overtakes French as most popular foreign language GCSE
Holidays to the Balearic Islands have helped make Spanish the most popular foreign language choice at GCSE, a union has claimed. GCSE entries for Spanish rose by 1.6 per cent to 131,965 this summer, provisional data for England show, edging French off the top spot for the first time in more than a decade. Spanish has risen in popularity in recent years, with GCSE entries jumping almost half since 2014, when 89,450 teenagers took the subject. The boost may be in part fuelled by growing British interest in the Spanish islands as a holiday destination, one union has claimed. Pepe Di'Iasio, the general secretary of the Association of School and College Leaders, said the rising dominance of Spanish at GCSE level was because 'young people may be more familiar with the Spanish language, because of the popularity of Spain, the Balearics and Canary Islands as holiday destinations'. Spain is now the top foreign holiday choice for Britons, with 17.8 million visits made in 2023, according to research published by the House of Commons. The country's islands are now so popular among UK holidaymakers that many have seen a rise in anti-tourist protests in the past year, including in Majorca, Menorca and Ibiza. France is still the second choice for Britons travelling abroad, but is thought to be falling out of favour among young people in search of cheap, sun-filled beach holidays. Meanwhile, trips to Germany dropped by more than 900,000 between 2019 and 2023, meaning the country is no longer in the top 10, as new destinations such as Turkey and Poland also creep up the chart. It may explain why French and German are now both on the wane at GCSE while Spanish sees increasing traction. The number of teenagers sitting GCSE French has slumped by a fifth since 2014, while German entries have dwindled by around 45 per cent over that time, according to Telegraph analysis of Ofqual figures. In total, 128,155 pupils are expecting their GCSE results in French this summer, marking a 1.9 per cent fall compared to last year. German entries dropped 7.6 per cent to 32,430 across the same period, having collapsed over the past decade or so. There are fears that German could die out altogether as a language choice among British pupils, with the number of children taking the subject at GCSE this year representing around a quarter of those sitting either French and Spanish. Provisional data for England show a similar pattern at at A-level, with entries for French and German down by 8.3 per cent and 6.8 per cent respectively, while entries for Spanish rose 1.4 per cent this summer. Mr Di'Iasio said: 'The growing popularity of Spanish is really good news as there has been a long-term decline in modern foreign languages, but we do need to do more at a national level to boost language learning more generally.' Others have pointed to a lack of specialist teachers in state schools under a worsening recruitment and retention crisis. Languages are not compulsory at GCSE level, but many schools choose to make them part of their core syllabus. Sarah Hannafin, head of policy at school leaders' union NAHT, said: 'With recruitment challenges really biting in schools, some simply don't have the teachers they need to offer courses in certain subjects. 'Teacher recruitment targets were missed in computing, chemistry, physics and modern foreign languages in the last couple of years, and these are among the subjects which experienced a fall in entries.' Statistics, performing arts and music were the biggest risers in GCSE subjects this year, according to provisional Ofqual data published on Thursday, with engineering, German and physics recording the biggest falls in entries. Broaden your horizons with award-winning British journalism. Try The Telegraph free for 1 month with unlimited access to our award-winning website, exclusive app, money-saving offers and more.
