More rigorous language exams discouraging take up

Tougher exams are discouraging pupils in England from learning languages, according to a new British Council survey.

71 per cent at state secondary schools and 64 per cent at independent schools told the Language Trends Survey 2019 they were concerned about the content of language exams, a year on from the government’s introduction of new and more rigorous GCSEs and A-levels.

This adds to the long-term problem of the perception of languages as a difficult subject - one of the reasons for the ongoing decline in exam entry numbers. Since 2014 there has been a 19 per cent reduction in the number of entries for GCSE languages, with both French and German seeing a decline of 30 per cent, although Spanish has remained more stable with just a two per cent decline over the same period. At A-level, all three languages saw a decline in entries between 2017 and 2018, with German down 16 per cent, French seven per cent, and Spanish three per cent.

The most disadvantaged pupils continue to be far less likely than their peers to study languages at GCSE. Revisions to the syllabus in the past three years have had a disproportionate impact on lower attaining pupils, with 84 per cent of state schools (70 per cent of independent schools) saying these pupils are now less likely to take a language than three years ago. Those with special education needs or disabilities are also affected.

At schools where less than 25 per cent of pupils takes a language GCSE, there are statistically higher levels of Pupil Premium, higher levels of pupils receiving Free School Meals, and lower Attainment 8 scores (the average of all a pupil’s scores across eight subjects).

Two in five teachers say Brexit implications pose a major challenge to providing high-quality language teaching. Twenty five per cent of teachers at state secondary schools and 15 per cent at independent schools reported a negative impact on pupils’ motivation to learn a European language or languages in general, whilst a further third of teachers (36 per cent at state schools and 30 per cent at independent schools) reported that pupils had mixed attitudes towards languages as a result of Brexit.

Teachers also noted an impact on parental attitudes, with some parents actively discouraging their children from learning languages.

The majority of secondary schools depend on EU citizens to help staff their language departments, the report found. As a result of declining language uptake in recent years, home-grown language teachers are in short supply and two thirds of state schools (67 per cent) and 79 per cent of independent schools employ one or more staff who are EU citizens. Around one quarter (24 per cent) of independent schools and one third (34 per cent) of state schools report difficulties recruiting language staff.