GCSE Languages Experiencing a Downward Trend

The studying of languages in secondary education has been on the decline since the government made languages non-compulsory in 2004. Currently government ministers want schools to have between fifty and ninety per cent of pupils studying a modern language.

The problem with this is only 40 per cent of schools are currently hitting this target. More disappointing is that the number of pupils taking a foreign language is experiencing a downward trend.

Perhaps the problem is that this decline is being seen mainly in state schools. Independent schools do not seem to be experiencing this. There is a constant struggle in education to try and maintain a decent position in the league tables. The temptation is for schools to manipulate the subjects that pupils take, and who is entered for the exam, in order to attempt to improve results. There are many controversies concerning school league tables and the temptation to try and influence their position through these methods. After all, the future of a school can very much depend on these factors. Languages have been on the receiving of this for some time.

The question is how to change this trend and get more pupils studying modern foreign languages, and how to improve their ability in this area before they get to secondary school. A spokesman for the Department for Children, Schools and Families said: "This is about creating a culture change in the way we as a nation view languages - one which won't happen overnight.

"The key is getting pupils learning languages earlier when they are more open and confident to start out.

"We've put in place major, long-term reforms to raise take-up, so that we can give children the early start they need to develop a lifelong love of languages and mean more pupils will continue studying languages at GCSE and beyond in coming years.

"The fact is that the proportion of pupils studying a language at Key Stage 4 has stabilised, while the percentage achieving A*-C grades has increased from 53% in 2004 to 71% in 2009. No pupil that wants to continue studying a language at GCSE should be prevented from doing so."

This decline in the study of languages has been found by a survey conducted by The National Centre for Languages. Linda Parker, director of the Association for Language Learning, said: "This year's survey highlights once again the enormous efforts being made by teachers of languages to encourage and support language learning in our schools, at times in the face of policies and practices in state schools which create barriers to take-up and success."