Language GCSE take-up much lower in less affluent schools in England

Rhyl Journal

01-07-2025

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.'