"Sharp fall" in language GCSEs

8 November 2007

Fewer than half of pupils in England took a modern European language at GCSE this year, according to figures obtained by the Liberal Democrats, reports the BBC.

In 2007 the number of children taking French, German and Spanish had fallen to 48% - down from 83% in 2000.

The new figures come after curriculum changes in 2003 meant students were no longer required to take a modern language at GCSE. When the requirement was dropped, the number of teenagers studying modern European languages plummeted.

It had been suggested that an increase in those taking languages like Persian and Mandarin would begin to make up the shortfall. But the proportion of GCSE entries for world languages has fallen to its lowest level for fourteen years.

Read the complete article on the BBC website.

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