- Entries for modern foreign languages up;
- Spanish consolidating lead over French as most popular foreign language;
- German entries continue to decline.
Vicky Gough, British Council Schools Advisor, said:
“Congratulations to those pupils collecting their A-level languages results today for all their hard work. The past year has been extremely challenging for schools and pupils, with recent British Council research highlighting the disruptive impact of Covid-19 on the teaching and learning of languages.
“It’s encouraging that numbers for A-level languages have increased overall this year, but this has to be seen in the broader context of a huge decline over the past 20 years.
“Spanish has consolidated its lead over French as the most popular A-level language for a second year in a row. However, it’s disappointing to see a further drop in the number of pupils studying German. We must encourage students to continue learning a range of different languages.
“As education begins to recover from the pandemic, it’s essential that schools prioritise language learning and look to build back international opportunities and connections. The benefits of having language skills and an understanding of other cultures cannot be overstated, particularly as the UK renegotiates its place on the world stage.”
-ENDS-