The 2014 A-Level entry figures show stability in the number of foreign language exams as a proportion of all UK entries - but an overall drop in numbers, with a 7.4% drop in the number of French exams, a 0.1% drop in German and a 0.6% drop in Spanish.
Commenting on the figures, Vicky Gough, Schools Adviser at the British Council, said:
"While the percentage of foreign language A-levels is similar to last year, the fact is we've still hit another low - with a 7.4% drop in the number of French exams. More than 10,000 fewer language exams were taken this year than at the end of the 90s. With such a low base, stability sadly isn't good enough - the UK needs far more young people to learn languages to a high standard in order to stay competitive on the world stage, and to become the language teachers of the future. Understanding another language is key to understanding another culture - and that's increasingly crucial for life and work."