England’s national curriculum review misses opportunity to revitalise language learning

The decline of languages education in England is a familiar and depressing story. Take-up of French at GCSE is down from 25% in 2009-10 to 18% in 2024-25. German has halved in the same period from 10% to 5%.

There is also a significant gap in take-up at GCSE by disadvantaged pupils (34%) compared with those from more privileged backgrounds (50%).

In March 2025, the interim report of a review of England’s national curriculum diagnosed languages as a particular problem area. Languages education was deemed to be furthest away from the principles set out by the review panel. These included an engaging, coherent, knowledge-rich and inclusive curriculum, and the involvement of teachers in its design and testing.

The review’s final report, now published, recommends a much sharper focus on the provision of languages in primary schools. It encourages a smoother transition from primary to secondary, which has been shown to improve languages take-up even in areas with relatively high numbers of pupils from disadvantaged backgrounds.

Its proposal of the introduction of new “stepped” qualifications, where learners can build up and bank their progress over time, is promising. This has been embraced by the government response to the review and organisations such as the UK Association for Language Learning.

The report points to Hackney in London as an example of good practice. Here, there is a focus on teaching only one language – Spanish – and sharing teacher training and professional development across schools. Figures show that the local authority had the highest take-up of Spanish across England. Students were also more likely to continue with languages at GCSE.

A more joined-up approach is welcome. However, there is a danger that by focusing on a single European language, schools risk ignoring the huge diversity of languages that surround pupils in some of the most multilingual areas of England.

Existing languages

Celebrating pupils’ existing multilingualism brings great benefits. Research shows embracing the languages spoken by children improves educational outcomes for pupils across subjects such as English, maths and science.

Happy primary school children on play equipment — Many children are already surrounded by other languages. Rawpixel.com/Shutterstock

Some efforts are already being made here. Charity World of Languages, Languages of the World has created a curriculum which engages with the languages pupils already speak at home in an attempt to dissolve the hierarchy of European languages. It works with pupils between the ages of seven and 15 to value the study of languages already spoken in communities around schools. It centres history, culture and communication, while not shying away from contested topics such as migration.

Yet, despite initiatives like this, there is no mention in the curriculum review of that wider sphere of languages that constitutes such a rich tapestry of multicultural life in towns and cities across England.

A core caveat within the curriculum review stems from recent changes made to the existing curriculum for French, German and Spanish GCSEs. This new curriculum has not yet reached its first examinations, which will happen in summer 2026. The review recommends the evaluation of that new GCSE at the end of its first teaching cycle in 2026.

This will be an important moment for teachers to offer feedback on the new specification. The previous languages curriculum received criticism for excluding pupils from disadvantaged backgrounds because exam questions asked for responses based on personal experience, such as describing holidays. Teacher feedback will show whether the government has met its stated aims to make the new curriculum more accessible and relevant for pupils.

It might also be the moment for the government to consider more explicit inclusion of culture in the curriculum at GCSE. How an enhanced awareness of the effects of climate change and the development of digital skills can be built into the study of languages, in line with the review’s wider recommendations, should also be on the table. For instance, language classes could include discussing how the social and political contexts of climate change differ internationally, including in Indigenous cultures.

Finally, the curriculum review revisits what many experts see as the disastrous decision by the government in 2004 to make languages non-compulsory at GCSE. But it stops short of recommending languages become compulsory once again.

This is a shame. According to polling by YouGov, taking a compulsory language learning is supported by a clear majority of Britons. What’s more, research has estimated that removing the language barrier with Arabic, Chinese, French and Spanish-speaking countries could increase UK exports annually by about £19 billion.

Making a language compulsory at GCSE would also help arrest the now catastrophic decline in languages uptake across the educational pipeline, as university languages departments face closure.

Most importantly, promoting the study of languages would foster more nuanced, culturally and linguistically informed responses to the sorts of divisive political discourse increasingly on display in Britain today. Learning languages promotes cross-cultural understanding and tolerance of ambiguity in an increasingly ambiguous world.

This article is republished from The Conversation, a nonprofit, independent news organization bringing you facts and trustworthy analysis to help you make sense of our complex world. It was written by: Joseph Ford, School of Advanced Study, University of London

Joseph Ford does not work for, consult, own shares in or receive funding from any company or organisation that would benefit from this article, and has disclosed no relevant affiliations beyond their academic appointment.