Wales at risk of lost generation with no International Language skills

A new report has highlighted the ‘alarming’ decline in Welsh school pupils studying an International Language – with limited provision and timetabling constraints adding further barriers to young learners.

The latest Language Trends Wales report from British Council Wales reveals that entries for French and German GCSEs have more than halved over the past decade, highlighting that interventions are needed at crucial points during secondary school to protect International Language learning in Welsh schools.

This year’s report emphasises the need to protect the pipeline of International Language learners to ensure that Wales is able to remain outward looking and competitive on the world stage.

Language Trends Wales, now in its 10^th year, highlights the steep decline in the uptake of International Languages at secondary level.

GCSE entries in French, German and Spanish have dropped from over 7,500 in 2015 to just under 4,000 in 2024, while A-level entries for the same languages dipped from 800 to fewer than 500 over the same period.

While there are encouraging signs for the growth of international language learning at primary level, the report findings identify two critical stages – ages 14 and 16 – where pupil participation in International Languages drops significantly, threatening the future of Wales’s International Language capabilities.

Ruptured pipeline

Dr Ian Collen, one of the authors of the report says about the learning pathway for International Languages: “Our research provides evidence that small GCSE and A-level classes in International Languages are not allowed to run in some Welsh schools.

“There may only be five or six pupils in one such school, but when that number is multiplied across several schools, it means that potentially hundreds of pupils’ language learning journeys are stopped at age 14 or 16, thus rupturing the pipeline of linguists to further and higher education and the world of work.”

The Language Trends Wales 2024 report found that nearly 70 per cent of responding secondary schools reported that none or less than 10 per cent of Year 10 students were taking an International Language for GCSE or other Level 2 qualification.

While French is offered in 70 per cent of responding secondary schools in Year 7, this is a decrease of nearly 10 per cent to the figure reported in 2023. However, French retains its spot as the most popular International Language at both GCSE and A-level, bucking trends in England and Northern Ireland

The report highlights that secondary school teachers report a lack of funding for International Languages and a need to revise harsh marking boundaries in public examinations.

One significant finding was that all responding post-16 colleges use AI technology in the teaching of International Languages.

“Alarming”

Ruth Cocks, Director of British Council Wales, said: ‘Ruth Cocks, Director of British Council Wales, said: ‘This year marks the tenth anniversary of our research to map the trends in international language learning in Wales.

“Looking at the totality of the figures over those ten years, the results are alarming. We are nearing a tipping point with languages like German in Wales – it risks dying out completely at secondary school level.

“Our results do not show languages like Arabic or Mandarin replacing European languages, as you might expect given the changing geopolitical and business trends over the last ten years, but an overall decline in international language learning.

She continued: “There will be a lost generation of language learners in Wales if we do not take action to reverse the trend, address provision constraints and excite young people again about learning languages and the benefits they can bring.

“Learning a language is never about learning ‘just the language’, it’s also about understanding different customs, cultures, people and how to communicate across boundaries. For Wales to be a truly outward looking nation, we need to build the international capabilities of our future generations and languages play a huge role in that.”

Downward trend

The pattern across major European languages shows a downward trend. While French remains the most popular International Language at both GCSE and A-level, its provision in the crucial Year 7 has decreased by nearly 10 per cent since 2023.

Spanish uptake in Wales does not mirror trends in England or Northern Ireland, where there has been an upward trajectory in the last couple of years.

While Spanish is now the most popular International Language GCSE in Northern Ireland and is expected to be so too in England in the next two years, GCSE exam entries for Spanish in Wales are down slightly since 2023, and by 26% over the last decade.

German language learning presents a particular concern. While German GCSE entries rose slightly since last year, overall numbers remain small, and A-level entries have fallen by 48.7% over the past decade. This decline is particularly concerning given Germany’s position as the UK’s second-largest trading partner.

Teachers in Wales responding to the survey have highlighted significant barriers to International Language learning, reflecting similar challenges across the UK.

Whilst many pupils show interest in studying International Languages, limited provision and timetabling constraints often prevent them from doing so. Current examination structures are reported as particularly challenging, with teachers across the UK calling for reforms to assessment methods.

Although English is widely spoken globally, teachers emphasise that multilingual skills are vital for career advancement and international business opportunities.

British Council research shows that countries with strong language skills have significant advantages in trade, diplomacy and cultural exchange.

Opportunity

Despite these challenges, Wales has unique advantages that could help reverse these trends, according to the British Council Wales.

Wales’s bilingual context provides a natural foundation for broader language learning, with the New Curriculum for Wales building on this through its plurilingual approach.

This embraces multiple languages including home and community languages alongside Welsh and English. Teachers across Wales at both primary and secondary levels are using innovative ways to engage language learners and provide additional support for practice and feedback.

For the first time, this year’s Language Trends Wales research included a creative poster competition for Year 6 pupils across Wales.

The findings reveal primary pupils’ knowledge of 70 different languages, with over 80% demonstrating strong international awareness through global imagery.

Young learners showed sophisticated understanding of how languages connect to worldwide citizenship, viewing multilingualism as a natural part of their future.

This early enthusiasm presents a crucial opportunity to sustain language learning through to secondary education.

The annual Language Trends Wales research provides crucial insights into the state of language teaching and learning across Welsh schools and colleges.

The latest findings present both warning and opportunity: while secondary language learning faces significant challenges, Wales’s natural advantages in bilingual education and primary pupils’ enthusiasm for languages offer strong foundations for change.

The full report can be downloaded here: Language Trends Wales 2024