- Spanish rises in popularity, with entries up 11.7% to 1,475
- French and German still in decline – with French plummeting by 25.2% and German by 26.54%
- French remains the most popular language, followed by Spanish, then German
Ruth Cocks, British Council, Director Wales, said:
“On behalf of British Council Wales, I’d like to offer our huge congratulations to all students across Wales and the wider UK collecting their results today. We know how challenging the last few years have been and today’s results are a culmination of two years’ hard work and commitment by these students, their schools and wider community.
“We are delighted to see this increase in Spanish, and for now, French remains the most popular language at GCSE. However, it is concerning to see this dip in both German and French uptake overall. Both Germany and France are important international trade partners for Wales and it’s vital that we continue to strengthen our relationships with both nations.
“We hope more pupils go on to choose languages at A-level and university, because Wales needs more international language speakers and the rest of the world would welcome greater efforts to break down linguistic barriers.
“It’s essential that schools prioritise language learning and provision and we hope that we can play a role in that at the British Council. Through our Cerdd laith programme for example, we aim to support and inspire the teaching and learning of international languages at primary school level. By bringing together music and drama, the initiative aims to help pupils learn German, Spanish, French and Welsh in a fun and engaging way, and spark a life-long interest in language learning from a young age. We also want to give primary teachers the confidence and skills to support language learning even if they're not linguists themselves.
"The benefits of learning an international language cannot be overstated. It is a valuable skill, not only for future employment, but for international trade and diplomacy, global working and for a deeper appreciation of other cultures and the wider world.
“We wish all the students the absolute best of luck as they embark on the next chapter of their academic journey. Your whole lives are ahead and the world is out there waiting for you!"
Find out more about British Council’s Cerdd Iaith programme and how you can get involved as a school, teacher, or a teacher-trainer: https://wales.britishcouncil.org/en/programmes/arts/Cerdd_Iaith
British Council’s latest Language Trends Wales report will be published in the Autumn. Find out more about Language Trends Wales here: https://wales.britishcouncil.org/en/language-trends-wales