Thursday 22 August 2024
  • Entries for international languages in Wales see an increase in German and French after a dip in 2023.
  • French is still the most popular language with an increase of 8% this year to 2,071 entries, followed by Spanish and German
  • German sees a big jump of 29% to 429 entries in Wales compared to 2023, but still not quite back up to pre-pandemic levels.
  • A small dip in Spanish entries of 4% after a big jump in 2023, falling from 1,342 entries in 2023 to 1,290 entries this year.

Vicky Gough, Senior Schools advisor for The British Council says:

“Congratulations to all students in Wales receiving their GCSE language results today!

“It’s heartening to see that entries for GCSE international languages are on the increase. The rise in pupils studying French and German is especially positive after a dip last year. This could mean the start of an upward trend in Wales back to pre-pandemic levels”.

"We know that learning a language can help build bridges and enhance global perspectives, enriching both personal and professional lives. Wales has the unique advantage of being a bilingual nation, and many pupils already have skills in both Welsh and English, providing an excellent foundation for learning additional languages. This linguistic diversity is a strength that can be leveraged to encourage more students to pursue international languages. 

“As stated in the latest Language Trends Wales report, languages are vital for the future of Wales for individual career pathways and the wider economy. Languages enable us to work together on global challenges, as well as opening doors for pupils to discover the world.”

Ends

Notes to Editor

Language Trends research continues the British Council's work in building connection, understanding and trust between people in Wales and countries worldwide, contributing to a more open, inclusive, and globally engaged Welsh society. The British Council’s next 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

About the British Council

The British Council is the UK’s international organisation for cultural relations and educational opportunities. We support peace and prosperity by building connections, understanding and trust between people in the UK and countries worldwide. We do this through our work in arts and culture, education and the English language. We work with people in over 200 countries and territories and are on the ground in more than 100 countries. In 2022-23 we reached 600 million people.
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