‘Death spiral’ in language learning demands action, government told
Posted on 17/09/2026 15:28:00
News Date: 17 September 2026
News Source: TES
Language learning for GCSE students in England’s schools is in a “death spiral” and the government needs to act to reverse the decline, a think tank has warned.
Access to language subjects at GCSE in schools across the country is “far from equitable”, according to the Higher Education Policy Institute (Hepi) paper.
The think tank’s report finds “stark disparities” between different regions in the uptake of languages at GCSE.
It suggests that languages fare better in London, where the per-student GCSE entry average is 0.69, compared with the South West and the North East, where the average drops to 0.42.
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