Language Trends Northern Ireland 2025

Language Trends Northern Ireland 2025 is based on responses from over 55 per cent of post-primary schools, 17.4 per cent of primary schools and more than 1,000 Year 9 pupils who took part in the surveys. 

The research, carried out by the Centre for Language Education Research (CLER) at Queen’s University Belfast, follows the 2023 report, which showed signs of recovery in language learning after the Covid-19 pandemic.

There are positive trends revealed in this year’s report – especially the growth in language learning at primary level and the growing number of schools offering exams in home, heritage and community languages. 

Headline statistics from the report include:

  • Spanish overtakes French: Spanish is now the most widely taught language at Key Stage 3 reflecting broader trends in GCSE entries, where Spanish continues to rise while French and German decline.
  • Home, heritage and community languages on the rise:  70.5% of responding schools offer exams in home, heritage and community languages.
  • Renewed growth and interest in the Irish language:  41.9% of responding post-primary schools now teach Irish at Key Stage 3 (up from 35% in 2023), while GCSE entries have risen by 14.9% in 2024 compared to the previous year. 
  • Increase in language learning at primary level: Primary languages appear to be bouncing back after the Covid-19 pandemic - Almost two-thirds (64.7%) of respondents are currently teaching languages in primary schools – up 10% compared to 2023.
  • Statutory support: 74.3% of responding primary schools favour making language learning mandatory (down from 84% in 2023).
  • AI use limited: Despite growing interest in digital tools, the majority of post-primary are not using AI for language teaching and in post-primary the use is still limited.
  • Pupil voices: While three in four Year 9 pupils enjoy language classes, 89% see little relevance to their future careers and less than one-third currently intend to study a language at GCSE.

This report joins the established Language Trends series, which provides annual research across the UK.

Find out more about the British Council's Language Trends Research 

Download the report now for latest data on modern language learning trends in schools in Northern Ireland.

DOWNLOAD THE PREVIOUS REPORTS BELOW:

About Language Trends

Language Trends Northern Ireland surveys schools anonymously on their languages provision and has run in England since 2003 and in Wales since 2015. This is the fourth time the research has been conducted in Northern Ireland, following on from our inaugural report in 2019.

Language Trends Northern Ireland 2023

Headline statistics from the 2023 report include:

  • Decline in language learning has plateaued at post-primary – with Spanish now the most popular language at both A-level and GCSE
  • Irish has replaced French as the second most popular language at A-level
  • Language teaching in primary schools is recovering following the Covid-19 pandemic
  •  Most pupils do not see languages being part of their future career, with just 14.2 per cent of those surveyed expressing any likelihood of using languages in the future
  • The gap in language uptake continues to widen between grammar schools and secondary schools
  • Almost one in five (19%) of Year 9 pupils would like to learn Italian at school

 Read the report's key findings below

Language Trends Northern Ireland 2021

Headline statistics from the 2021 report include:

  • 54 per cent of Year 9 pupils surveyed found language learning online harder during lockdown than their other subjects
  • Spanish is now the most popular language at A-level and if current trends continue will soon overtake French for the top spot at GCSE
  • It is likely that Irish will replace French in the next few years as the second most popular language at A-level
  • Language teaching in primary schools surveyed has all but collapsed due to Covid-19 
  • Most pupils do not see languages being part of their future career and just 44 per cent of the 1,528 pupils who chose to respond are planning to do a language for GCSE
  • Grammar schools continue to devote much more time to compulsory language learning than secondary schools

Download the report's key findings below.

Language Trends Northern Ireland 2019

Our first-ever Language Trends Northern Ireland report found that the number of pupils in Northern Ireland learning languages continues to fall.

Headline statistics from the report included:

  • From 2010-2018 the number of pupils learning languages at GCSE level declined by 19%: with significant falls in French (41%) and German (18%), while Spanish rose by 16%
  • Teachers report difficulty and grading of exams at GCSE level a big reason for the decline 
  •  55% of primary schools surveyed provide some form of language teaching
  •  Many teachers would like to see the return of the Primary Modern Language Programme

 Read the report's key findings & DOWNLOAD BELOW.

 

 

 

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