The scrapping of compulsory modern languages in England’s secondary schools was a consequence of truancy crackdowns, the BBC has learnt.

Former education secretary Estelle Morris, who took the decision in 2002, says the aim was a flexible curriculum for teenagers brought back into school.

Compulsory languages for these returned truants did not seem « appropriate ».

The number of pupils taking French GCSE has dropped 30% since it ceased to be compulsory for the over-14s in 2004.

Lost languages

The weakness of language learning in England has been a recurrent concern – with repeated warnings that the country lags behind international competitors.

Cilt, the National Languages Centre, says that England is « highly unusual » within the European Union in not requiring pupils to learn languages up to the age of 16.

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