The poll found that 68% of respondents agree that learning a second language other than English should be compulsory in secondary school, while 64% said the same for primary education.
“Parents are clearly telling us they would like to see all students learning a language. This is great news,” said Bernardette Holmes, director of the National Consortium for Languages Education (NCLE).
“Parents understand the benefits of language learning including boosting cognitive performance, building confidence, improving social and communication skills, and broadening students’ horizons. At NCLE we are urging all schools to improve the take up of the new GCSE.”
Parents are clearly telling us they would like to see all students learning a language.
Bernardette Holmes, National Consortium for Languages Education (NCLE)
In light of these findings, NCLE and the British Council called on parents to encourage their children to learn a second language.
The survey, commissioned by NCLE, suggested that 69% of parents said their children understand the benefits of learning a second language.
Language learning is compulsory in England across the 7-14 age range, but GCSE students have not been required to take a foreign language since 2004.
British Council research found last year that more than one in four students said they did not plan on taking a foreign language at GCSE level or higher, because they did not see themselves using it in their future career.
Vicky Gough, British Council school advisor, added that this year there has been “encouraging increases” in language uptake at GCSE and A-level.
“We need to build on this progress, and we are urging parents to encourage their children to pursue language studies,” she added.
A staggering 70% of parents in England also want their children to have more international opportunities through their schools, the survey found.
It found that just over a third of respondents aged 25-34 (35%) felt they had received more international opportunities, such as exchange and school trips than their children currently do.
There has been a steep decline in the amount of access young people have to international opportunities. Data also suggests a growing disparity in the opportunities offered to young people depending on the school they attend.
The British Council’s most recent language trends survey found 36% of state schools in England lack partnerships with schools abroad and do not host language assistants, compared to just 6% of independent schools.
