Language education in the United Kingdom

Until the 1960s foreign language education was mostly confined to grammar and independent schools.[4] Following the introduction of comprehensive education in the 1960s the provision of language education at secondary level, mostly French, expanded[4] and many primary schools introduced foreign languages as part of the 'Primary School Language Project'. However, by the 1970s the status of French in primary schools was in question with the inflencial report 'Primary French in the Balance' ensuring that 11 was the age that most began studying French.[4] Primary schools largely started to teach foreign languages by the early 1970s.

As part of the National Curriculum, a Modern Languages working group was established in 1989. As a result all children at Key Stage 3 and Key Stage 4 were required to study a modern foreign language.[5] However, concerns were expressed as to whether the time devoted to learning modern languages was sufficient for acquisition to take place and the extent to which French had become the dominant language.[5]

The authoritative report Language Trends has been published annually since 2002 by the British Council.[6]

In 2000, modular AS levels were introduced, to be taken in year 12, which counted 50% towards the final A-level result: it spread the risk of the exam result over two years, but any number of resit exams were possible.

Since 2014 the National Curriculum has required that pupils in Key Stage 2 must study an ancient or modern foreign language. Pupils in Key Stage 3 must study a modern foreign language.[7]

From September 2016, in England, AS levels no longer counted towards the A-level; many took AS level language courses up to year 12 only; the new A-levels are called linear A-levels.

In 2018, new modern language GCSEs were introduced in England and Wales. In January 2019, the National Centre for Excellence for Language was established at the University of York, to coordinate modern language education in England, with nine school hubs across England; of the nine schools, two are grammar schools and two are faith schools.

In 2017, a survey by the CBI found that employers most need people with skills and fluency in French, German and Spanish.

From 2010 to 2018, French GCSE entries dropped by 29% and German GCSE entries dropped by 37%. But Spanish GCSE entries from 2010 to 2018 rose considerably.[8]

From 2011 to 2018, French A-level entries have dropped from around 12,000 to just under 8,000. According to Joint Council for Qualifications, language GCSE entries have halved since 2005. There was a slight increase in French GCSE entries in 2018 and 2019; entries for Spanish are on course to overtake entries for French by 2030.

Ancient languages are being reintroduced into more English secondary schools, such as Latin.[9] A £4m Department for Education scheme will initially be rolled out across 40 schools as part of a four-year pilot programme for 11- to 16-year-olds starting in September 2022. As well as language teaching, the Latin Excellence Programme will also include visits to Roman heritage sites to provide pupils with a greater understanding of classics and the ancient world. The initiative aims to boost GCSE Latin entries and will be modelled on the success of the Mandarin Excellence Programme, launched in 2016 in response to the growing importance of Mandarin as a global language. The programme now involves 75 schools across the country with more than 6,000 pupils learning Mandarin towards fluency.[9]

Language education in England up to the age of 19 is provided in the National Curriculum by the Department for Education, which was established in 2010.

The National Curriculum for languages aims to ensure that all pupils:

• understand and respond to spoken and written language from a variety of authentic sources
• speak with increasing confidence, fluency and spontaneity, finding ways of communicating what they want to say, including through discussion and asking questions, and continually improving the accuracy of their pronunciation and intonation
• can write at varying length, for different purposes and audiences, using the variety of grammatical structures that they have learnt
• discover and develop an appreciation of a range of writing in the language studied.

Learning a foreign language is a liberation from insularity and provides an opening to other cultures. A high-quality languages education should foster pupils’ curiosity and deepen their understanding of the world. The teaching should enable pupils to express their ideas and thoughts in another language and to understand and respond to its speakers, both in speech and in writing. It should also provide opportunities for them to communicate for practical purposes, learn new ways of thinking and read great literature in the original language. Language teaching should provide the foundation for learning further languages, equipping pupils to study and work in other countries.[10]

Northern Ireland has an exclusively-selective education system; modern languages are broadly well-taught at selective schools.

At Key Stage 2 it is compulsory to for primary schools to study ancient and modern languages.[11] French is offered at around 75% of primary schools, with Spanish at about 25% and German at about 5%, with about 45 minutes per week of language learning per school.[12]

At Key Stage 3 it is compulsory for secondary schools to study modern languages.

GCSE modern foreign languages and GCSE ancient languages are studied at Key Stage 4. Spanish, French, German, Arabic, Bengali, Mandarin, Greek, Gujarati, Modern Hebrew, Italian, Japanese, Latin, Punjabi, Persian, Polish, Portuguese, Russian, Turkish, and Urdu are studied.[13]

The English Baccalaureate was introduced in 2011, which has modern and ancient language requirements. Languages at GCSE are much more popular at single sex secondary schools than for co-educational state secondary schools; many grammar schools are also single sex schools. Many language teachers are female; in some secondary schools all language teachers are female, supplying limited role models for some teenage males.[14]

Modular AS levels had been introduced to form 50% of the total A-level result from 2000, but this was stopped from 2016.

• Si Dice Cosi, in the 1960s with Bianca Maria Corbella, Yole Marinelli, Luigi Basagaluppi, and Alberto Colzi
• Chez les Dupré, from 1960-62, 50 episodes on Associated-Rediffusion
• Wie bitte?, in the 1960s with Leslie Banks
• Parliamo Italiano! BBC TV 5 October 1963 on Saturdays at 12.30pm and Thursdays at 11pm, 30-part series for beginners, presented by Ariella Reggio, with Marla Landi and Sergio Gazzarrini, written by Toni Cerutti, directed by Maddalena Fagandini, produced by Peter Montagnon; also broadcast in 1963 in Ireland by RTÉ One, and repeated in October 1966 on BBC1 on Mondays at 11pm and BBC2 on Thursdays at 7.30pm
• Komm Mit!, BBC1 3 October 1964 on Saturdays at 12.30pm, and Thursdays at 11pm, 30-part series for beginners with Heidi Treutler and Dieter Geißler, introduced by Sabine Michael and Paul Hansard, featured the actor Jeremy Kemp, directed by Maddalena Fagandini, produced by Colin Nears; repeated in October 1967
• Bonjour Françoise, BBC1 3 October 1965 on Sundays at 9.30am and Tuesdays at 11pm, 30-part series for beginners, with Malou Pantera as Françoise, André Maranne, and François Brincourt as Jean-Paul, and featured Lucinda Curtis, written by Michel Faure, directed by Maddalena Fagandini, produced by Ronald Smedley; repeated in October 1967 on Saturday mornings on BBC1 and Tuesday evenings on BBC2
• La Chasse au Trésor, BBC1 29 April 1968 on Mondays at 2.30pm and Fridays at 9.30am[17], with Sylvia Declercq, Philippe Paulino, André Maranne, Yvonne Dany, and Claude Legros, featuring Xavier Renoult, Nicole Desailly, François Marthouret, Jean Tolzac, and Max Doria, 8-part series, filmed in France, for children aged ten, who had studied French for two years, written by Michel Faure, produced by Ronald Smedley; repeated in April 1969 and April 1970
• Repondez S'il Vous Plait, BBC1 5 October 1969 on Sundays at 9.30am, with Max Bellancourt, assisted by Jacques Faber, Monique Messine, Paulette Preney and Jan Rosol
• Avventura: Italian, BBC1 1 October 1972 at 10am, 25-part series for beginners, with Margherita Guzzinati, Yole Marinelli (wife of Brian Weske), Gigi Gatti, Leonardo Pieroni, Maurizio Gueli, and Serena Spaziani
• Tout Compris, BBC1 January 1973, for ages 12-14, designed by Edward Neather, produced by John Prescott-Thomas
• Ensemble, BBC1 1 October 1975, 24 part French for beginners, with Elma Soiron, Elisabeth Macocco, André Maranne (possibly the most well-known French actor on British television, who appeared as Sergeant François Chevalier in six Pink Panther films), Henri Bon, Richard Guedj, Tania Sourseva, Jean Nehr, Yves Favier, Paulette Frantz and her husband Alain Janey, Jean Péméja, Annick Roux, Jacques Disses, Claude d'Yd, Alain Mergnat, Serge Berry, and Pierre Saintons, co-written by Antoine Tudal, directed by Terry Doyle, produced by Tony Roberts; it had a correspondence course provided by the National Extension College in Cambridge, and other material from the Language Centre at Brighton Polytechnic
• Treffpunkt: Deutschland, BBC1 April 1977, about German life, with Georgina Green and the actor Wolf Kahler (four years later he appeared as a main character in Raiders of the Lost Ark), produced by John Prescott-Thomas
• Télé-Journal, BBC1 10 January 1978 on Tuesdays at 9am, a replay, via Eurovision, of a news bulletin, from the previous day, of Télévision Française 1 (TF1) or Antenne Deux (France 2 since 1992), with Chantal Cuer, later with Marianne Lawrence, produced by Terry Doyle[18]
• Appuntamento in Italia, BBC1 April 1978, with Giancarlo Ciccone, Gigi Gatti, produced by John Prescott-Thomas
• ¡Digame!, BBC1 4 October 1978, Spanish (with Radio 4), presented by Isabel Soto, Miguel Peñaranda, and Carlos Riera, produced by Maddalena Fagandini
• Rendez-vous: France, BBC1 2 May 1979 on Wednesdays at 11.30am, presented by Yves Aubert and Carolle Rousseau, produced by John Prescott-Thomas
• Realidades de España, BBC1 2 May 1979 schools, on Wednesdays at 12pm, five films about Spain, in Spanish, including about the poet Antonio Machado, and the Moors and Christians of Alcoy festival, who also celebrate St George; shown until June 1985
• Heute Direkt, BBC1 May 1979, with Corinna Schnabel, it showed untranslated news programmes, via Eurovision, from German-speaking countries, including the GDR; produced by Barbara Derkow, assisted by Werner Kastor
• Dès le début, BBC1 September 1979 schools, presented by Yves Aubert and Carolle Rousseau, produced by John Prescott-Thomas; last shown in February 1988
• Russian Language and People, BBC2 14 January 1980[19], a 20-part documentary series presented by Tanya and George Feifer, Edward Ochagavia and the Russian TV presenter Tatyana Vedeneyeva; it also featured Lyubov Sokolova and Zoya Isaeva, produced by Terry Doyle; repeated in October 1982, September 1984, and October 1988
• Quatre Coins de la France, in the mid-1970s
• Kontakte, in 1971 with Liane Rudolph, Petra Schroeder, Jurgen Andersen, and Lutz Liebelt, being produced by Maddalena Fagandini; Maddalena also presented Deutsch direkt! in 1985
• Deutsch direkt! from 1985 on BBC2 then on Radio 5 in the early 1990s, began on Tuesday 24 September 1985 with Hanni Vanhaiden, a 20-part series
• Buongiorno Italia!, introduction to Italian
• L'Italia dal vivo, more advanced Italian, 20-part series with Denise de Rome
• A Vous La France, a fifteen-part series, with Yves Aubert and Phyllis Roome on Radio 4, and Pierrick Picot and Jack Starr
• España Viva, fifteen programmes on Sunday mornings on BBC1 from 1 November 1987, repeated on BBC2 on Saturday teatime. Presented by actress Yolanda Vázquez; later in 1988 she presented Telejournal with Carlos Riera on BBC2 on Tuesdays at 7.30pm
• Diez Temas, BBC2 1992
• Spanish Globo, BBC2 1992
• Italianissimo, BBC2 1992
• The French Experience, BBC2 2000
• Voces Espanolas, BBC2 2000
• Deutsch Plus, BBC1 twenty-part series from October 1996, Sunday mornings
• Make Spanish Your Business, BBC2 2004

• Starting Spanish, Network Three 30 September 1957 on Mondays at 7.30pm, , 20-part series with Roger Delgado (later The Master on Doctor Who), Angel Luna, Basil Jones, Vanessa Redgrave, and Elena Morton; produced by Raymond Escoffey ; repeated in April 1959
• Starting German, Network Three 24 February 1958 on Mondays at 7pm, with Preston Lockwood as David, Janette Richer as Susan, Martin Miller as Hans, Ferdy Mayne (later appeared as a main German officer in the 1968 Where Eagles Dare), Paul Hansard, Michael Rittermann, Frederick Schrecker, songs by Walther Gruner
• Intermediate German, Home Service 15 January 1959 on Thursdays at 11.30am, from September 1963 at 10.30am on Fridays, from September 1966 on Mondays, from September 1968 on Tuesdays until March 1973, written by Hilde-Maria Kraus, and Milo Sperber
• Russian for Beginners, Network Three 2 November 1959 on Mondays at 7pm, and Sundays at 2pm, 40-part series, with Victor Gregoriy, and Lubow Volossevich, written by Ronald Hingley, produced by Raymond Escoffey; repeated in October 1960
• Italian for Beginners, Network Three 3 October 1960 on Mondays at 7pm, and Fridays at 6.30pm, 40-part series, presented by Luisa Rapaccini, with Ariella Reggio and Andrea Tacchi, produced by Elsie Ferguson; repeated in October 1961
• Keep Up Your Italian, Network Three 9 October 1961 on Mondays at 7pm, and Fridays at 6.30pm, 20-part second-stage series, presented by Giuseppe Manighetti, with Ariella Reggio and Andrea Tacchi, produced by Elsie Ferguson
• Keep Up Your French, Network Three 1 March 1962 on Thursdays at 6.30pm, 20-part second stage series, presented by Paul Couster, written by Charlotte Crozet, produced by Elsie Ferguson; repeated in September 1963
• German for Beginners, Network Three 5 March 1962 on Mondays at 7pm, and Fridays at 6.30pm, with Sydney Salamé, Sabine Michael, Hannah Norbert, René Halkett, Gerda Koeppler, Renee Goddard, produced by Edith Baer; repeated in September 1963
• Starting Russian, Network Three 18 November 1962 on Sundays at 3.30pm and Tuesdays at 6.30pm, 40-part series, presented by Dennis Ward (1 February 1924 - 5 April 2008), Professor of Russian at the University of Edinburgh, with Antony Stokes, Victor Gregoriy, and Emilia Vosnesenskaya (1928-2015), Korney Chukovsky, Sir Dimitri Obolensky, written by Kyra Ericsson, produced by Ariadne Nicolaeff
• Use Your Italian, Network Three 10 January 1963 on Thursdays at 7pm, 20-part series, presented by Ariella Reggio, written by Pietro Giorgetti, produced by Elsie Ferguson; repeated October 1963
• Spanish for Beginners, Network Three 30 September 1963 on Mondays at 7pm and Fridays at 6.30pm, 40-part series, presented by Jacinta Castillejo, with Amelia Diaz, Pablo Soto, Antonio López and Fernando Agós, written by Anthony Watson, produced by Edith Baer and Henry Bentinck; repeated in October 1964 on the Home Service
• Starting French, Network Three 28 September 1964 on Mondays at 6.30pm and Fridays at 7pm, 40-part series, with Katia Ellis, assisted by Paul Couster, produced by Elsie Ferguson; repeated in October 1965 and on the Home Service
• Talking Italian, Network Three 29 September 1964 on Tuesdays at 6.30pm, and on the Home Service on Saturdays at 10.30am, 20-part second stage, with Pietro Giorgetti and Ariella Reggio, produced by Elsie Ferguson; repeated in October 1965
• Introduction to Russian, Network Three 7 October 1964 on Wednesdays at 6.30pm, and on the Home Service on Saturdays at 11am, 20-part series, with Dennis Ward and Konstantin Irinsky, produced by Tony Cash; repeated in March 1965
• Allons-y!, Home Service 28 September 1965 on Tuesdays at 10.30am, 32-part second-year French, written by Emile Harven; repeated in September 1966, September 1967, September 1968, and September 1969
• Toutes Directions, Network Three 28 February 1966 on Mondays at 6.30pm, and Thursdays at 7pm, 20-part second-stage series, with Katia Ellis and Emile Harven, written by Odile Castro, produced by Elsie Ferguson; repeated in December 1966
• First Year Russian, Network Three 3 October 1966 on Fridays at 7pm, a 20-part beginner's class, in conjunction with the University of Essex, for evening classes, written by Terry Culhane, of the University of Essex, with Paddy O’Toole and Peter Mirsky, with Alexei Jawdokimov, Victor Gregoriy and Ina De La Haye, produced by Dennis Simmons, the series book was published on 1 January 1967; repeated on Radio 3 in October 1967
• Introduction to Chinese, Network Three 4 October 1966 on Tuesdays at 6.30pm, and on the Home Service on Saturdays at 10.30am, 10-part series, it was the first time that the BBC had taught Chinese, and it was an experiment,[20] with Lucia Liu and Terry Chang, written by David Pollard, produced by Elsie Ferguson; repeated in May 1967
• À L'Écoute, Home Service 29 September 1967 on Fridays at 9.30am, 20-part series for primary school, third year of French, written by Raymond Escoffey and Paule-Aline Dent; repeated on Radio 4 in September 1968
• Starting Spanish, Radio 3 4 October 1967 on Wednesdays at 6.30pm, and on Radio 4 on Saturdays at 10.30am, as part of 'Study Session', 40-part series, presented by Jacinta Castillejo (wife of Rafael Martínez Nadal and daughter of José Castillejo and Irene Claremont de Castillejo) with Pablo Soto, Fernando Agós, Antonio López, Pilar de Rubio, Cristina Roura, Isabel de Castro, written by Brian Dutton and Ángel García de Paredes, it had a 192-page book, produced by George Walton Scott; repeated on Radio 3 in October 1970, as part of Study on 3
• Speaking Chinese Radio 3 4 October 1967 on Wednesdays at 7pm, and on Radio 4 on Saturdays at 11.30am, a 15-part second-stage course, with Lucia Liu and Terry Chang, written by David Pollard, produced by Elsie Ferguson and Elizabeth Gusterson; repeated on Radio 4 in May 1968
• Second Year Russian Radio 4 12 October 1968 on Saturdays at 10.30am, 20-part series, with Maria Sabussky, Victor Gregoriy, Marina Ryan, Tanya Kelim, Slaswek Wolkowinski, Vladimir Czugunow, written by Paddy O’Toole, in conjunction with the University of Essex, produced by Dennis Simmons; repeated in October 1969
• Incontri in Italia, Radio 4 12 October 1968 on Saturdays at 11.30am, 15-part second-stage Italian, with Giovanni Carsaniga and Anna Veneziana, produced by Elsie Ferguson and Ann Caldwell; repeated in June 1971, September 1971, and October 1972 on Radio 3
• Un Paso Mas, Radio 4 29 March 1969 on Saturdays at 10.30am, as part of 'Study on 4', 20-part second-stage Spanish, with Jacinta Castillejo, Pablo Soto, Antonio López, Fernando Agós, César Milego, Isabel de Castro and Cristina Roura, written by Brian Dutton and Ángel García de Paredes; repeated in January 1972
• Amici, buona sera!, Radio 3 6 October 1969 on Mondays at 7pm, and Fridays at 6.30pm, 30-part Italian for beginners, with Hugh Shankland and Ernesto Mussi, assisted by Silvia Gavuzzo and Aldo Bevacqua; repeated in October 1971
• Reisebüro Atlas, Radio 3 7 January 1970 on Wednesdays at 6.30pm, produced by Edith Baer
• Wiedersehen in Ansburg, Radio 4 24 January 1970 on Saturdays at 11am, and on Wednesdays at 6.30pm, 20-part second-stage series, with Michael Mellinger and Maria Warburg, the mother of comedian and radio host Bob Mills, written by Alexandra Marchl-von-Herwarth, produced by Edith Baer; repeated on Radio 3 in October 1971 and October 1973
• Deutsch für die Oberstufe, Radio 4 1 October 1970 on Thursdays at 10.30am, with Raymond Escoffey
• Voix de France, Radio 4 2 October 1970 on Fridays at 10.30am, French for the sixth form, a new series in September 1971, and September 1972
• Rendez-vous à Chaviray, Radio 3 12 October 1970 on Mondays at 6.30pm, as part of 'Study on 3', and on Sundays at 10.30am, as part of 'Study on 4', a 25-part second-stage course, about a fictional town called Chaviray, with Louis Bloncourt, Georges Lambert, André Maranne, Jean Lagrave, John Serrat, Paulette Preney, Violetta Farjeon, Lila Valmere, written by John Ross and Madeleine le Cunff of the University of Essex, produced by Alan Wilding; repeated in October 1973
• Horizons de France, Radio 4 27 January 1971 on Wednesdays at 10.30am, for the fifth form
• A Language in Your Briefcase, Radio 3 22 February 1971 on Mondays at 7pm, 20-part series on selling to other countries, introduced by Henry Deschampsneufs, chairman of the Institute of Export,
• - French with Katia Lutz, André Marianne, and Pierre Valmer, written by Madeleine le Cunff
• - German with Walter Hertner, Michael Wolf, Michael Mellinger
• - Italian with Marisa Dillon-Weston, written by Giovanni Carsaniga
• - Spanish with Joan Shenton, Fernando Agos and Pablo Soto, written by Ángel García de Paredes
• - Portuguese with Manuela D'Oliveira and Alberto de Lacerda, written by Jorge Ribeiro, produced by Alan Wilding, Ann Caldwell, Edith Baer
• Halb gewonnen!, Radio 4 20 September 1971 on Mondays at 10.30am, 20-part O-level German course, the programme was sometimes recorded at WDR-Studio Münster in North Rhine-Westphalia, written by Stephen Kanocz; repeated in September 1972
• Vient de paraître, Radio 3 4 October 1971 on Mondays at 6.30pm, 20-part second-stage French, with Gerard Plaux, Jacques Bonnet, written by Richard Martineau, Anne-Marie Girolami and Paul Couster, produced by Ann Caldwell
• Introduction to Arabic, Radio 3 27 March 1972 on Mondays at 6.30pm and on Radio 4 on Saturdays at 10.30am as 'Study on 4', 15-part series, with Baha Essaid and Nadia Tawfiq, produced by Elsie Ferguson and Geoffrey Braithwaite; repeated in March 1973 on Radio 3 and Radio 4, and in June 1977
• Tal Como Es, Radio 4 1 October 1972 on Sundays at 3pm, and Mondays on Radio 3 at 6.30pm, 20-part second-stage Spanish, with Pablo Soto, Eloisa Diez, featuring José Miguel Ortega Bariego, Núria Espert; repeated in October 1974 and May 1978 on Radio 3
• Ochen' Priyatno, Radio 3 3 October 1973 on Wednesdays at 6.30pm, 20-part beginner's course in Russian, with Tanya Feifer, Tanya Kelim, Sasha Dorogoi, and Boris Zajic; written by Michael Frewin and Albina Braithwaite, produced by David Doughan; repeated in May 1978
• Punti di vista, Radio 3 27 March 1974 on Wednesdays at 6.30pm, 20-part second-stage Italian, presented by Aldo Bevacqua, written by Maria Laura Franciosi, produced by Ann Goddard
• Euromagazine, Radio 3 4 July 1974 on Thursdays at 6.30pm, part of 'Study on 3', in French, German, Spanish and Italian, with Jean-Louis Barrault, Michael Mellinger, Talia Pareja, Isabel Soto, Miguel Peñaranda, and Nicole Church; another series in May 1975, April 1976, and on Radio 4 in June 1984, as part of 'Study on 4', a 12-part series in April 1985, an 8-part series from April 1987, and a series in May 1988, produced by David Doughan
• Svidaniye v Moskyve, Radio 3 2 October 1974 on Wednesdays at 6.30pm, 20-part second-stage Russian, with Tanya Feifer, Sasha Dorogoi, Eugene Isotow, Maria Gordeeva, Victor Nossoff, Tolya Kurdynovsky, written by Michael Frewin and Albina Braithwaite, produced by David Doughan
• Kontakte, Radio 3 9 October 1974 on Wednesdays at 7pm, with Lutz Liebelt, written by Edith Baer, produced by Iris Sprankling, with associated TV series
• Wegweiser, Radio 3 1 October 1975 on Wednesdays at 6.30pm, a follow-on 20-part series for advanced German, after Kontakte, with Jürgen Andersen and Gabi Englet, written by Anne Cuff, produced by Rodney Mantle
• Ensemble, Radio 3 1 October 1975 on Wednesdays at 7pm, 24-part French, companion radio series to the TV series, with Yves Loisel, written by John Ross, produced by Alan Wilding
• Starting Chinese, Radio 3 24 March 1976 on Wednesdays at 6.30pm, 25-part series for beginners, with Lucia Liu and Terry Chang, written by David Pollard, produced by Elsie Ferguson, executive producer Edith Baer
• Sur le vif, Radio 3 6 October 1976 on Wednesdays at 7pm, 20-part second-stage after Ensemble, with Anne-Marie Pelletier, written by Anne Gruneberg, produced by Susan Paton
• Get by in Spanish, Radio 3 24 March 1977, presented by María Antonia Marcos and Eduardo Delgado, written by Jane Freeland, who wrote the series book with Isabel del Rio (a BBC World Service presenter) ISBN 0563162570, published 1 August 1978; repeated in June 1977, March 1978, August 1978 and on Radio 4 in February 1985 and May 1986
• Get by in German, Radio 3 28 March 1977, with Jürgen Andersen and Gabi Englet, written by Edith Baer; repeated on Radio 4 in April 1986
• Allez France!, Radio 3 5 October 1977 on Wednesdays at 7pm, presented by Anne-Marie Pelletier, written by John Ross, produced by Alan Wilding
• Get by in French, Radio 3 28 March 1978 on Tuesdays at 6.30pm and Thursdays at 7pm, 5-part series presented by Bénédicte Paviot and Daniel André Pageon, written by Celia Weber, who wrote the series book with Pierrick Picot, produced by Christopher Stone, executive producer Edith Baer (head of further education for BBC Radio); repeated in September 1978, and on Radio 4 in July 1984 and February 1985
• ¡Digame!, Radio 4 5 October 1980 on Sundays at 5pm, 20-part Spanish, written by Bob Winterflood and José Escribano, published 1 September 1978 ISBN 0563162260, produced by Mick Webb; repeated in October 1985
• Get By In Greek, Radio 4 11 April 1983 at 11pm all-week, with Christina Coucounara and Yorgos Yannoulopoulos, written by David Hardy, produced by Christopher Stone; repeated in February 1985, April 1988 and April 1989
• Get By in Italian, Radio 4 9 September 1984 on Sundays at 4.30pm, 5-part beginners, presented by Annamaria Grecas and Giancarlo Ciccone, written by Bob Powell, produced by Mick Webb; repeated in July 1986 and July 1988
• Por Aqui, Radio 4 30 September 1984, on Sundays at 5.30pm, and Fridays at 11.30pm, 20-part second-stage Spanish, from interviews in Santiago de Compostela, broadcast under the 'Study on 4' name, presented by Isabel Soto and Miguel Peñaranda, written by Bob Winterflood; repeated in October 1986
• A vous la France! (with TV series), Radio 4 7 October 1984 on Sundays at 5pm and Wednesdays at 11pm, part of the 'Study on 4', 15-part beginners series, with Yves Aubert, written and produced by Alan Wilding
• Get By in Portuguese, Radio 4 17 April 1985 on Wednesdays at 11pm, 5-part beginners, presented by Suzette Macedo and Carlos Alves, written by Penny Newman, produced by Christopher StoneR; repeated in June 1986, March 1987, and June 1988
• Get By in Arabic, Radio 4 1 September 1985, on Sundays at 4.30pm, a 6-part series, set in Cairo, designed for holiday-makers, presented by Egyptian novelist Ahdaf Soueif and the actor Alix Refaie, written by Hilary Wise, of Queen Mary College, and Salah El-Ghobashy, who both wrote the BBC book, published 1 September 1985 ISBN 0563211679, produced by Alan Wilding; repeated in February 1986, June 1987, September 1988, and September 1989
• France Extra!, Radio 4 29 September 1985, on Sundays at 5pm, presented by Juliette Mole and Jean-Michel Duffrene (recently a presenter with French Radio London), with Chantal Cuer, written by Duncan Shiels and Elspeth Broady, produced by Nicole Church (who attended the Lycée Français Charles de Gaulle, in London)
• Buongiorno Italia!, Radio 4 12 October 1986, 20-part series for beginners, with a repeat of the TV series on BBC1, with Denise de Rome, produced by Alan Wilding
• Franc-parler, Radio 4 3 January 1987 on Saturdays at 4.30pm, 10-part series presented by Corinne Baudelot and Grégoire Carel, repeated in June 1987 and October 1989
• Deutsch Express!, Radio 4 10 January 1987 on Saturdays and Sundays at 5pm, 15-part second-stage German, after Deutsch Direkt!, presented by Irmgard Meyer, actor Jorg Walesch and Renate Harrington, written by Wolfgang Keinhorst, produced by Nicole Church; repeated in January 1990 and October 1992 (on the new Radio 5)
• L'Italia dal vivo, Radio 4 10 October 1987, 20-part second stage series, with Denise de Rome, written by Bob Powell
• España Viva, Radio 4 1 November 1987, 15-part series for beginners, with TV series, produced by Carol Stanley and Mick Webb
• Ganz spontan!, Radio 4 3 January 1988 Sundays at 5.30pm, 20-part series, third-stage German
• Get By in Japanese, Radio 4 14 February 1988 on Saturdays at 5.30pm, 6-part introduction, with Masae Marr and Takeyoshi Kawashima, written by Chihoko Moran, produced by Frank Warwick; repeated in May 1989 on Sundays
• Get By in Chinese, Radio 4 15 October 1988 on Saturdays at 5.30pm, 6-part series, with Paul Crook and Liu Yuan produced by Kathy Flower; repeated in February 1989
• When in Italy, Radio 4 1 April 1989, 5-part series, with associated TV series, with Denise de Rome, produced by Mick Webb; repeated in September 1989 and November 1995, and on Radio 5 in October 1992
• Get By In Turkish, Radio 4 6 May 1989 on Saturdays at 5.30pm, with Bengisu Rona (having met when a student in London, later working at SOAS University of London from the 1980s, on 23 September 1968, aged 26, in Istanbul, she had married the 34-year-old Labour MP David Winnick, who would be replaced by Eddie Hughes in 2017)[21][22] and Tayfun Ertan; written by Alan Wilding
• Get By in Russian, Radio 4 7 January 1990 on Sundays at 5pm, 6-part series, with Edward Ochagavia, of the World Service Russian Service and Ludmilla Matthews (her son is the writer Owen Matthews) of the University of London[23]
• Make German Your Business, Radio 5 21 November 1993 on Sundays at 8.30pm, 5-part series; repeated in November 1994
• The French Experience, Radio 4 9 October 1994 Sundays at 8.30pm, with Chantal Cuer
• Short Stories In French, Radio 4 9 October 1994 Sunday evenings, fifteen minutes, four works by Alphonse Daudet, Émile Zola, Guy de Maupassant, and Colette, produced by Iris Sprankling; repeated in December 1995
• Short Stories in Spanish, Radio 4 6 November 1994, Sunday evenings, fifteen minutes, four works by Pedro Antonio de Alarcón, Jesús Fernández Santos, Horacio Quiroga of Uruguay, and Juan Rulfo of Mexico, read by Yolanda Vázquez and Guillermo Leon-Ruiz, with an explanation by Mike Gonzalez of the University of Glasgow, produced by Iris Sprankling; repeated in January 1996
• Short Stories in Italian, Radio 4 4 December 1994, Sunday evenings, fifteen minutes, four works by Antonio Tabucchi, Italo Calvino, Leonardo Sciascia, and Elsa Morante, read by Giovanna Price of the BBC World Service, with an explanation by Loredana Polezzi of the University of Warwick
• Sueños World Spanish, Radio 4 8 October 1995, on Sundays at 8pm, with a series on BBC1, 16-part series, presented by Robert Elms
• Short Stories in German, Radio 4 8 October 1995, on Sunday evenings, fifteen minutes, four works by Heinrich von Kleist, Wolfdietrich Schnurre, Heinrich Böll, and Siegfried Lenz, read by German voice actress Aletta Lohmeyer
• Francophonie, Radio 4 31 December 1995, 5-part series

• Knowsley 0 (Knowsley only entered 61 A-levels in 2016)
• Sandwell 4
• Blackburn 5
• Luton 5
• Redcar and Cleveland 5
• Thurrock 5
• Wolverhampton 5
• Barnsley 6
• Hartlepool 6
• Stockton 6
• Blackpool 7
• Rochdale 7
• Salford 7
• South Tyneside 7
• Tameside 7
• Barking 9
• Haringey 9
• Bolton 10
• Halton 10
• Middlesbrough 10
• North Lincolnshire 10
• Swindon 10
• Bracknell Forest 11
• Bradford 11
• Tower Hamlets 11
• Hackney 12
• Medway 12
• Sunderland 12
• Gateshead 13
• Southwark 14
• Doncaster 15
• North East Lincolnshire 15
• Southampton 15
• Calderdale 17
• North Somerset 17
• Oldham 17
• Windsor and Maidenhead 17
• Stockport 18
• Stoke-on-Trent 18
• Wakefield 18
• Walsall 18
• Bedford 19
• Coventry 19
• Kingston upon Hull 19
• North Tyneside 19

Outer London enters considerably more French A-levels than Inner London; Inner London enters few French A-levels.

• Hampshire 223
• Kent 196
• Hertfordshire 182
• Surrey 165
• Essex 148
• Buckinghamshire 143
• Gloucestershire 135
• Lancashire 116
• Oxfordshire 115
• North Yorkshire 107
• Birmingham 104

• Hampshire 101
• Hertfordshire 91
• Lancashire 78
• Essex 75
• Kent 64
• Surrey 58
• Lincolnshire 57
• Buckinghamshire 51