1+2 languages policy: findings from the 2023 survey of local authorities

6. Individual language trends throughout the BGE

6.1 French

• French remains the most popular L2 in primary and secondary schools, taught by 82% of schools in both sectors; but
• The number of primary schools offering French as an L2 (full + partial entitlement) has decreased from 1,452 in 2021 to 1,267 in 2023. This falls within the range of discrepancy between the number schools that answered both surveys, although it seems unlikely only schools providing French did not answer the survey in 2023; and
• The number of secondary schools offering French as an L2 (partial + full entitlement) has also decreased from 270 in 2021 to 253 in 2023.
• As an L3, French remains the second most popular language offered by both primary and secondary schools. It was offered by a similar number of primary schools (202 in 2021 and 193 in 2023) whilst more secondary schools have been offering it (89 in 201 and 104 in 2023) putting it in second place ahead of German.

6.2 German

• The number of schools offering German as an L2 (partial + full entitlement) has increased in both primaries, going from 23 in 2021 to 31 in 2023, and secondaries, going from 36 in 2021 to 52 in 2023.
• German remains the 4^th most popular language offered as an L2 in primary schools behind French, Spanish and Gaelic (Learners). It also remains the 3^rd most popular language offered as an L2 by secondary schools behind French and Spanish.
• The number of primary and secondary schools offering German as an L3 has decreased from, respectively, 177 in 2021 to 131 in 2023, and from 94 in 2021 to 84 in 2023. Some of this change may be driven by schools previously offering German as an L3 “upgrading” this to an L2 offering.

6.3 Spanish

• In primary schools, Spanish remains the 2^nd most popular language offered as an L2 (partial + full entitlement) behind French with the number of schools offering it increasing from 174 in 2021 to 211 in 2023. It also remains the most popular L3 language from 523 schools teaching in 2021 to 546 in 2023.
• In secondary schools, the picture is similar with Spanish remaining the 2^nd most popular L2 language behind French with the number of schools increasing from 73 in 2021 to 111 in 2023. Spanish remains the most popular L3 with 199 schools offering it in 2021 and 2023.

6.4 Chinese languages

• In 2023, no primary school reported teaching Chinese languages as an L2, in contrast to 2021 when 16 schools reported teaching it. Chinese languages are still mostly taught as an L3. In 2021, 150 primary schools reported teaching Chinese languages as an L3 decreasing to 109 in 2023.
• In secondary schools, only 5 schools reported teaching Mandarin as an L2 in 2023 (from 3 in 2021). Chinese languages are mostly taught as an L3, decreasing from 34 in 2021 to 29 in 2023.