GCSE exam results – NUT reaction

24 August 2006

Commenting on the GCSE results published today (Thursday 24 August) Steve Sinnott, General Secretary of Europe’s biggest teachers’ organisation, the NUT, said:

“”The results are a real cause for celebration. The fact that young people have done so well in English and mathematics rebuts ill-informed criticism from groups such as the CBI.

“Within that overall welcome picture there is the depressing spectre of a massive drop in entries for modern foreign languages and a decline in geography and design and technology

“French, German and Spanish and geography are world subjects which have helped promote Britain’s place in the international economy. Given Britain’s lead in innovative design, the drop in entries for design and technology also gives cause for concern.

“The Government must conduct a serious review of its stance on modern languages in the Key Stage 4 curriculum and examine how it should be promoting these subjects rather than presiding their decline.”