4 in 5 Pupils Don't Study Languages; Skills Gap 'Could Hurt Economy'

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Byline: DOMINIC HAYES

FOUR out of five state schools no longer require GCSE pupils to do foreign languages, a survey reveals today.

Experts warned the figures were storing up massive trouble for Britain's economic competitiveness.

The survey showed that private schools - which educate just seven per cent of all children - are increasingly responsible for providing the vast majority of future graduates in French, Spanish and particularly German.

Professor Alan Smithers, director of the Centre for Education and Employment Research at Buckingham University said: "It's foolish to rely on other people speaking our language. We will miss out on trade to …