GCSE languages exams were graded “less harshly” this summer than in the past - but there is “still some way to go”, has found.
researchers were “somewhat surprised” to see improved attainment across the three most-entered GCSE modern foreign languages (MFL) this year.
The analysis emerged days after a think tank warned that GCSE languages are in a “death spiral” - and that “equitable exam marking” could reassure students they will not underperform relative to other subjects.
FFT says in its new analysis: “We have for many years thought that these subjects were .”
Languages grades lower than English and maths
FFT analysed data supplied by 1,530 schools, comparing students’ attainment in Spanish, French and German against results in English language and maths.
Other subjects that appeared to be “less harshly graded” in summer 2026 included music, psychology and statistics.
While attainment appeared to improve in MFL, students still typically achieved at least half a grade lower in such subjects than they did in English and maths, the FFT analysis finds.
In Spanish - the most popular language at GCSE - when compared with English and maths combined, students were far less likely to receive grades 6-8 and far more likely to receive grades 2 and 3.
There were similar patterns in French: students were more likely to receive the lower grades and less likely to achieve grades 6 and above.
Students taking GCSE German were “slightly higher-attaining”, with 40 per cent achieving grades 7-9, against 35 per cent in French and 32 per cent in Spanish.
However, as with Spanish and French, students were less likely to achieve the highest grades in German than in English and maths.
‘Mystery’ around improvement
While attainment generally remained lower in languages, researchers emphasised that the gap to English and maths had narrowed slightly this year.
In a blog post by the FFT, chief statistician Dave Thomson says it was “a bit of a mystery why grades have improved in MFL” as no “upward adjustments” were expected this year.
He adds that it was “unlikely” 2026 entrants would have significantly higher prior attainment than previous cohorts.
The analysis concludes that grading appears to be “less harsh” in 2025-26, but says there “is still some way to go” as students continue to get lower grades in MFL than in English and maths.
This year’s GCSE results in England revealed that pass rates and the share of top grades awarded increased in Spanish, French and German.
