Major education initiative launches in Devon and Cornwall led by University of Exeter

The University of Exeter will lead a new regional campaign aimed at tackling the sharp decline in the number of young people taking modern languages at A-level, as more than 20 schools across Devon and Cornwall sign up to a collaborative teaching scheme.

The initiative, Languages For All, will create a network of state schools that share resources to offer A-level language classes jointly (either after school or online) ensuring students can take a subject even if their own school cannot run it. 

The University of Exeter, the only institution offering undergraduate modern languages degrees in the South West peninsula, will coordinate the regional hub.

The project, developed nationally by The Reach Foundation, follows a pilot in Hounslow that reported a doubling of A-level language uptake. 

The South West will be the first new region to adopt the model.

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To mark the launch, around 250 Year 11 pupils and teachers are expected to visit the University of Exeter’s Streatham campus on 10 December for a taster day. 

The first A-level classes through the programme are due to begin in September 2026.

The initiative comes amid a long-term decline in modern language study nationally. A-level entries have dropped by about 20 per cent over the last two decades, with the steepest falls in French and lesser-taught languages. 

Schools and colleges in many areas no longer offer post-16 language courses, reducing the number of students progressing to university-level study.

Professor Liz Jones, Vice-President and Deputy Vice-Chancellor for Education and Student Experience at the University of Exeter, said the scheme aims to address the pressures schools face. 

“We know that the national picture for learning modern languages is a challenging one,” she said, noting that the university will work with The Reach Foundation and local schools to widen access to post-16 language study.

Michael Slavinsky, Managing Director of Languages For All, said the model is intended to make A-level language teaching more viable for schools with small cohorts. 

“It reduces the cost challenges for schools and highlights the opportunities that come with advanced language study,” he said.

The programme will include campus activities, talks with alumni, visits to employers that use language skills, and planned trips to European cultural and political institutions.

Professor Fiona Cox, Head of the Department of Languages, Cultures and Visual Studies, said that modern languages continue to offer academic and career value, adding that the outreach aligns with the university’s broader educational strategy.

Further details for schools and pupils are expected to be released in the coming months as preparations continue for the 2026 start date.