Some schools in Oxfordshire are struggling to offer pupils more than one foreign language at GCSE level because of a shortage of cash.

The news was revealed to county councillors in a report on modern foreign language teaching.

It said that at GCSE level, the vast majority of pupils were only studying one language.

And there was continuing concern at how few pupils chose to study foreign languages at A-level.

County education adviser Malcolm Hope said that schools were still offering courses in more than one language.

But because of financial restrictions, the classes would often only run if a large number of pupils wanted to take them.

He said that, in the past, teenagers taking a second language would have been taught in small groups.

"Now schools budgets are so tight that it's just not within their resources," he said. "In many schools pupils are offered the chance (to take a second language) but whether that course runs depends on whether 25 or 30 pupils take up the option."

In secondary schools French continues to be the most popular language. But the number of pupils studying Spanish has increased steadily, and German is also widely taught.

The report also revealed that exchange visits were under severe pressure in some schools because of a shortage of families willing to let their children take part.

Mr Hope said: "I'm sure cost is a question for some families.

"I think people are under pressure in their domestic lives and there's a question as to whether they can make somebody welcome in their home."

He agreed that parents may also be wary of sending their children away to stay with families they did not know.

Despite the difficulties, many schools continue to operate successful exchanges with some links now more than 20 years old.

Story date: Friday 05 March

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