A DRAMATIC improvement in European language learning in the UK is needed to ensure a post-Brexit Britain can communicate effectively on a global scale, according to the Association of Translation Companies (ATC).

It is calling for action after Thursday’s A level results reveal a drop in the number of pupils studying modern languages, with German and French seeing particularly worrying declines in student numbers.

The number of pupils who took German A level in 2018 fell by 24 per cent from 4,009 pupils in 2015 to 3,058 students this year, according to figures produced by the Joint Council for Qualifications (JCQ).

It was a similar picture for French, with the JCQ statistics showing 8,713 pupils sat a French A level exam this year, a drop of 16 per cent compared with the 10,328 in 2015.

There are fewer students applying to study European languages at university, with the most recent UCAS analysis of undergraduate applications revealing one of the three subject groups with the fewest applications in 2017 was European languages, literature and related subjects (17,970 applications - a 6.2 per cent drop from 2016.

The ATC, the language sector’s leading professional body, is worried the long-term effects of the decline in European language study – especially German - could reduce the number of qualified translators in the UK at a time when Brexit means the economy’s future could depend on effective communication with key trading partners.

Mark Robinson, ATC Council Member and Managing Director of Alexika, based in Addingham, said: “We’ve never been proactive at language learning in Britain, and the Government has taken its eye off the ball at a time when there is an increasing need for effective communication to help British firms secure post-Brexit trading deals with European partners.

“The decline in pupils studying German A level is particularly worrying as Germany is one of our biggest trading partners, and translators will have to play a critical role in winning new contracts. But with fewer students studying European languages, we’ve seen fewer qualified translators coming through the system.

“The UK should be in a position to avoid embarrassing instances like the Brexit white paper translation blunder by retaining the ability to employ native speakers of other EU languages, but we should also be more self sufficient in terms of language skills.”

Mark, who himself has a degree in German Studies, added: “For the sake of the nation’s future prosperity, the need for home grown linguists has never been more important. The Government needs to recognise the value of modern languages and the ATC wants to see it increase the opportunities for pupils to study languages.”