Students around Bradford have bucked the national trend by celebrating outstanding success in foreign languages at GCSE.

The number of pupils sitting French and German exams dropped by 14 per cent across the country after the controversial decision by the Department for Education and Skills to stop the study of a foreign language being compulsory.

The general secretary of the secondary schools association John Dunford said the country was at risk of losing a generation of linguists and has called for the decision to be reversed.

But across Bradford pupils have been celebrating success and several schools have decided to keep the study of foreign languages compulsory.

Belle Vue Girls School in Thorn Lane, Bradford, is a specialist languages college so all its pupils do at least one GCSE in a foreign language and this year at least half of them sat exams in two languages.

The school's star performers included Ayesha Tabassum who achieved A* in Spanish and French, along with seven other A*s, while Zakia Parveen recorded nine A* and As and a B.

The school's assistant head teacher Mandy Oates backed calls to reverse the trend of declining numbers of students studying languages.

She said: "Last year we taught six languages at GCSE - French, Urdu, Arabic, Spanish, Persian and Bengali. We value the subject which is why we chose it as our specialism."

She said Bradford was fortunate because many pupils from ethnic backgrounds already spoke more than one language.

Critics of the Government's decision to stop the study of foreign languages being compulsory say it allows pupils to opt for easier subjects.

But one Bradford pupil disagrees. Chris Kelly says he finds studying French easier and more interesting than other subjects.

The 15-year-old Immanuel C of E Community College student sat his GCSE a year early and not only earned an A* star but was also named as one the top five performers in the country.

He said: "I just find it more interesting. It is not boring like maths or English. I decided to do my GCSE early at the start of the year and I knew I could get an A* but to be named in the top five is quite surprising."

Studying languages is also compulsory at Dixons City Technology College (CTC) in West Bowling which runs GCSEs in Spanish and German.

Beckfoot School in Bingley ran a pilot project last year with 25 students sitting a foreign language GCSE exam at the age of 14 in year nine.

And this year the entire year group had the chance to sit the exam two years early.

Head teacher David Horn said: "We were delighted that 97 per cent passed and approximately 23 per cent of the year group achieved a grade C or above."