Question to the Department for Education:

To ask His Majesty's Government, further to the answer by Baroness Smith of Malvern on 10 November (HL Deb cols 35-7), what modelling they have done of the impact of the absence of the English Baccalaureate on the uptake of (1) modern foreign languages, (2) history, and (3) geography.

The Curriculum and Assessment Review found that English Baccalaureate (EBacc) measures have unnecessarily constrained subject choice, affecting student engagement and achievement, and that uptake of EBacc subjects has not translated into increased study of them at 16 to 19. Although the EBacc was intended to support GCSE entries of modern foreign languages, history and geography, full EBacc entry was just 41% in 2024/25.

The new model protects the important place of humanities and modern foreign languages. Under our proposed model, students will have to take at least one humanity or language whilst currently schools can satisfy expectations of Progress 8 without pupils taking any of these subjects.

The department will consult on the improved Progress 8 and Attainment 8 measures.