Speaking assessment blamed for drop in numbers doing GCSE Chinese

The number of pupils taking GCSE Chinese dropped by a massive 42 per cent this year after the introduction of new speaking and writing assessments triggered an exodus to the IGCSE syllabus.

Numbers taking GCSE Chinese fell from 3,650 in 2010 to 2,104 this year, figures released last week reveal.

Teachers, academics and advisers working with community groups warned last year that a change to the rules on coursework would mean a drop in numbers.

The new rules meant that for the first time pupils studying certain community languages had to undergo controlled assessment of their speaking skills by a trained teacher in an examination centre, usually in their mainstream school.

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