How important is a modern foreign language GCSE for Higher Ed?

[cool4cats2020]

DD is in yr 9 and about to make her choices for GCSE options. We were told at parent's evening a couple of weeks ago that a foreign language gcse was no longer compulsory. But the options form was sent out last week, and one of the options is to choose between French or German. She's already been doing French for 3+ years, so would seem foolish to switch now.

I'd assumed all the kids were given the same list of options, but found out today that they aren't - the school decides what to offer each child (sounds like it's based on their ability as much as anything else). And not all kids have been forced to pick a foreign language.

We had a open evening tonight to find out more about the options/subjects. Explained to the Head of Year that DD really isn't keen on French, and there are multiple other subjects in the other choice groups that she'd prefer to study. HOY frowned a bit but said that it was perfectly possible to do another subject in place of a foreign language (as some other kids are being offered anyway) if she really wanted to. He explained that a foreign language is desirable for the academicly strong as it's needed for the EBacc, and some top universities require a foreign language GCSE for admission. But then he said that's only really oxbridge and most others aren't so critical about it.

So just how important is the foreign language for university admission requirements? I had a quick look online and didn't see any that mentioned it, just the usual gcse maths and english plus A levels. I'd never even heard of this EBacc thing until today. When I went to uni 25 years ago I flunked gcse french and it was never even mentioned, but I still got into a decent uni to study a science masters. But maybe things have changed since then?

Background: DD is thriving at school, very studious and getting good reports in all subjects, in top sets and predicted strong grades. French is probably her weakest subject, and she doesn't sound to be enjoying it at all. She's not really decided on a career path, but is keen to study triple science gcse and citizenship (seems to be a blend of politics, law and related stuff, so could be quite interesting and genuinely useful) for her other options. So she's not shying away from academic subjects or looking for easy options.

If we shuffle the options and lose French it looks like she could take Creative iMedia instead (not an actual GCSE qualification, but supposedly equivalent). She's keen to do this and I'd be happy for her to as well, would be good to get a bit of a mix with all the other academic subjects that she's chosen, and maybe even put an interesting twist on her CV. She might even decide on a different career path in this area.

So my only concern is would a lack of foreign language hold her back in the higher ed admissions process? (I doubt she'll be looking at oxbridge, but you never know)

My son may not get as higher grade in his Spanish but he loves it and its great for him, dont be led by grades and exams be led by them and their enjoyment!
He is off to Madrid with the class and it opening all sorts of wonderful doors for him. Its more about grades its about life.

As someone who graduated from university fairly recently, let me reassure you that unless your child is specifically studying a degree in a foreign language a university will not care that they have or don't have it.
Most universities offer their entry requirements online, here is Leeds BSc in Computer Science (not my university, but just an example). Quote:
Entry requirements
A-level: AAA including Mathematics or Computing. Grade B (6) or above in GCSE Mathematics is required if no Mathematics A-level is taken.

Where an A-level Science subject is taken, we require a pass in the practical science element, alongside the achievement of the A-Level at the stated grade.

Excludes A-level General Studies or Critical Thinking.

GCSE: English Language at grade C (4) or above, or an appropriate English language qualification. We will accept Level 2 Functional Skills English in lieu of GCSE English.

Extended Project Qualification and International Project Qualification: Whilst we recognise the value of these qualifications and the effort and enthusiasm that applicants put into them, we do not currently include them as part of our offer-making. We do, however, encourage you to provide further information on your project in your personal statement.

I am all for learning MFL - especially having lived abroad and learned the local language (Italian) which was very much helped by previously studied French.

However, I convinced DS to do GCSE French and have regretted it at times since it was his weakest subject and he disliked it. But now that he’s almost finished his French exams I’m really glad I did. Having even just the GCSE basics is so much better than not having a language at all. It’s a really good starting point for if he’s interested/wants to live abroad/travel in the future - it’s too easy to slip into thinking you’re not good at foreign languages just because they are difficult.

My child's music teacher told me the only 2 subjects that have been proven to affect brain development are languages and music. Apparently they do something to the brain in a measurable way that other subjects don't. I never looked up the research to see it there was anything in it.

However, our school seems to teach French by getting them to write 30 paragraphs in advance and then learn them by rote. The emphasis is on getting them to learn and regurgitate set phrases rather than actually use the language. She's top set in an academic school and she is missing some real basics because of all this emphasis on parroting. Had I known this is how they teach it at this school, I would have encouraged her to do something else. Anything else! It's bizarre because her teachers seem very competent and engaging.

In recent years, only UCL required a foreign language at GCSE, and in the last few years they've said applicants who don't have it can satisfy the requirement by taking an equivalent course in their first year.
So, while foreign languages could be argued to be important and beneficial for many things, they are not specifically required or very important for university admissions to a non-language degree except insofar as they contribute to the overall strength of the application.

My child's music teacher told me the only 2 subjects that have been proven to affect brain development are languages and music

Everything you do affects brain development. London cabbies have been shown to have enlarged brain areas corresponding to spatial ability as a result of have to learn the knowledge. Musical instrument practice over a sustained period does have particularly significant effects, though the studies I've seen examined peopled who had played hours a day for 10+ years, so thousands of hours of practice. It would be a bit odd if that didn't have a significant effect.

I pushed my eldest to do a GCSE in French for the purposes of EBacc and potentially a stronger CV when applying to uni. They didn't enjoy it, the teacher wasn't great and they barely scraped through with a 4. They did A-Levels in biology, psychology and history plus core maths and applied in the healthcare field (biomedicine but not at an Oxbridge uni if it matters) and nowhere - not in the A-Levels, nor uni, was a requirement to have GCSE in a foreign language, as it does not have anything to do with their field, other than helping them be a well-rounded individual. One can demonstrate being a well-rounded individual in other ways - achieving DofE, volunteering, and taking up different activities. In retrospect I am sorry I pressed for French as it was wasted time and effort and without ever having learned the language, my French is still better than theirs...

I don’t agree learning something about another culture is a waste. We seem to be the only European country that has such a narrow attitude. It’s how we got to Brexit isn’t it?