Move to drop languages after 14

Children will be able to drop the study of modern languages after 14 under Government proposals to be outlined next week.

Curriculum changes will remove foreign languages from compulsory lessons, allowing more freedom for non-academic pupils to study job-related subjects.

The pupils' school time will be increasingly mixed with work placements or courses in further education colleges.

Criticising the move, John Dunford of the Secondary Heads Association said: "It would be very unfortunate, given that this country has historically been so bad at languages."

Ministers will defend the decision next week by emphasising the extra freedom it will give schools to tailor lessons to pupils' individual needs.

They will also announce plans to increase the study of modern languages in primary schools.

Meanwhile, senior government sources categorically denied persistent reports that science will also be made voluntary from age 14, leaving a compulsory "core" curriculum of just English, maths and IT.

Senior figures including chief schools inspector Mike Tomlinson, a former chemistry teacher, believe they have fought a successful rearguard action to ensure that pupils will still have to take science at GCSE.