AQA will develop new qualification
Young people in England, Wales and Northern Ireland will have the opportunity to study for a new Ukrainian language GCSE, the Department for Education (DfE) has announced.
Following Russia’s invasion of Ukraine in 2022, many thousands of Ukrainians fled to the UK, including more than 30,000 children. The introduction of a Ukrainian GCSE has been a long-standing request of both Ukrainian refugees, and the Ukrainian government. There was particular controversy around reports that, in the absence of a qualification in their native language, some Ukrainian children were instead being encouraged to study Russian, in which a GCSE was already available. In 2024 the Ukrainian education ministry said they were ‘deeply concerned’ about this situation.
The Ukrainian GCSE is expected to be available for first teaching from September 2028, with first assessments taking place in 2029. It is being developed by the AQA exam board, supported by a £340,000 grant from the DfE. In line with other modern foreign language GCSEs, the qualification will assess listening, speaking, reading and writing skills, while also recognising the cultural and historical contexts that shape the Ukrainian language.
AQA Chief Executive Officer, Colin Hughes said: ‘We’re pleased to be working with the Department for Education to develop the new GCSE in Ukrainian. The qualification will give young people – including those displaced by the war – an opportunity to gain formal recognition for their knowledge of Ukrainian, while contributing to greater understanding of the language and its culture in the UK.’
While the new qualification will be open to all pupils, the DfE notes it marks a particularly significant milestone for Ukrainian children and young people living in the UK, who for the first time will have the opportunity to maintain proficiency in their home language and celebrate an important part of who they are, through the UK education system.
Education Secretary, Lucy Powell commented: ‘As they build their lives here in the UK, it is right that Ukrainians and their children should have every opportunity to maintain that connection to their heritage and to be proud of who they are. This new qualification is available to all pupils and will give them the chance to develop their language skills and celebrate Ukraine’s rich culture and history, while also opening pathways to future study and employment and strengthening our partnership with Ukraine.’
Andrii Butenko, Ukraine’s Minister of Education and Science, said: ‘Today marks an important milestone towards the introduction of a Ukrainian GCSE, long called for by the Ukrainian community in the UK. British schools opened their doors to thousands of Ukrainian children following the start of Russia’s full-scale war of aggression against Ukraine, and we will always be grateful for that. We welcome the UK Government’s next step towards giving Ukrainian children a genuine choice in their education while respecting their identity.’
The announcement of the new GCSE builds on the UK-Ukraine Schools Partnership, which now includes more than 300 schools across both nations. The partnership fosters cross-cultural understanding and lasting links between school communities in Ukraine and the UK. It supports cultural exchange and connects teachers and pupils through collaborative projects focused on reading for pleasure and shared learning.