Ukrainian GCSE will help to 'preserve culture'

Families from Ukraine living in Cheshire have welcomed plans for a new Ukrainian GCSE, saying it celebrates their culture while helping children build a future in the UK.

The Ukrainian GCSE is set to be introduced for pupils in England, Wales and Northern Ireland from September 2028, with the first assessments taking place a year later.

Members of the Ukrainian Family Hub Warrington said the move would help young people maintain links to their heritage while gaining a recognised qualification.

Adrienne Laing, the chairwoman of the hub, said it was "really important recognition" of the Ukrainian language and culture.

Laing said the announcement came as many Ukrainians were reaching the end of their first extended visas.

"Most of our members, when they first arrived, thought they would be going home within six months," she said.

"Most of them, if not all of them, would desperately love to return home, but at the moment they really can't.

"Recognition of their language, culture and country is both a symbol and a practical form of support."

Roksolana, who moved to England with her son in 2022, said the GCSE would help young people preserve their links to Ukraine while gaining recognised qualifications.

"It's very important for children who will stay here, or maybe go back, to get qualifications," she said.

She added that many British people were interested in learning the language.

Another mother, Tamara, said the qualification would also benefit children studying both the English and Ukrainian curriculums.

Her daughter attends an English school during the day and a Ukrainian school online.

"It's a very big help and you can use the results in Ukraine," she said.

Tamara's daughter, Veronika, is 14.

She will be in the middle of her GCSEs when the new qualification comes in, but she said it was a "good opportunity".

"I think it's a good idea, because many Ukrainian children want to take Ukrainian as a language because it's their own language," she said.

Veronika's 12-year-old friend Arina added she felt the move was a "nice idea".

"I'm happy that this will be happening when I am the right age for the GCSE," she added.

Warrington North MP Charlotte Nichols, who backed calls for the qualification after meeting families at the Ukrainian Family Hub Warrington, said it would help both Ukrainian speakers and those interested in learning the language.

Education Secretary Lucy Powell said it was "right" that Ukrainians should "have every opportunity to maintain that connection to their heritage".

She said the qualification would help pupils develop language skills while celebrating Ukraine's culture and history.

Languages have not been compulsory at GCSE level in England since 2004, and the number of pupils taking modern foreign language qualifications has fallen significantly since then.

Figures from the Joint Council for Qualifications show the number of GCSE entries in French, German, Spanish and other modern languages fell from about 534,000 in 2004 to 338,300 in 2026.

A Ukrainian GCSE was previously available but was withdrawn in the 1990s.

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