- Language tutor demand soars as summer holidays near
- Spanish and French dominate, reflecting popular UK holiday destinations
- Seasonal demand contrasts long-term decline in school language uptake
As the summer holidays approach, FindTutors, a leading private tuition provider under GoStudent, is reporting a sharp rise in interest in language tuition, with Spanish and French topping the list as families prepare to travel.
The end of the school term is prompting a renewed focus on language education. FindTutors’ internal data shows that while language enquiries make up roughly 15% of all requests during the winter, this figure more than doubles over the course of June to August.
Students appear to be using their upcoming holidays as motivation. Spanish is the most requested language, accounting for 45% of all language tuition demand – aligning with Spain being the UK’s most visited travel destination. French follows with 32%, mirroring its position as the second most popular holiday choice.
Breakdown of current language tutoring demand:
- Spanish – 45%
- French – 32%
- German – 13%
- Italian – 9%
This seasonal uptick, however, bucks the wider trend. A 2023 British Council report noted that just 20% of Year 7 pupils intended to take a language at GCSE level, with many believing it to be of limited value for future careers.
Albert Clemente, CEO at FindTutors, comments:
“Learning a language is one of the most rewarding things you can do, whether for work or just for an upcoming trip. There’s nothing better than finding you can connect with someone in their language, and even a few basic phrases can be incredibly useful when visiting somewhere new.”
He continues:
“Kids have a remarkable ability to learn languages but with the rise of AI and automatic translation tools, these skills seem to be falling down the priority list. Now is a great time to try to reverse this trend, and this summer represents a fantastic chance to learn a language, enhancing not only career prospects but undoubtedly overall quality of life too.”
He concludes:
“The data shows that when thinking about which language to learn it’s often easiest to go with the one that you are likely to need in the short term. As immersion is one of the best ways to passively learn a language, this exposure can turn lessons into a lifelong skill. FindTutors helps thousands of students every month to discover their passion for languages and also get a head start on the return to school in September.”
