Issued by: Department for Education and Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office

Landmark qualification will help pupils preserve their language and cultural heritage while opening doors to future opportunities

Young people in England, Wales and Northern Ireland will have the opportunity to study for a new Ukrainian GCSE, helping Ukrainians to preserve a vital connection to their language, culture and identity while opening pathways to future education and employment for all pupils.

The new qualification is part of the UK’s enduring support for the Ukrainian community and continued commitment to stand with Ukraine and its people.

While the qualification will be open to all, 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 our education system.

The qualification builds on the Government’s wider commitment to supporting Ukraine and Ukrainian families who have made their homes in the UK, while strengthening cultural and educational ties between the two countries.

The new GCSE comes after the government announced that the UK will give a further £10 billion of economic and military support in the largest ever package of financial backing for Ukraine.

Education Secretary, Lucy Powell, said:

"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.

"Through that enduring partnership, we are building the lasting ties between our countries that will see the young minds of the future move forward together, and foster connections that transcend borders."

Minister for Europe, Lord Stewart Wood, said:

"The introduction of a Ukrainian GCSE is a powerful symbol of the deep and enduring bonds between our two countries. It will give young Ukrainians in the UK the opportunity to celebrate their language and heritage, while gaining a qualification that recognises their skills.

"Through our 100 Year Partnership, the UK and Ukraine are investing in the ties between our people that will last for generations."

Minister of Education and Science of Ukraine, Andrii Butenko, 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 builds on both the UK-Ukraine 100-Year Partnership [https://tinyurl.com/5eh6h9sp] and the UK-Ukraine Schools Partnership [https://tinyurl.com/yh5vnvts], which fosters cross-cultural understanding and enhances English language skills while forging lasting links between school communities here and in Ukraine.

The programme has expanded to include more than 300 schools across both nations, supporting cultural exchange and connecting teachers and pupils through collaborative projects focused on reading for pleasure and shared learning.

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.

The Ukrainian GCSE is expected to be available for first teaching in England, Wales and Northern Ireland from September 2028, with first assessments taking place in 2029.

AQA will now begin the next phase of development, bringing together language and subject experts to design a high-quality qualification that reflects the richness of Ukrainian language and culture, supporting learners while reflecting the needs and aspirations of the wider Ukrainian community.

AQA Chief Executive Officer, Colin Hughes

"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. As an independent education charity, AQA’s role is to design and deliver high‑quality qualifications that meet learners’ needs and uphold rigorous academic standards."

The new GCSE comes as the Department for Education prepares to launch a consultation on the revitalised curriculum, one that retains strong academic foundations while broadening what a great education offers to give young people the capabilities and pathways to thrive in the real world.

As part of this, the language curriculum will now see changes that support more confident and purposeful language learning, to help pupils communicate effectively, engage with other cultures and develop a stronger foundation for further study.

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