National Language Competition

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GCHQ is one of the three UK Intelligence and Security Agencies, along with MI5 and the Secret Intelligence Service (MI6). GCHQ protects the UK and its citizens from individuals, groups and countries who wish to do us harm, or damage us financially. GCHQ intelligence keeps our deployed forces safe and helps law enforcement agencies to prevent terrorist activity and serious and organised crime.

GCHQ is running its third annual National Language Competition (NLC) in November 2024, with the aim of promoting language learning in schools and encouraging the uptake of languages at GCSE/N5. Given GCHQ’s statutory purpose to advise government and wider society on languages, the NLC falls under our remit to promote languages, and sits alongside our thriving language outreach programme to schools. The NLC aims to inspire language learning in schools across the UK (with a particular focus on schools in socio-diverse areas) by making languages fun, and to encourage language uptake at GCSE/N5.

When? Monday 18 November to Friday 22 November 2024

Who is this aimed at? Year 9 in England and Wales, Year 10 in Northern Ireland,
and S3 in Scotland – pre-GCSE and N5 options.

Where? Online from their classrooms (e.g. at lunchtime under teacher supervision) or
at home.

Why? To encourage a passion for language learning and highlight the many
transferrable skills learning a language can develop.

How? Register your interest here.