Ciui Training
Ciui Training

The campaign for GCSE Romanian

Romanian GCSE: A Campaign for Recognition

Every child deserves the opportunity to study — and gain recognition for — their heritage language.

More than half a million people born in Romania live in England and Wales, yet Romanian is still absent from the GCSE curriculum.

539,000+
People born in Romania living in England and Wales
4th
Largest non-UK country of birth
19
Languages available at GCSE
0
Romanian GCSE qualifications
Ana-Maria Ciui speaking at a Romanian GCSE event in Parliament
Section A · The Campaign
Advocacy — working towards official recognition

This is not only a Romanian issue.
It is a question of fairness.

Every day, thousands of British-Romanian children grow up speaking one of Europe’s major languages at home — yet, unlike students of many other community languages, they have no recognised GCSE pathway in their heritage language.

More than half a million people born in Romania live in England and Wales, making Romania the fourth most common non-UK country of birth. Yet Romanian remains absent from the GCSE curriculum.

A student in England can take a GCSE in nineteen languages — from Polish and Portuguese to Gujarati and Greek. Romanian is not one of them. A Romanian child can sit a GCSE in Spanish, French or German — but not in the language they speak with their grandparents.

“No child should have to leave part of their identity at the school gate.”

Population figures: Office for National Statistics, Census 2021 (England & Wales).

Why Romanian Students Deserve Recognition

Identity
A language is not just words. It is who a child is. Recognising Romanian tells a generation that their identity belongs here too.
Opportunity
A GCSE is a qualification that counts — on a CV, on a UCAS form, in a young person’s confidence. Heritage speakers deserve that recognition.
Equality
Other community languages — many spoken by far smaller groups — already have a GCSE. Fairness means Romanian children are not left out.
Cultural heritage
Every language kept alive enriches Britain. Supporting Romanian is not a loss for anyone — it is a gain for all of us.

The Campaign So Far

Educators, parents, students and community leaders at a Romanian GCSE campaign event

Romanian GCSE campaign representatives, educators and community leaders at a campaign event.

Ana-Maria Ciui featured at a Romanian GCSE campaign event

Ana-Maria Ciui featured at a Romanian GCSE campaign event.

This is the beginning, not the end. Earlier this year, supporters took this message to Parliament — not as politicians, but as teachers, parents and members of the community. Teachers, families, students and community organisations are coming together — in Westminster and beyond — to make the case that Romanian belongs on the GCSE curriculum.

Schools
Teachers and school leaders are adding their voices and signalling demand for a Romanian GCSE to exam boards.
Parents
Romanian families across the UK are registering their interest and telling us their children would sit a Romanian GCSE if it existed.
Community
Community organisations and supporters are helping raise awareness and build the case for recognition nationally.

Support the Romanian GCSE Campaign

The campaign for recognition is run independently. You can follow it, share it and add your support through the campaign’s own page.

“A language spoken at thousands of British dinner tables deserves a place in British classrooms.”

Important

Romanian is not currently offered as an officially recognised GCSE qualification in England. This campaign seeks to change that. The Ciui Training course described below is an independent educational resource and is not affiliated with, endorsed by, or delivered on behalf of any exam board, government body, embassy, or campaign organisation.

Section B · The Course
Educational support — available to learners today

The Romanian GCSE Preparation Course

While the campaign works towards official recognition, Ciui Training has developed a free pilot Romanian course inspired by GCSE-level skills and standards — covering reading, writing, listening and speaking, with native audio and exam-style practice. We are opening it first — free of charge — to a small group of founding families, with wider access to follow. It is an independent resource and is not an official GCSE qualification.

Founding Families Pilot

We are offering free early access to selected families while we continue developing the course. Participants will:

  • access the course free of charge
  • provide feedback
  • help shape future Romanian learning resources
  • receive updates about the campaign

Romanian Families: Share Your Story

Why does a Romanian GCSE matter to your family? Perhaps your child understands Romanian but replies in English, or you simply want them to keep their connection to Romania. Your voice helps demonstrate the demand. With your permission, selected stories may be shared anonymously to support the campaign.

Ana-Maria Ciui, teacher and founder of Ciui Training

I am Romanian.

My name is Ana-Maria Ciui.

I came to Britain, learnt English, retrained as a teacher, and today teach modern languages in a British secondary school. Every day I see the difference that language qualifications make to young people’s confidence and opportunities.

Romanian children deserve the same opportunity.
Teacher · GCSE Examiner · Founder of Ciui Training

Register Your Interest & Share Your Story

Every registration helps demonstrate interest in Romanian language education and supports the future development of resources and recognition. Tell us your story, apply for the free pilot, or simply ask to be kept updated — it all helps.

This opens an email to us — just fill in the details and send. We will be in touch.

Coming soon

The Romanian Voices Project

We will soon invite children across the UK to share drawings, short messages and stories about identity, language and heritage. Selected work may be displayed at future campaign events and on this website. Register your interest above to be the first to hear when it opens.

Frequently Asked Questions

Is Romanian an official GCSE?
No. Romanian is not currently offered as an officially recognised GCSE qualification in England. This campaign seeks to change that.
What is the Ciui Training Romanian course?
It is the Romanian GCSE Preparation Course — a free pilot, independent educational resource built to GCSE-level skills and standards (reading, writing, listening and speaking). It is not an official GCSE and is not affiliated with any exam board, government body, embassy or campaign organisation.
Is there currently a GCSE in Romanian?
No. Students in England can take a GCSE in nineteen languages — including Polish, Portuguese, Gujarati and Greek — but Romanian is not one of them.
Why is Romanian not offered as a GCSE?
Not for lack of demand. More than half a million people born in Romania live in England and Wales, making it the fourth most common non-UK country of birth. Romanian simply hasn’t yet been added to the approved list of GCSE languages — a decision that rests with exam boards and the Department for Education. This campaign exists to make the case that it should be.
How can schools get involved?
Schools can register their interest, signal demand for a Romanian GCSE to exam boards, and offer the free pilot Romanian GCSE Preparation Course to heritage-speaking students now. If you’re a teacher or school leader, get in touch — every school that adds its voice strengthens the case.
How can parents support?
Register your interest, share the campaign, and tell us your child would sit a Romanian GCSE if it existed — every name is evidence of real demand. You can also join the free pilot course so your child can start learning today, while we work towards recognition.

Ciui Training supports the campaign for a Romanian GCSE but does not represent or speak on behalf of the campaign, the Romanian Embassy, any exam board or any government organisation. The Romanian GCSE Preparation Course is an independent educational resource and is not an official GCSE qualification.

Find our teaching resources on TES.