Languages
Modern Foreign Languages
The main aims of the department are to inspire the next generation of linguists so that they develop a love of learning languages and promote a greater understanding of other cultures. We teach the students how to express a range of ideas and opinions in a different language using different tenses as well as communication for practical purposes. In this way, the carer prospects of the students are improved through knowledge of a Modern Foreign Language.
To do this, students are taught about the importance of languages for their futures. Along the languages corridor, we have an extensive display illustrating the multitude of uses of languages both in professional terms and recreationally. There are case studies of former students who have used languages in a variety of ways. . It is also pointed out to students that universities look extremely favourably on candidates with language qualifications. We hope that both of these help maintain the motivation of students.
The Languages department regularly organises study visits to France and Germany. Prior to the pandemic, students in year 8 went annually to Paris, and KS4 and KS5 students were given the opportunity to go to Germany and KS5 French students visit Paris. These trips are extremely important, as one of the best ways of learning a language is by visiting the country itself and speaking it. Moreover, such visits give an important insight into the target culture; most of the students return with an improved knowledge and motivation.
Aside from motivation, the Modern Foreign Languages department aims to consolidate on the excellent exam results of the past few years, by further reducing the number of students failing and by increasing the number of 7-9 grades. To do this, the department have worked together to create a bank of resources and to share ideas and good practice. We also organise regular lunchtime and after school study sessions to support underperforming students. In this way, we have seen a clear improvement in our GCSE and A-Level examination results.
Curriculum
All students are taught two lessons of French and German in Years 7 and 8. In year 8, all students also have a lesson of Spanish a week. At the end of Year 8, students opt to take two out of the three languages in year 9, before making a decision about their GCSE Language choice at the end of year 9.
Year 7 French: greetings, phonics, alphabet, classroom objects, dates, family, house and home, prepositions, animals, avoir and être, weather, sports with ‘jouer’, regular –er verbs in the present tense, ‘aller,’ countries, near future, clothes and adjectival agreements
Year 7 German: numbers, greetings, alphabet, countries, classroom objects, family, pets, regular verbs in the present tense, rooms and furniture, clothes, colours, ordering food in a snack bar.
Year 8 French: town, food, shops, hobbies, present tense (regular, irregular, modal, reflexives), daily routine, simple future.
Year 8 German: transport, hobbies, weather, time, chores, future tense, daily routine, school, opinions, food, introduction to perfect tense, café dialogue.
Year 8 Spanish: alphabet, days and months, numbers, classroom objects, family members, colours, adjectival agreements, countries and nationalities, houses and rooms, food, sports, free time, school.
GCSE
Course/s offered: GCSE French, GCSE German, GCSE Spanish
Board: AQA (All Languages)
Specification code/s: 8658 (French), 8668(German), 8698 (Spanish)
Website:
http://www.aqa.org.uk/subjects/languages/gcse/french-8658
http://www.aqa.org.uk/subjects/languages/gcse/german-8668
https://www.aqa.org.uk/subjects/languages/gcse/spanish-8698
Year 9 French: music, perfect tense, festivals, imperfect, travel and tourism
Year 9 German: town, jobs, perfect tense, Austria, travel and tourism, music
Year 9 Spanish: current and future studies and employment, daily routine, weather, present tense, perfect tense, future tense
Year 10 French, German, and Spanish: Identity and culture (technology in everyday life / free-time activities / me, my family and friends). Local, national, international and global areas of interest (customs and festivals in French / travel and tourism / home, town, neighbourhood and region)
Year 11 French, German, and Spanish: Health, Social issues, Global issues, Preparation for the Listening, Reading, Speaking and Writing exams
Post 16
Sixth Form prospectus
