Languages

About the Faculty

The Modern Foreign Languages Faculty deliver a variety of courses at all Key Stages, with French and German being taught to each Key Stage.  The faculty has dedicated teaching staff, modern teaching spaces and are committed to delivering excellent learning for all students.

Years 7 to 9 – Key Stage 3

The Key Stage 3 Modern Foreign Languages course is a challenging and engaging course designed to develop the key skills that students use when speaking and understanding a modern foreign language. Students develop their listening, speaking, reading and writing skills whilst building on their MFL vocabulary. Over three years the students will cover 18 modules based on a variety of interesting and stimulating topics. Students will follow French or German as their MFL in KS3. They are taught in tutor groups in Y7  and are loosely set in Y8 and Y9.

 

Year 7 French

Year 7

The following units are taught in Year 7:

Tout sur moi!

Who am I?

 

Tu fais quoi?

Activities and pastimes.

 

Décris ta famille

Describing friends and family and saying what they do and what they like.

 

Où j’habite

Students learn to communicate about where they live and other places, saying where they and other people go.  They talk about themselves and others.

 

Le collège

Students learn how to communicate about school and telling the time. They also discuss going out and meals and food.

 

L’avenir et un film

Students learn about the near future tense through plans for the holidays.

Project film: Une vie de chat (A Cat in Paris)

Year 8 French

Year 8

The following units are taught in Year 8:

 

Les activités et le temps

Family and free-time activities

Different seasons and weather

 

C’est la fete!

Customs and festivals.

 

Les loisirs

Leisure activities such as  television /YouTube; favourite celebrities and francophone celebrities; reading; shopping.

 

Les vacances

Holidays.

 

Où j’habite et ma routine

Home, local area and daily routines.

 

Le monde francophone

Francophone country research project.

Year 9 French

Year 9

The following units are taught in Year 9:

 

Projets d’avenir

Jobs and future plans.

L’avenir

The future: next year, in 5 years, in 10 years time.

 

Les expériences passées et présentes

Past and present experiences.

 

Le meilleur des mondes

Global and societal awareness.  Lifestyle.

La musique francophone

Music from French speaking countries.

Les choristes (un film)

A project.

 

Year 7 German

Year 7

The following units are taught in Year 7:

 

Wer bin ich?

Who am I? Greetings.

 

Familie und Haustiere

Describing family & pets.

 

die Schule

School and saying what they like

 

Freizeit

Activities and pastimes.

 

zu Hause

At home

 

Projekt: eine deutschsprachige Gegend

Project on a German speaking area

Year 8 German

Year 8

The following units are taught in Year 8:

Freizeit und Wetter

Free Time activities in different seasons and weathers.

 

im Urlaub

Holidays.

 

Bücher, Filme und Fernsehen

Free time: reading; films; television and famous diverse German-speaking people.

 

der Alltag

Daily routine.

 

Feste und Feiern

Customs and festivals: birthdays, food and drink and traditions.

 

deutschsprachige Helden

Year 9 German

Year 9

The following units are taught in Year 9:

 

Musik

Music.

 

die Arbeitswelt

Jobs and the world of work.

 

Zukunftspläne

Future plans.

 

die Gesundheit

Healthy living.

 

die Umwelt

Global & Societal Awareness.

 

Ein Film: Ballon

 

Assessment

Formative assessment takes place on a regular basis in all lessons with activities including: Use of mini white boards, low stake quizzes, hinge questions,no-hands up, retrieval activities, Frayer models, clock revision and classroom questioning/discussion.

Formal written assessments take place in line with the whole school assessment windows:

Assessment windows:

Year 7: 24th April – 5th May

Year 8: 28th November – 9th December; 8th May – 19th May

Year 9: 31st October – 10th November; 19th June – 23rd June

GCSE French

Years 10 to 11 – Key Stage 4

GCSE French

Examination Board: AQA
Course Code: French 8658

The course studied in Years 10 and 11 will build on the language skills gained in Key Stage 3. Students will continue to learn to use the language of real life situations and will have a working knowledge of how native speakers communicate in a variety of everyday situations. The language learning is set in 3 contexts:

  • Identity and Culture
  • Local, national, international and global areas of interest
  • Current and future study and employment

Students will learn to understand both the spoken and written language and to communicate orally and in written form. Students will also learn about the country, other countries where the language is spoken and their way of life, customs and culture.

Assessment

All examinations will take place at the end of Year 11

Listening      25% 35 minutes (Foundation Tier) / 45 minutes (Higher Tier) 

Speaking      25% 7-9 minutes (Foundation Tier) / 10-12 minutes (Higher Tier) 

Reading        25% 45 minutes (Foundation Tier) / 1 hour (Higher Tier)

Writing          25% 1 hour (Foundation Tier) / 1 hour 15 minutes (Higher Tier)

It is recommended that each student possesses their own dictionary for the course. We recommend the following;

Collins French Dictionary:       ISBN 978000 7485475

Language learning is, by its nature, a continuous process in which students are reinforcing and building on what they know. They will be expected to revise and learn vocabulary and structures on a regular basis and to meet deadlines.

Further Education and/or Career Opportunities

The foundation gained in language learning skills and the GCSE grade obtained will equip students to continue the study of a Modern Foreign Language at AS/A2 Level. The number and variety of university degree courses offering a vocational qualification combined with a language and the opportunity to study and work as an undergraduate are increasing each year as we become aware of the need to equip British students for life and work in the wider world. As the United Kingdom moves into close political and economic relationships with other countries, the GCSE student of today will be the work force of tomorrow and will be expected at all levels to be prepared to live and work beyond our country’s boundaries. The languages, the language learning skills and especially the communication skills which we offer will be of increasing importance throughout our students’ lives.

GCSE German

Years 10 to 11 – Key Stage 4

GCSE German

Examination Board: AQA
Course Code: German 8668

The course studied in Years 10 and 11 will build on the language skills gained in Key Stage 3. Students will continue to learn to use the language of real life situations and will have a working knowledge of how native speakers communicate in a variety of everyday situations. The language learning is set in 3 contexts:

  • Identity and Culture
  • Local, national, international and global areas of interest
  • Current and future study and employment

Students will learn to understand both the spoken and written language and to communicate orally and in written form. Students will also learn about the country, other countries where the language is spoken and their way of life, customs and culture.

Assessment

All examinations will take place at the end of Year 11

Listening      25% 35 minutes (Foundation Tier) / 45 minutes (Higher Tier) 

Speaking      25% 7-9 minutes (Foundation Tier) / 10-12 minutes (Higher Tier) 

Reading        25% 45 minutes (Foundation Tier) / 1 hour (Higher Tier)

Writing          25% 1 hour (Foundation Tier) / 1 hour 15 minutes (Higher Tier)

It is recommended that each student possesses their own dictionary for the course. We recommend the following;

Collins German Dictionary:      ISBN 978000 7485499

Language learning is, by its nature, a continuous process in which students are reinforcing and building on what they know. They will be expected to revise and learn vocabulary and structures on a regular basis and to meet deadlines.

Further Education and/or Career Opportunities

The foundation gained in language learning skills and the GCSE grade obtained will equip students to continue the study of a Modern Foreign Language at AS/A2 Level. The number and variety of university degree courses offering a vocational qualification combined with a language and the opportunity to study and work as an undergraduate are increasing each year as we become aware of the need to equip British students for life and work in the wider world. As the United Kingdom moves into close political and economic relationships with other countries, the GCSE student of today will be the work force of tomorrow and will be expected at all levels to be prepared to live and work beyond our country’s boundaries. The languages, the language learning skills and especially the communication skills which we offer will be of increasing importance throughout our students’ lives.

A Level French

Years 12 to 13 – Sixth Form

A Level French

Examination Board: OCR
Course Code: French 7652

 

A Level Languages is an exciting, dynamic course which will widen and deepen your knowledge and understanding of the topics developed at GCSE.

Students will study a variety of topics including music and cinema, cultural heritage in the French speaking world, immigration and multiculturalism and political engagement whilst developing their four skills of reading, writing, speaking and listening.

Students also explore the influence of the past on French speaking communities. Throughout their studies, they will learn the language in the context of French speaking countries and the issues and influences which have shaped them.

Students will study contemporary texts and film and learn how to discuss and analyse these. The speaking exam will offer students the opportunity to carry out independent and in-depth research on an area of their choice in the French speaking world.

 

Are you interested in:

  • Living and working abroad
  • Communicating with new people
  • Impressing a new employer
  • Earning a good salary
  • Living abroad and being paid for it

Leading to a career in:

  • Anything! A language complements all jobs and interests
  • Careers with an international flavour
  • International business
  • Large corporations
  • Employment which requires communication, research and analytical skills

“Speaking another language makes you stand out from the crowd”
– Eddie Izzard

“Language learning can be one of the most enjoyable and rewarding experiences that life can offer”
– Trevor McDonald

“Another language helps you to realise that there is a world around you”
– Paula Radcliffe

A Level German

Years 12 to 13 – Sixth Form

A Level German

Examination Board: AQA
Course Code: German 7662

 

A Level German is an exciting, dynamic course which will widen and deepen your knowledge and understanding of the topics developed at GCSE.

Students will study a variety of topics including music and cinema, cultural heritage in the German speaking world, immigration and multiculturalism and political engagement whilst developing their four skills of reading, writing, speaking and listening.

Students also explore the influence of the past on German speaking communities. Throughout their studies, they will learn the language in the context of German speaking countries and the issues and influences which have shaped them.

Students will study contemporary texts and film and learn how to discuss and analyse these. The speaking exam will offer students the opportunity to carry out independent and in-depth research on an area of their choice in the German speaking world.

 

Are you interested in:

  • Living and working abroad
  • Communicating with new people
  • Impressing a new employer
  • Earning a good salary
  • Living abroad and being paid for it

Leading to a career in:

  • Anything! A language complements all jobs and interests
  • Careers with an international flavour
  • International business
  • Large corporations
  • Employment which requires communication, research and analytical skills

“Speaking another language makes you stand out from the crowd”
– Eddie Izzard

“Language learning can be one of the most enjoyable and rewarding experiences that life can offer”
– Trevor McDonald

“Another language helps you to realise that there is a world around you”
– Paula Radcliffe