The main aim of our language teaching is to enable you to communicate in the foreign language in the kind of situations you might find yourself in whilst travelling in French, German or Spanish speaking countries or working in these linguistic contexts. Students are therefore taught to understand speech and writing and to be able to communicate orally and in simple written language in familiar situations.

The modern languages curriculum during the first three years centres on the themes of:

Everyday activities
e.g. greetings, classroom language, house and home, clothes, meals, shopping, school

Personal and social life
e.g. introducing yourself, hobbies, personal descriptions, family, festivals

The world around us
e.g. towns in France/Germany, travelling, holidays, weather, local area

The international world
e.g. Europe, German and French speaking countries

As students progress they are regularly assessed throughout the school year. These assessments are usually at the end of a unit of work. Students are told the National Curriculum level that they are working at and how to progress to the next level. Parents are informed of the National Curriculum level and of exam results via reports and are able to discuss progress during consultation evenings.

In order to be successful in learning a foreign language regular learning of new vocabulary and structures is essential. Most students will have one learning homework every week. Parents can help considerably with progress by testing vocabulary regularly each week at a given time.

You will have the opportunity to meet language assistants who will be helping language staff in the classroom and in small groups for conversation practice.

We also make use of an increasing variety of ICT facilities over the three years of Key Stage 3. During Year 9 students will be offered the chance to go on visits to French, German or Spanish speaking countries.

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