Key Stage 3 French

The aim of the Languages course is to experience and develop another language. In KS3 you will develop communication skills and cultural awareness through working with magazines, textbooks, CD Roms, DVDs and songs. There will even be opportunities for visits to France to practise your French in a ‘real’ situation.

You will learn how to speak to your teacher and classmates in another language, increasing in confidence every time you try.

Lessons are taught using the interactive whiteboard so you will learn about ICT in language lessons and even use e-mail / e-cards to communicate with children from other countries.

You will become increasingly independent, using dictionaries, Internet and reference materials, evaluating your own performance as well as those you work with.

We recommend bringing a small dictionary to class and expect you to recap your work at home every week, as well as learn spellings. Don’t worry about making mistakes. It is an important part of language learning.

Key Stage 4 French

Welcome to GCSE French. Our two-year course follows the AQA exam syllabus and builds on your skills from Years 7-9. Don’t panic if you missed out on something - we re-visit a lot of the work.

What will I learn?

During the two years you will study six topic areas, dealing with things that matter to you like environmental issues, tourism, personal relationships, education, leisure and home life.

How will I learn?

You will learn about these topics through speaking, listening, reading, writing, ICT and materials from French-speaking countries. Each year, trips are planned (such as immersion day programmes to the Europa Centre and there is a Year 10 trip to Northern France and Belgium to put your language learning into practice!

How am I assessed?

We will monitor your progress carefully throughout your course so that you receive plenty of practice and feedback before your final examinations. Have a look at what they are worth and how short they are!

• Listening Exam is 20% of your total mark  - 30-50 minutes
• Speaking Exam is 30% of your total mark  - 8-12 minutes
• Reading Exam is 20% of your total mark - 35-50 minutes
• Written Assessments also make up 30% of your total mark.

Coursework

You will write two pieces of controlled assessment based on two topic areas. This year’s groups have written about pop stars, holidays and letters to a problem page. You only need to write between 100 and 200 words for each piece and can use resources to help you.

What can I do with a GCSE in Modern Languages?

Employers value staff who are good communicators, which is what we hope you will be after the course. Some students move on to ‘A’ Level or further studies and many take up positions in the hotel industry, journalism, media, sport and leisure, law, business and marketing, ICT, customer service and teaching.  The European Day of Languages, which takes place in September every year, explores using a language in the working world.

Key Stage 4 Spanish

Hola!

This is a two-year course which takes you from a complete beginner to GCSE level.  Sounds difficult?  Well, your language skills in French and English will ensure that you progress quickly through the first term and beyond.  We complete a beginner's course in the first term and then move on to the GCSE textbook.

The format, topic areas and assessments throughout this course are the same as in French.  There are also opportunities for personalised study.  This helps you to develop listening and speaking skills.  There will hopefully be a trip to Spain later in Year 10, to practice the language we have learned and develop students' knowledge of Spanish culture.