Modern Foreign Languages
Department Philosophy
“Languages are a life-long skill to be used in business and for pleasure, to open up avenues of communication and exploration and to promote, encourage and instil a broader cultural understanding”.
We believe that languages improve the quality of your life and your understanding of how other people live and think. You can travel more and meet new people. Being able to speak another language is a skill that gets you ahead in the job market.
Course Structure
All students have the opportunity to study either French or Spanish at Key Stage 3. The courses are topic based and designed to develop the four language skills of listening, speaking, reading and writing. Our main topics include – The Family, The local Environment, Free Time, School, Healthy Living, Holidays and Future Plans.
Whilst learning a language, our students are also developing communication and presentation skills and good learning strategies which we know are valued by employers. Students are regularly assessed in all skill areas and review their targets every term.
At Key Stage 4 we have introduced NVQ language units which link language learning to the world of work and open up career opportunities for our students. It is important to remember that 75% of the world’s population does not speak English and that 60% of British trade is with non-English speaking countries. Employers need people with language qualifications.