Curriculum

Modern Foreign Languages

Department Philosophy:

The UK trades with over 200 countries worldwide.
UK businesses need people with language skills, so  being able to speak other languages is a skill that gets you ahead in the global job market.
A communicative approach to learning puts emphasis on the spoken language, which is practiced in pair and group work. The skills of speaking, listening, reading and writing are developed through the use of video, recorded and printed materials and ICT.

Department Staff:

Mr Darren Andrews (Head of Department)
Mrs Liz Upton (2nd in Department) - German
Mr Silvia Bastow - German
Mrs Sarah Marston-Jones  - German
Mrs Debbie Gaston  - p/t German/French
Mrs Maria Richards – p/t German/French
Mr Qamar Maqsood i/c Urdu

Department Facilities:

3 Specialist rooms

3 Projectors

2 Interactive Whiteboards

19 PCs in specialist ICT room

 

Structure at KS3:

All students in years 7,8 and 9 receive two lessons of German per week. 
In year 7, pupils are taught in mixed-ability form groups.
The course book is ‘Echo 1’ and pupils study the topics of : 1. Greeting and introducing oneself, 2. School, 3. Family and friends, 4. Free-time, 5. Home, 6. Towns and Countries.
In year 8, pupils are placed in sets according to ability.
The course book is ‘Echo 2’ and pupils study the topics of : 1. Holidays, 2. Shopping, 3. After-school, 4. Health, 5. Going out, 6. A school exchange.
In year 8, pupils continue in these sets.
The course book is ‘Echo 3 red’ for upper sets and ‘Echo 3 green’ for lower sets and pupils study the topics of : 1. Media, 2. School, 3. The future, 4. Global issues, 5. People, 6. German project.
At the end of Year 9, pupils sit an Asset Languages examination at either Breakthrough or Preliminary level, which results in pupils being issued an OCR Grade 1 – 6 certificate in Year 10.

In year 8 students have the opportunity to take part in a trip to the Mosel-Rhein area of Germany. 

Structure at KS4:

Students are able to go on to take German or Urdu as an optional GCSE subject in years 10 and 11.  The GCSE is divided into four sections, each worth 25%:

  • Listening  - examination
  • Reading - examination
  • Speaking – conducted by the teacher just before Easter of Year 11.
  • Writing –3 pieces of written coursework, completed during Year 10 and 11.

The Edexcel syllabus consists of 5 topics:
At home and abroad
Education, training and employment
House, home and daily routine
Media, entertainment and youth culture
Social activities, fitness and health

In Year 10 pupils studying German have the opportunity to take part in a trip to the Cologne Christmas markets.

 

Notable Achievements: