- Home
- Curriculum
- Subject Information
- Modern Foreign Languages
Modern Foreign Languages
If you talk to a man in a language he understands, that goes to his head. If you talk to him in his own language, that goes to his heart.
Nelson Mandela
Our Philosophy
The Faculty aims to promote an enthusiasm for life long language learning and an awareness of the importance of languages in today’s diverse society. We want students to be aware that cultural differences and similarities between people exist and to understand and celebrate them. We want to empower students with the skills to become confident communicators and future leaders. They will also develop resilience and an enthusiasm for learning beyond the immediate exam requirements.
What we expect from our students
In order to be a successful linguist we want our students to approach their learning with a positive attitude and a desire to achieve their best. They will develop their ability to communicate in the foreign language and acquire a wide range of transferable skills.
Visits and Enrichment Activities
We strongly believe in the value of educational visits and extra-curricular activities as a way of engaging students with the wider cultural benefits of language learning.
Although I'm known first and foremost as an athlete, my foreign language skills have given another dimension to my career. I regularly use French and German when I travel to compete in Europe. Paula Radcliffe, Athlete
Educational Visits
We are proud of our well-established partnerships with schools abroad.
Goethe Gymnasium in Berlin Wilmersdorf
Colegio Cisneros Alter in Tenerife A partnership with a school in France is in development.
Students in KS3 and 4 can take part in exchange trips to our partner schools, where they stay with host families and are immersed in the language and culture.
Students in KS5 have the opportunity to take part in shorter study trips to places of interest linked to their scheme of study. This includes a trip to Berlin for German, Paris for French and Seville or Valencia for Spanish.
It allows me to explore a different culture and develop my creative thinking, offering a range of different possibilities. Honor M, Year 10
Annual Events
We celebrate European Day of Languages by holding events for the whole school, including song performances from our competition winners. The Year 7 Song Competition held at the end of the Summer Term is a celebration of the huge amount of learning which has taken place during the year and is something students often remember fondly in later years.
Contact names:
Ms A Flynn - Head of French
Mr F Davis - Head of German
Ms M Mahiques - Head of Spanish
Key Stage 3
One who speaks only one language is one person, but one who speaks two languages is two people.
Turkish Proverb
Curriculum Intent
We want students to build mastery and fluency and to communicate confidently in a foreign language. They will express themselves and their opinions on a wide range of topics. We also want students to appreciate the culture of the countries where the language is spoken and understand their place in the wider world.
Curriculum Implementation
To achieve this, students in KS3 learn about three main topics a year. The language is introduced in chunks and with the help of sentence builders which support understanding. Students have opportunities to practise listening, speaking, reading and writing in each lesson. Spontaneous use of the target language is rewarded with team points. We teach phonics, vocabulary and grammar in the context of the topic as part of this approach. We celebrate cultural events throughout the year and offer extra-curricular activities like international club, trips and exchanges.
How is this sequenced?
Learning Units are sequenced according to:
-
Communicative function - moving from most frequent to less frequent
-
Complexity of grammar – moving from less complex to more complex
Language chunks and sentence stems are revisited on a regular basis through retrieval practise to allow them to move to long-term memory. We also focus on transferrable structures and encourage students to use these across topics.
Impact
We are proud that at LPGS almost all students are entered for GCSE languages and we achieve positive results year on year. We also teach A-Level languages and achieve outstanding results. This is against the national trend of a decline in MFL students.
Topics at Key Stage 3 include:
Introducing myself
Family and friends
Free time activities
School
My town
Holidays
Media
Food and health
Fashion
Assessment
Students’ progress is assessed regularly through formative and summative assessment. They are encouraged to reflect upon their learning and to respond to their teacher’s feedback.
Textbooks
Textbooks are mostly used for home study and remote learning.
-
Spanish: ¡Claro! 1-2, Tony Weston and Author José Antonio García Sánchez
-
German: Stimmt! 1-2, Rachel Hawkes and Michael Spencer
-
French: Allez 1-2, Corrine Dzuilka-Heywood, Yvonne Kennedy et al
HOMEWORK
Most vocab learning homework is set on Quizlet. Students need to create their own account and then join their class to access the weekly study sets. This is crucial preparation for their lessons.
Key Stage 4: GCSE French, German and Spanish (AQA)
"As citizens of the world, we may often find ourselves working alongside people from other countries who speak a different language and have different values, attitudes and beliefs. If we are to work well together, we need to develop a range of approaches and skills."
Languages Work
Students follow the Edexcel specification. In all Languages students cover the following broad topic areas:
- My personal world
- Lifestyle and wellbeing
- My neighbourhood
- Media and technology
- Studying and my future
- Travel and tourism
Examinations
Students have a final examination at the end of Year 11 in listening, speaking, reading and writing.
Textbooks
French
- Edexcel GCSE French Higher/Foundation, Clive Bell and Tom Hockaday
German
- Edexcel GCSE German Higher/Foundation, Andy Holland, Sabine Leitner
Spanish
- Edexcel GCSE Spanish Higher/Foundation, Chritopher Lillington
Key Stage 5: A Level French (EDEXCEL)
Description of Course
You are encouraged to:-
- Develop an interest in, and enthusiasm for, language learning
- Develop understanding of the language in a variety of contexts and genres
- Communicate confidently, clearly and effectively in the language for a range of purposes
- Develop awareness and understanding of the contemporary society, cultural background and heritage of countries or communities where the language is spoken
- Consider your study of the language in a broader context
- Derive enjoyment and benefit from language learning
- Acquire knowledge, skills and understanding for practical use, further study and/or employment
- Communicate with speakers of the language
- Take your place in a multilingual global society
- Take advantage of all opportunities to take part in cultural events and foreign trips
Skills Required
Knowledge, understanding and skills are closely linked in this course. You will continue to develop your ability to:-
- Understand and respond in speech and writing to a variety of authentic spoken and written sources.
- Apply grammar and syntax accurately.
- Demonstrate knowledge and understanding of aspects of French speaking society.
- Demonstrate flexibility when communicating both in speech and in writing.
- Use appropriate registers.
- Manipulate the language accurately to organise facts and ideas, present explanations, opinions and information.
- Transfer meaning from one language to another.
- Analyse, hypothesise, evaluate, argue a case, justify, persuade, retort, develop arguments and present view points.
- Demonstrate your capacity for critical thinking.
Entry Qualifications
Grade 6 GCSE
Method of Assessment
| Unit | Outline | Time | Weighting |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Listening, reading and translation | 1 hr 50 mins | 40% |
| 2 | Written response to works (literary texts and films) and translation | 2hr 40 mins | 30% |
| 3 | Speaking (Discussion on a theme and on independent research project) | 21 - 23 mins, including 5 min preparation | 30% |
Educational Progression and Career Opportunities
French is a valuable component in many courses in Higher Education, particularly Business, Scientific and Technological courses but also service industries, engineering, legal, medical and financial sectors. The combined vocational and language elements of this course equip you with the skills necessary for later life, whether in the workplace or Further/Higher Education.
Key Stage 5: A Level Spanish (EDEXCEL)
Description of Course
You are encouraged to:-
- Develop an interest in, and enthusiasm for, language learning
- Develop understanding of the language in a variety of contexts and genres
- Communicate confidently, clearly and effectively in the language for a range of purposes
- Develop awareness and understanding of the contemporary society, cultural background and heritage of countries or communities where the language is spoken
- Consider your study of the language in a broader context
- Derive enjoyment and benefit from language learning
- Acquire knowledge, skills and understanding for practical use, further study and/or employment
- Communicate with speakers of the language
- Take your place in a multilingual global society
- Take advantage of all opportunities to take part in cultural events and foreign trips
Skills Required
Knowledge, understanding and skills are closely linked in this course. You will continue to develop your ability to:-
- Understand and respond in speech and writing to a variety of authentic spoken and written sources.
- Apply grammar and syntax accurately.
- Demonstrate knowledge and understanding of aspects of Spanish speaking society.
- Demonstrate flexibility when communicating both in speech and in writing.
- Use appropriate registers.
- Manipulate the language accurately to organise facts and ideas, present explanations, opinions and information.
- Transfer meaning from one language to another.
- Analyse, hypothesise, evaluate, argue a case, justify, persuade, retort, develop arguments and present view points.
- Demonstrate your capacity for critical thinking.
Entry Qualifications
- Grade 6 GCSE
Method of Assessment
| Unit | Outline | Time | Weighting |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Listening, reading and translation | 2 hrs | 40% |
| 2 | Written response to works (literary texts and films) and translation | 2hr 40 mins | 30% |
| 3 | Speaking (Discussion on a theme and on independent research project) | 21 - 23 mins, including 5 min preparation | 30% |
Contact Name Miss F Artini (Head of Spanish)
Educational Progression and Career Opportunities
Universities and employers look favourably on applicants with a high level of foreign language ability and languages can complement any higher education courses. Language graduates enter a wide range of sectors including translation, interpreting, teaching, banking and finance, manufacturing, construction and engineering, tourism, medicine, public administration and the civil service. Furthermore, the combined cultural, historical and political elements of this course equip you with the skills necessary for later life, whether in the workplace or higher education. .
Key Stage 5: A Level German (EDEXCEL)
Description of Course
You are encouraged to:-
- Develop an interest in, and enthusiasm for, language learning
- Develop understanding of the language in a variety of contexts and genres
- Communicate confidently, clearly and effectively in the language for a range of purposes
- Develop awareness and understanding of the contemporary society, cultural background and heritage of countries or communities where the language is spoken
- Consider your study of the language in a broader context
- Derive enjoyment and benefit from language learning
- Acquire knowledge, skills and understanding for practical use, further study and/or employment
- Communicate with speakers of the language
- Take your place in a multilingual global society
- Take advantage of all opportunities to take part in cultural events and foreign trips
Skills Required
Knowledge, understanding and skills are closely linked in this course. You will continue to develop your ability to:-
- Understand and respond in speech and writing to a variety of authentic spoken and written sources.
- Apply grammar and syntax accurately.
- Demonstrate knowledge and understanding of aspects of German speaking society.
- Demonstrate flexibility when communicating both in speech and in writing.
- Use appropriate registers.
- Manipulate the language accurately to organise facts and ideas, present explanations, opinions and information.
- Transfer meaning from one language to another.
- Analyse, hypothesise, evaluate, argue a case, justify, persuade, retort, develop arguments and present view points.
- Demonstrate your capacity for critical thinking.
Entry Qualifications
- Grade 6 GCSE
Method of Assessment
| Unit | Outline | Time | Weighting |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Listening, reading and translation | 2 hrs | 40% |
| 2 | Written response to works (literary texts and films) and translation | 2hr 40 mins | 30% |
| 3 | Speaking (Discussion on a theme and on independent research project) | 21 - 23 mins, including 5 min preparation | 30% |
Contact Name Mrs B Stavrou (Head of German)
Educational Progression and Career Opportunities
Universities and employers look favourably on applicants with a high level of foreign language ability and languages can complement any higher education courses. Language graduates enter a wide range of sectors including translation, interpreting, teaching, banking and finance, manufacturing, construction and engineering, tourism, medicine, public administration and the civil service. Furthermore, the combined cultural, historical and political elements of this course equip you with the skills necessary for later life, whether in the workplace or higher education. .
