In the Modern Foreign Languages department we are passionate about making pupils effective communicators in French and German. We aim to prepare them to be truly global citizens who can make use of international travel and enhanced access to jobs and culture. In learning another language pupils will also develop transferable skills in literacy, analytical thought, perseverance, and critical thinking.  

Learning across Key Stage 3 and Key Stage 4 is sequenced by term, across a broad topic ‘area’ linked to appropriate grammar, so that students have language which is useful and important for communication. The broad topic areas give students language that they need to communicate in both spoken and written forms. Phonics are promoted throughout, so that pupils can speak and pronounce French and German independently. The nature of the curriculum is that it is cyclical, and that phonics, grammar and vocabulary will always thread through the topic blocks and be revisited and deepened at appropriate stages, as students’ progress throughout their study. We want students to take away a love and interest of French and German culture around the world and spark a curiosity of visiting the countries themselves. 

In our language lessons we incorporate lots of discussion on important topics which are happening in the world, and relate these to what young French and German people are concerned with, such as climate change, to demonstrate to students to be thinking globally and in having much more in common with their European peers than they may have first thought. 

Wherever the future takes our pupils, a foreign language will enhance their chances and make them stand out from the crowd. We hope pupils will enjoy the benefits of being multilingual in both in their personal and later in their professional lives.