If you enjoy communicating with other people, finding out how language works and learning about different countries and cultures, studying Mandarin, French, German or Spanish is an excellent choice for you!  You will learn about the countries where your language is spoken and get a lot more out of a trip there.

You will add an international dimension to your choice of subjects, preparing you for a world of global markets and multinational companies, which is something many future employers and higher education providers look for.

Being able to communicate in more than one language allows us to become more open to other peoples’ cultures and outlook.  Learners develop communication skills, self-confidence and independence, together with an underlying understanding of grammatical concepts and language awareness, which could prove invaluable in later life. 

What will I be studying?

Years 7 and 8

In these 2 years, students will learn the foundations of the language(s) they have chosen, covering aspects of topic areas that that appear in the GCSE specification below as well as grammar and cultural aspects.

GSCE: (GCSE AQA French 8658, German 8668, Spanish 8698 and 8673 Mandarin)

• Identity and culture
• Local, national, international and global areas of interest
• Current and future study and employment

A LEVEL: (AQA German 7662, Spanish 7692)

• Social issues and trends
• Political and artistic culture
• Grammar
• Works – literary texts and films

Classroom activities will be based on these themes, with great emphasis on the four skills of listening, speaking, reading and writing as well as learning about the grammatical structures of their chosen language. Students will need to commit to learning and revising vocabulary on a daily basis and also to study the structure and grammar of the language. 

What else do might I need to know?

• It is advantageous for students to have a dictionary / dictionary app in their chosen language at home for reference.
• Students will be expected to revise vocabulary for 5 - 10 minutes every night.
• You will be encouraged to take part in trips/exchanges. We currently run bi-annual trips to Berlin for years 10-13 and Valencia for years 8-13. An annual exchange trip to Argentan for years 9-13 and our annual summer trips to Pas de Calais in France and Cologne in Germany for all of our year 7 students.