Lead Teacher: Mrs E Holman.

Teachers: Mrs L Beamish, Mr G Judd, Mrs S Wendzina.

GCSE

We follow the AQA specification for GCSE languages and course requirements are identical for all languages. Listening and Reading are examined at the end of the two year course, forming 40% of the final award. Writing and Speaking are assessed through Controlled Assessment, students submit two tasks for each.

French

This course builds on the foundations laid during Key Stage 3 with the emphasis firmly on all four language skills: listening, speaking, reading and writing. The topics, covered in greater detail than in Key Stage 3, include home and leisure pursuits, school, holidays and future plans.

The aim is to equip students to handle the language required for situations such as holiday visits or exchanges, whilst providing the basic knowledge of grammatical structures necessary for progression to Advanced Supplementary and Advanced Level French Studies.

German

The emphasis of this topic-based course is on acquiring skills to deal with a range of situations, including holidaying or visiting a German friend. Topics include buying and ordering food, shopping, discussing healthy lifestyles, describing the local area and reading tourist information.

The examination covers the four language skills: listening, speaking, reading and writing,  demonstrating and testing the student¹s ability to cope with the sort of situation outlined above. Whilst fluent communication is the main aim, students are also given a sound grounding in German grammar in preparation for possible AS level work.

Spanish

Spanish is taught to beginners and rapid progress is made through the essentials of the Key Stage 3 curriculum before embarking on the GCSE course. As with French and German, all four skill area are developed and the topics of self and family, home and environment, and leisure and tourism are covered in greater depth.

Fluent communication and an understanding of grammar are the key aims of the course, to prepare students for Advanced study and real-life encounters with Spanish speakers.

A Level

The Advanced Level course in French provides for progression in all four language skills which are examined in written and oral modules at both AS and A2 Level. The course involves the study of topics rooted in the culture and heritage of France and contemporary French society, ranging from media, leisure, popular culture and relationships at AS level to the environment, immigration, culture and social issues at A2 Level. We follow the AQA specification in French.

The German Advanced Level course provides for progression in all four language skills. All of these skills are examined in both oral and written modules at AS and at A2 Level. The course focuses on the study of German culture and contemporary German society, as well as the past and present role of Germany in Europe and issues of wider importance to contemporary society as a whole. The topics covered during the two year GCE course range from daily life, leisure, the media and education in the first year, to society, the environment, technology and culture in the second year. We currently use the OCR specification in German.