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Modern Foreign Languages


Modern Foreign Languages

 

With more than 500 million native speakers, learning Spanish can take you further than you ever imagined. Languages offer an opportunity to connect and learn about other cultures, while further widening understanding of our own language. Our aim in Modern Foreign Languages is not simply to create a curriculum to allow students to understand and communicate in the target language, but to foster a love for the culture and history.

 

Key Stage 3

In the Spanish curriculum, students will be exposed to a wide range of topics covered in depth and divided into four skills: speaking, writing, listening and reading. They will learn to speak to a native Spanish speaker across a variety of situations, gaining an increased understanding of cultural differences and appreciation.

 

Key Stage 4

This year in Key Stage 4 students have opted for either Spanish or French. In the curriculum students continue to further develop their linguistic skills, through speaking, listening, reading and writing. Many of the Key Stage 3 topics are revisited in further depth, with the aim of growing students’ confidence and proficiency in the language. The AQA GCSE language course begins in Year 10, with the final examinations in Year 11.

Students will sit four equally weighted examinations at the end of year 11: listening, reading, writing and speaking. In languages there are two tiers of entry: Foundation (which enable a student to achieve 1-5) and Higher (which enables students to achieve 5 -9).

 

Home Languages

In addition, students will also have an opportunity to select a Home Language from the list below. We strongly recommend that students take further advantage of sitting their Home Language, not least because these grades count towards college, apprenticeships and sixth form place.

AQA – German, Italian, Spanish, Polish, Bengali, Urdu, Modern Hebrew, Mandarin, Chinese, Panjabi, French

Edexcel – Russian, Greek, Cantonese Chinese, Gujurati, Japanese, Arabic, Portuguese, Turkish

 

 

Assessment

Students are assessed at key points in the school calendar (Cumulative Knowledge Tests). In all year groups students also sit the United Learning Assessment in Term 6. At GCSE level students are assessed after each module in practice GCSE skills. Mock examinations take place in Year 10 and Year 11.

Our examination board is AQA:

AQA GCSE French Specification

AQA GCSE Spanish Specification