French & Spanish

The aim of the Modern Foreign Language Department is to enable students to achieve their highest potential in French and Spanish.  These languages are taught from Key Stage 3 to A level by a dedicated team of seven teachers, 3 of whom are native speakers.

For our gifted and talented students there is an accelerated GCSE course followed by a specially tailored enrichment course.  The focus of language learning is to encourage students to communicate confidently and accurately through lively, creative and interactive teaching methods. The four skill areas of listening, speaking reading and writing all have equal importance. The department is well resourced and ICT is an integral part of language teaching, using the latest interactive courses available as well as our own departmental website.

All classrooms are equipped with interactive whiteboards and students have regular access to a range of software and multimedia through the computer rooms. Students are encouraged to develop their thinking skills independently as well as their linguistic skills and to use language learning as a means to increase their awareness of the wider world.

Beyond the classroom students have access to a range of resources including magazines, books and DVDs in the school library and  we have a dedicated Sixth Form research room. The department runs a range of extra-curricular activities including Spanish Club, French Conversation Club and Film Club.

Looking to the future and new language developments, Mandarin is offered as an optional activity. The department has links with schools in France and Mauritius. The visit to Provence is due to become an annual event with a trip to Malaga for our Spanish students in the pipeline. Public examination results have been outstanding in recent years.