Our aim is for students to learn to communicate fluently and spontaneously in another language, consequently in the early stages of learning about a new context, lessons focus on speaking and listening.  New language is introduced and old language recycled in chunks via the use of sentence builders.  KS3 students are not required to produce any written work until they are confident in using the taught language and have mastered their receptive skills.  There is a focus on demanding correct pronunciation and immediate teacher feedback is an intrinsic part of each and every lesson.  When appropriate we ‘seed plant’ chunks of language.  Seed planting exposes students to key chunks of grammar before they are expected to understand the grammar behind the phrase.  For example, in the first term students in Year 7 are introduced to the phrase ‘cuando sea mayor’, however, it is not until KS4 that students will learn the rules regarding the use of the subjunctive.   

KS3 French and Spanish Course Outline  

Our wish is for students to learn a language through a range of interesting and motivating contexts with each unit having a clear intent.  Examples of topics covered at KS3 include:  Amazonia; Film; Music and Literature; Working in a French Company; Visiting Paris and My Mind My Body.  The KS3 curriculum in languages has been carefully considered and devised based on the requirements of the National Curriculum and so that grammar and key ‘Communicative Functions’ are sequenced according to prior learning.  Students are given the ability to master and retrieve key concepts at every stage of their journey.     

Assessment  

Students will complete one assessment per half term covering all four skills (speaking, listening, reading and writing) over the course of the year.  

Homework 

Students are set self-quizzing phrases at least once a fortnight.  Teachers may also set research tasks or reading/grammar activities. 

KS4 GCSE French and Spanish Course Outline  

GCSE French and Spanish are taught and we follow the 9-1 GCSE Edexcel Scheme of Work for both languages. 

The MFL GCSE requires students to understand and use language across a range of contexts, appropriate to their age, interests and maturity levels: 

Theme 1: Identity & Culture  

Theme 2 Local Area, Holiday and Travel   

Theme 3: School 

Theme 4: Future Aspirations, Study and Work 

Theme 5: International and Global Dimension 

Assessment  

The GCSE qualification will be assessed in four areas: listening, speaking, reading and writing.  Each skill area is worth 25% and will be officially assessed towards the end of the course in Year 11 in exam conditions.  Students will sit either Foundation tier (1-5) or Higher tier (4-9).  The chosen tier will formally be decided upon in Y11.  Mock exams will take place throughout the two years and students will sit four different exams in Y11 in each of the four areas. 

All themes will be covered in all parts of the different exams. 

Please note* 

All students will be required to sit a speaking examination in Y11 of approximately 12 minutes.  They will have the opportunity to do a mock speaking exam in both Y10 and Y11.  This exam will include a role play, description of a photograph and a general conversation.   

The full specifications with exemplar exam papers can be found here: 

https://qualifications.pearson.com/content/dam/pdf/GCSE/French/2016/specification-and-sample-assessments/Specification-Pearson-Edexcel-Level-1-Level-2-GCSE-9-1-French.pdf   

https://qualifications.pearson.com/content/dam/pdf/GCSE/Spanish/2016/specification-and-sample-assessments/Specification-Pearson-Edexcel-Level-1-Level-2-GCSE-9-1-Spanish.pdf  

Homework 

GCSE MFL students will be expected to develop and use their knowledge and understanding of grammar progressively throughout their course; self-quizzing phrases are set regularly. Skill based consolidation homework is also set to ensure students are confident in their language learning journey.  Students enjoy a variety of different online platforms such as Seneca and Memrise to either carry out independent learning or complete specific ‘assignments’ for homework. 

Spanish

1. Introducing myself and learning about Spain
2. Getting to know Spanish speaking countries
3. Getting to know someone
4. Discovering Havana and Mexico City

French

1. Food and drink
2. All about me
3. Fashion and clothes

Spanish –  All students

1. Interviewing a Spanish sports star
2. Discovering schools in Spanish speaking countries
3. Going to the cinema
4. The sounds and literature of South America
5. My free time

French – Sets 1-8

1. Learning about different schools
2. All About Me
3. Working in a French company

Spanish – All students

1. My Mind My Body
2. Discovering Amazonia
3. Talking about my future

French:

1. My Town
2. Holidays
3. School

Spanish:

1. Holidays
2. School
3. Technology & media
4. Visiting a festival in Spain
5. Family, friends and role models

French:

1. Jobs and future plans
2. Being a good citizen
3. Daily life

Spanish

1. A good citizen
2. Jobs and future plans
3. Daily life

The MFL Faculty provides a wide range of language enrichment opportunities to enthuse and motivate our young linguists both inside and outside of the classroom.  Students are encouraged to become ‘Languages Ambassadors’.  These students help out at Open Evening for example, or may lead a session teaching other students a new language that they speak at home. There is a KS3 Languages club held each week as well as regular foreign film nights.  We also organise a trip to a tapas restaurant in Manchester each year, as well as a trip to Barcelona. In 2019/20 students were given the opportunity to learn Japanese in conjunction with a project run by undergraduates from Manchester University.  In lessons we provide students with opportunities that allow them to be exposed to different cultures, to make them aware that languages are alive and easily accessible for all.  For the past decade a Foreign Language Assistant has been employed in Spanish or French to further enhance students’ speaking skills and cultural awareness.  

The importance of learning languages and the impact this has on future career choices is also covered on our Schemes of Learning so that students are aware of the opportunities that learning a language brings and the doors that it opens.                                                                                                              

In 2018 we successfully applied for funding from Erasmus in order to improve language achievement and promote a global outlook amongst our students.  As well as working hard to create inspiring and effective schemes of learning and celebration events like European Day of Languages, the participating staff members have been able to travel to Spain and France to attend language courses thanks to the grant.  All the staff taking part have been working hard to enhance their knowledge and skills in order to help their pupils achieve even more.  We have also recently been awarded with the ‘International Schools Award’.