About the Department

Head of MFL, French KS3-5, Spanish KS3: Ms Bouchy
Spanish KS3-5, French KS3-4: Mrs Garcia
French KS3-5, Spanish KS3: Ms Latte
Assistant Head, French and Spanish KS3-4: Ms Santoo
Deputy Head, French and Spanish KS3-4: Mrs Newman
Spanish KS3-5, French KS3: Mrs Richards
French Assistant: Mr Miraoui

Key Stage 3 MFL

What you will study this year:

All students will study either French or Spanish two hours per week throughout KS3.

Course Content:

Topic list

Pupils will study a wide range of topics such as family and friends, free-time activities and sports, eating habits and healthy living, holidays, school and future plans.

​Grammar and high levels of literacy skills are embedded in all Schemes of Work. Intercultural understanding is promoted in various ways, notably through the use of authentic material, and a number of projects on films, art and the French/Spanish-speaking world.

Assessment:

Pupils are monitored informally during lessons and also through one deep-marked task per half-term. Written comments will be given to comment on pupils’ attainment, to help them improve their work and set suitable targets. Pupils are also formally assessed every half-term on a range of skills, including GCSE-style questions.

Extension Studies:

Various MFL clubs are offered, including a Spanish clinic and Korean club.

Key Stage 4 MFL

What you will study this year:

Pupils will be allocated three hours per week in Year 10 and two hours per week in Year 11. We are using AQA exam board for both available languages: AQA GCSE French and AQA GCSE Spanish.

Course Content:

Topic list

Pupils will study the following three different themes:

Assessment:

Pupils will be assessed formally and informally throughout the two-year course. Two deep-marked tasks will be marked every half-term, which will provide pupils with comments on their performance and specific targets to improve. Mock exams are timetabled in December for Year 11 pupils and in July for Year 10 pupils.

Pupils will be entered either for Foundation (1-5) or Higher (5-9) and they will sit the following papers:

Extension Studies:

Pupils wishing to maximise their MFL GCSE marks or those requiring further support are welcome to attend after-school intervention classes.

Other Modern Foreign Languages at GCSE:

All students will follow a GCSE in either French or Spanish. If a student is also fluent in one of the accredited EBacc modern languages we would encourage them to take it at GCSE in addition to a second language of French or Spanish.

Key Stage 5 French

What you will study this year:

Students will be allocated five hours per week in Year 12 and in Year 13. Students study for the AQA A Level French qualification.

Course Content:

Topic list

Pupils will be studying the following topics in the two-year course:

• Aspects of French-speaking society: current trends
• Aspects of French-speaking society: current issues
• Artistic culture in the French-speaking world
• Aspects of political life in the French-speaking world

Pupils will also study the film “La Haine” in Year 12 and the book “No et moi” in Year 13. As part of their speaking exam, pupils will have to present their individual research project based on a topic or key question which relates to a country or community where French is spoken.

Assessment:

Pupils will be assessed formally and informally throughout the two-year course. At least two deep-marked tasks will be marked every half-term, which will provide pupils with comments on their performance and specific targets to improve. Mock exams are timetabled in February for Year 13 pupils and in June for Year 12 pupils.

​Pupils will sit the following papers:

Paper 1

Listening, reading and writing (50%)

Paper 2

Writing (20%)

Paper 3

Speaking (30%)

Extension Studies:

Year 12/13 – day trips to London for study conferences on French cinema and other cultural topics at the BFI or French Institute.

Year 12/13 students are offered a student conference in Paris: Your Future in Europe