Our Modern Languages department promotes an appreciation and passion for language learning. Recognising the importance of understanding the history and traditions of other countries, children also learn about festivals, food & drink and customs as part of our curriculum.
We recognise the effectiveness of traditional methods of teaching, but are constantly experimenting with new strategies and resources to ensure that our children are engaged and excited by their lessons. Through learning another language, children’s literacy and communication skills are improved, and we encourage them to be independent and resilient when faced with new challenges.
We strive to provide our young Dragons with the best preparation for their external exams, a good grasp of common vocabulary and basic grammatical structures, enabling them to communicate effectively in the target language when they move on to senior school. Using our own resources and the course book (Studio, Pearson), we focus on the four skills of listening, speaking, reading and writing. The major topics covered are life at home and school, in and around town, activities and holidays, and daily routine.
In Years 4 and 5, pupils are taught in forms, being set by ability from Year 6 onwards. We use the target language as appropriate and employ a variety of teaching methods ranging from drama, ICT, interactive whiteboard, songs and games. There are regular unit tests and an annual exam in the Summer Term for years 5 to 7. In Years 7 and 8, the top two French/Latin sets can opt to learn German, Spanish or Classical Greek.
Other curriculum experiences include an annual French trip to Normandy for Year 6, une Journée Française for Year 6, a bilingual film club and a ‘Cultural Experiences’ Club.
