Learning a foreign language opens doors to new opportunities and helps students have a deeper understanding of other cultures, traditions and to see aspects of life from different perspectives.
Additional languages acquisition increases the effectiveness of problem solving and multitasking. This leads to a better overall general performance.
Whilst learning another language students are also able to improve their English. In that, building more elaborate vocabulary and how language is formed and used effectively.
Being able to understand and communicate in a different language builds confidence and gives a sense of achievement in unlocking lifelong useful skills.
In Year 7, students start by learning basic French and Spanish language skills through topics such as introducing oneself, describing personal attributes, and discussing favourite objects. They also explore the French/Spanish -speaking world and learn to write and understand simple poems.
Moving on to Year 8, students delve deeper into various themes. They learn to express opinions, describe family and friends, talk about school and leisure activities, and discuss clothing, weather, and daily routines. Grammar concepts include possessive adjectives, prepositions, and the present tense of regular and irregular verbs, and the near future tense.
Year 9 expands further on the themes, covering topics like technology, professions, healthy lifestyles, and travel. Students develop skills to describe technology, discuss jobs and ambitions, talk about relationships and pressures faced by teenagers, and engage in discussions about health and future plans. Grammar focus includes conditional tense, imperfect tense, and a range of pronouns.
In Year 10, students explore various themes, including identity and relationships, healthy living and lifestyle, education and the world of work, free time activities and popular culture. They learn to discuss family and friendships, leisure activities, customs and festivals, celebrity culture and travel and tourism. Grammar concepts covered involve possessive adjectives, reflexive verbs, conditional tense, and a range of tenses.
Year 11 focuses on further themes, such as media and technology and the environment and where people live. Students develop skills to describe the use of technology in the modern world and the impact of social media, describe their local area and the environment in which we live. Grammar topics include direct and indirect object pronouns, conditional tense, and revision of tenses.
Throughout both key stages, students practice listening, speaking, reading, and writing skills, building vocabulary and grammar knowledge. Cultural aspects of the French and Spanish speaking world are incorporated to enhance students’ understanding and appreciation of the countries’ language and culture.
