Modern Languages

At Archbishop’s, 3 modern foreign languages are taught at KS3, French, Spanish and German.  Almost all pupils take a GCSE in one of these 3 mfls, and some pupils take 2 mfl GCSEs.  Each year, pupils continue their study of French or Spanish or German to A level successfully here.  Interactive learning is seen as very important, pupils have a workbook as well as their text book and learning and revision games are provided on the school website (infodrive).    Pupils enjoy working with foreign language assistants. Photographs of trips organised by the mfl dept can be viewed elsewhere on this site. 

KS3 – By the end of the KS3 courses, pupils have studied past, present and future tenses, and how to give opinions, descriptions, ask for, and give, information; nc level 6.  

In year 7, pupils learn to speak, listen, read and write in French. This is the only language studied in year 7. Students start the year in form groups and then in the course of the year they are set.  Topics studied are: 
Myself, my family and pets, my life at school, my life at home

In year 8, all pupils  continue with French, almost all also start another mfl, either Spanish or German.  Pupils are set in year 8. Topics studied in French in are: 
My free-time,  Describing my family and pets, Food and shopping, I have visited France.

Topics studied in German are:
Myself, School life, My family, Home life and freetime.
                                                                                                                                      
Topics studied in Spanish are:
Myself at school, My family, School life, Home life and freetime.

In year 9, all pupils continue with French, almost all also continue with the mfl that they started in year 8, either Spanish or German.   Year 9 exams take place in late February and help pupils and parents decide how they want to continue the learning of mfl at KS4. Topics studied in French in year 9  are:                     
My neighbourhood, Employment and my family, Trips in GB and France, Healthy living, Environment.
                                                                                                                            
Topics studied in German are: 
Myself and recent activities, travel and our exchange trip, food drink and shopping.
Topics studied in Spanish are: 
Likes and dislikes,  food, drink, and shopping, holidays and freetime.

 

KS4

In years 10 and 11, most pupils take a GCSE in French and follow the AQA syllabus. A number of pupils prefer to take either GCSE Spanish or GCSE German instead of, or in addition to, GCSE French.   

Pupils develop their speaking and writing skills in preparation for controlled assessments in years 10 and 11. These are similar to exams – dictionaries are allowed and pupils have to develop the ability to use dictionaries and other resources effectively. Pupils also develop their listening and reading skills and these skills are examined in May or June of year 11. 

Pupils are expected to take more responsibility for their learning and are encouraged to use the VLE available on the school website as well as their  workbook, their text book, the soundfiles and the learning and revision games authored by staff and provided on the school website (infodrive) .   

Post 16 – KS5

In the sixth form, pupils follow the Edexcel syllabus, in one or more of the 3 mfls, French, Spanish, and German.  This is a syllabus in which there is an emphasis on speaking and writing skills.    

AS Unit 1 – Spoken Expression and response

AS Unit 2 – Understanding and Written response

A2 Unit 3 – Understanding and Spoken response

A2 Unit 4 - Research, Understanding and Written response

Pupils are expected to be very active, independent learners and to use the soundfiles and authored software made available to them on the school website as well as their workbook, their text book and foreign language media sources.   The experienced A level teachers and examiners in the mfl dept also enjoy running a foreign language film club, ‘CINEKINO’ and after-school revision sessions are often offered.