Modern Languages

The current MFL Departmental is composed of four full time members of staff:
Miss L. Boquet, French native-speaker, fully qualified teacher of French & Spanish, Subject Leader for MFL;
Miss S. Johnson, English-native speaker, fully qualified teacher of French & German, Assistant Subject Leader for MFL responsible for French KS5;
Mr D. Owen, English-native speaker, fully qualified teacher of German & French, Assistant Subject Leader for MFL with the responsibility for German;
Miss A. Gabriele, Italian native-speaker, fully qualified teacher, Teacher of French & Spanish. During her Maternity Leave, Miss A. Gabriele is currently replaced by Miss A. Paradis, French-native speaker, Teacher of French & Spanish.

The MFL Department is also very privileged to use the expertise of one French Language Assistant, Ms C. Lehmann, who gives individual speaking sessions to our L6 & U6 once a week (from October to May).

The MFL Department aims at the teaching and learning of French and German in a reciprocal respectful and enthusiastic atmosphere. All students learn French from Year 7 and each student must opt for a MFL (French or German) at KS4. There is also the possibility of studying a MFL at KS5. From September 2010, Year 8 students will learn Spanish as a second language.

Students will be taught the Modern Foreign Language’s vocabulary, grammar points and cultural facts throughout a well-planned and structured Schemes of Work and lessons that will focus on the four linguistic skills (listening, speaking, reading and writing) with a wide variety of activities, including ICT, creative and social skills and the use of authentic material, thus meeting the three types of learners: Visual, Auditory and Kinaesthetic. Teachers also follow the 2008 MFL National Curriculum requirements & The MFL KS3 Literacy Strategy. PLTS & CCDs activities are integrated in our lessons, following the national statutory requirements.

Some trips and visits are organised to broaden students’ general knowledge and make them discover the Target Language culture as well as pure Cultural Awareness lessons. Students watch three French/German films a year in order to make them appreciate French/German humour, social conventions, spontaneity and fluency of the language.