Languages
Curriculum and Staffing
Introduction
The Waingels Languages department is passionate about the idea of everyone being a global citizen; respecting and celebrating different languages, cultures and diversity.
We aim to enthuse our students, providing them with the confidence and skills to communicate in another language successfully. We use the target language actively in our lessons, fostering passion in our students, while also equipping them with the skills they need to be successful in their future lives. These skills include listening to, and reading, authentic materials from a variety of sources, writing in different registers and ultimately being able to speak their foreign language within a range of different contexts. In this way students gain linguistic confidence, whilst enhancing their cultural perspective.
Years 7 & 8
At the beginning of Year 7, students will begin their study of French or Spanish. Students learn how to give personal information and to ask questions. In addition, students explore the different skills of listening, reading, writing and speaking and develop their own tool-kit of strategies to help with their own language learning. Our year 7 and 8 students are also encouraged to make the most of our cultural links with France and Spain and pen-pal letter writing projects are very popular.
Students will receive a weekly homework which will enable them to practise and consolidate their reading and writing skills.
Across Year 7 and 8, students are assessed half-termly. The assessments cover the 4 main skills and are all linked to the future assessment they will face in the GCSEs examinations.
Year 9
In Year 9, our scheme of work allows students to deepen their grammatical knowledge and develop their skills of translation in preparation for their GCSE studies. The topics we study are more closely linked to the GCSE course and students are encouraged to write in length, demonstrating a wider range of complexity. Topics covered include media & fashion, food & healthy living, along with our local area & home.
As in Year 7 and 8, students continue to be assessed half-termly. Our assessments cover the 4 main skills and begin to mirror the types of assessment students will need to undertake during their GCSE studies.
Students begin their GCSE Language course in the summer term of year 9.
Years 10 & 11
The study of a Language at GCSE level is strongly advised for the majority of students. The GCSE examinations, which take place at the end of Year 11, are comprised of 4 elements; listening, speaking, reading and writing. The speaking exam takes place in early May and this is conducted by the student’s teacher.
The new specifications can be accessed here:
We run scheduled revision sessions in year 11, as well as speaking clinics aimed at students of various abilities and needs.
Sixth Form
French and Spanish are both popular options at A level. Studying a Language at A level is superb preparation for many careers and degrees such as Teaching, Interpretation & Translation, Law, International Business, Journalism, Advertising, Engineering and many, many more. Virtually all students of the same age in the EU study at least one European language as well as their own and, given the changing economic and political climate, it is more important than ever to be able to compete on equal terms with counterparts in other countries.
Moreover, learning languages teaches you adaptability and communication skills as well as developing the ability to ‘think outside the box.’ A language A Level is a highly sought after qualification in many businesses.
The new specifications can be accessed here:
Careers & Future Study
Your ability to use a foreign language may make all the difference between getting into university and/or getting a job. 95% of language graduates enter employment immediately after graduation.
Language skills will improve your job chances and can increase your salary by up to 20%. Virtually all students of the same age in the European Community study at least one European language as well as their own. You must be able to compete on equal terms with your counterparts in other countries.
As well as continuing your study of languages at university, there are many apprenticeship opportunities which would benefit from knowledge of another language. Languages are also useful in a wide range of careers such as:
- Cabin Crew
- Solicitor
- Travel Services
- Customer Services
- Retail
- Public Services
- Leisure Travel
- International Trade
- Civil service
- Language Analyst
- TEFL Teaching
- Licensed Conveyancer
- Hospitality & Catering
Extra-Curricular Opportunities
The Languages department offers a very wide range of extra-curricular opportunities to broaden our students’ experiences and to enable our students to visit the country of their Language.
In KS3, all our students will be offered the opportunity to visit the country of their language. Students studying French visit Le Touquet and the northern French coastal area. Students studying Spanish visit Barcelona. In addition, for KS5, we currently organise theatre visits and work experience.
Year 8 AAA students have the opportunity to undertake a languages project involving local primary schools. We also enjoy celebrating the European Day of Language in September and encourage students and staff to join in the festivities. An integral part of our curriculum is our cultural calendar and during their languages studies, irrespective of language, students will become familiar with, and celebrate, a wide range of target language festivals and cultural celebrations
Subject Leader: Mrs L Verhoog - Teacher of French & Spanish
Staff:
Miss A Bravo-Lopez – Teacher of Spanish
Miss A Cinque - Teacher of French & Spanish
Mr T Gonzalez- Teacher of Spanish
Mrs A Jenner - Teacher of French & English
Mr S Lawless - Teacher of French & Spanish
