Curriculum
Modern Foreign Languages
Mission Statement
At Fairfax, the Modern Foreign Languages faculty aim to create and develop enthusiastic and independent language learners. Our students are encouraged to develop a curiosity and fascination in discovering the world around them, as well as having an interest and intention to travel in order to deepen their understanding of different cultures and societies. We are committed to establishing a learning environment that encourages students to feel confident about taking risks and developing informed opinions. Students will also have opportunities to visit and experience life in France and Germany through study trips abroad.
The Faculty of MFL is forward-thinking and outward-looking. The faculty offers many varied opportunities to all students to achieve its aims from study tours through pen-friend links to a wide range of enrichment activities.
Why do we need to speak more languages?
Only 6% of the world’s population speaks English as a mother tongue. Over 75% of people in the world speak no English at all. The UK already exports more to France than the Commonwealth and more to Germany than the USA.
Nearly three-quarters of the British public think everyone should speak a foreign language, but only one third actually does.
“If you talk to a man in a language he understands, that goes to his head. If you talk to him in his own language, that goes to his heart” Nelson Mandela
“A man that does not know a foreign language is ignorant of his own.”
Johann Wolfgang von Goethe
A good MFL student…
Attends school regularly!
Always has the right equipment (exercise book, study book and stationery).
Tries hard to learn vocabulary thoroughly
Takes every opportunity to practice speaking
Looks for the differences and similarities between English and French/German
Uses the study booklet or dictionary/other reference materials
Has an appreciation of and interest in foreign cultures
Will always ask for help when they don’t understand something
French at Key Stage 3
Year 7, 8 and 9
Topics Studied:
Students begin year 7 by learning key phonics and these new sounds is reinforced throughout the year. During year 7 students study 6 different topics in French. They start by introducing themselves in the present tense and giving opinions. Students then move on to talking about their families, their school life, sport, free time and hobbies and their house and home. Students will also learn the key grammatical ideas on which all languages are built and these will be reinforced across all units.
The knowledge of the grammatical structures acquired in year 7 are essential in order to be able to access the year 8 curricula, where students learn to describe events in the past and future as well as continue revising the present tense and develop more complex structures. During year 8 students study 6 different topics including holidays, celebrations and digital technologies.
In year 9, students will continue to build upon previously learned grammar principles, as well as introducing some new concepts. They will cover a variety of topics including future plans, music, the protecting the world and French speaking countries. The structure of our KS3 curriculum will provide students with sufficient preparation for KS4 and their GCSE in French.
Subject specific websites to support revision and independent learning:
ActiveLearn
BBC Bitesize (KS3 French)
Linguascope (Beginner level).
Additional Information:
Students are issued with a study booklet at the start of the year.
French at Key Stage 4
Year 10 and 11
Year 10
Topics Studied:
In year 10 students will begin the GCSE course. The GCSE curriculum focusses on 3 themes which are then threaded throughout our KS4 teaching. They are: Identity and culture, Local, national, international and global areas of interest and Current and future study and employment. Most of the topics covered in KS4 have also been taught in KS3. Students will be developing their reading, writing, translation, listening and speaking skills in the context of four new topics: daily life and special occasions, describing the local area and talking about holidays.
Exam Board:
AQA Assessment structure: 25 % will be awarded to each skill (listening, speaking, writing and reading). There is no coursework.
Subject specific websites to support revision and independent learning:
ActiveLearn
Memrise
BBC Bitesize (KS4 French)
Linguascope (Intermediate level)
AQA exam website for past papers.
Recommended subject guides:
AQA revision guides and workbooks can be purchased through the department. Students are issued with a vocabulary book that is used throughout the GCSE course.
Additional Information:
An extra provision calendar is published every term. Additional support is provided at lunchtime or after school as needed.
Year 11
Topics Studied: In year 11 students will continue to develop their reading, writing, listening and speaking skills in the context of four new topics – current and future study, employment and social and global issues.
Exam Board:
AQA Assessment structure: As per Year 10
Subject specific websites to support revision and independent learning:
ActiveLearn
Memrise
BBC Bitesize (KS4 French)
Linguascope (Intermediate level)
AQA exam website for past papers.
Recommended subject guides:
AQA revision guides and workbooks can be purchased through the department. Students were issued with a vocabulary book that is used throughout the GCSE course.
Additional Information:
An extra provision calendar is published every term. Additional support is provided at lunchtime or after school, as needed.
German at Key Stage 3
Topics Studied:
Topics Studied:
We start Year 7 by learning key phonics and the learning of these new sounds is reinforced throughout the year. During year 7, students’ cover 6 different units in German. Students start by introducing themselves in the present tense and give opinions. Students then move on to talk about their families, sport, free time and hobbies and their home and town. The students will learn the key grammatical ideas on which all languages are built and these will be reinforced across all units.
The knowledge of the grammatical structures acquired in year 7 are essential in order to be able to access the Year 8 curricula, where students learn to describe events in the past as well as continue revising the present tense and develop more complex structures. During year 8 students’ cover 6 different units including their school life, weather and holidays, and clothes and free time.
In year 9, the students will continue to build upon previously learned grammar principles, as well as learning to describe events in the future. In year 9 they will also cover a variety of topics including, customs and celebrations from other German speaking countries, new year’s resolutions, food and drink, being healthy and film and TV. The structure of our KS3 curriculum will provide students with sufficient preparation for KS4 and their GCSE in German.
Subject specific websites to support revision and independent learning:
Subject specific websites to support revision and independent learning:
BBC Bitesize (KS3 German)
Linguascope
Quizlet
Additional Information:
Students are issued with a study booklet at the start of the year with key vocabulary, phrases and grammar explanations. Students are also actively encouraged to use the internet through online streaming of tv and music to practice and hone their language skills.
German at Key Stage 4
Year 10
Topics Studied:
The GCSE curriculum focusses on 3 themes which are then threaded throughout our KS4 teaching. They are: Identity and culture, Local, national, international and global areas of interest and Current and future study and employment. Most of the topics covered in KS4 have also been taught in KS3. In year 10 the students will both revise previously taught topics and cover new topics, such as family and relationships, media and technology, free time and hobbies, eating out, healthy living, and going on holiday. Previously taught grammar is also embedded and re-taught across the year, in some cases in more detail.
Year 11
Topics Studied:
The GCSE curriculum focusses on 3 themes which are then threaded throughout our KS4 teaching. They are: Identity and culture, Local, national, international and global areas of interest and Current and future study and employment. Most of the topics covered in KS4 have also been taught in KS3. In year 11 the students will both revise previously taught topics and cover new topics, such as school life, post-16 choices, jobs and careers and home and town. Previously taught grammar is also embedded and re-taught across the year.
Exam Board:
AQA
Assessment structure:
In Year 10, there will be assessments covering each skill, speaking, reading, listening, writing and translation, throughout the year, which will be in line with the current GCSE specification. Moreover, there will be further opportunities to practice these skills in class.
In Year 11, as well as GCSE exams at the end of the year, all students will continue to be assessed in all skills according to the GCSE specification until their exams. There will be assessments covering each skill, speaking, reading, listening, writing and translation. Each skill is worth 25%, with translation forming parts of the writing and reading exams. Moreover, there will be further opportunities to practice these skills in class.
Subject specific websites to support revision and independent learning:
- Kerboodle
- BBC Bitesize (KS3 German)
- Linguascope (Beginner and intermediate level)
- Memrise
- Quizlet
Recommended subject guides:
AQA revision guides and workbooks can be purchased through the department.
Additional Information:
An extra provision calendar is published every term. Additional support is provided at lunchtime or after school as needed. Students are also actively encouraged to use the internet through online streaming of tv and music to practice and hone their language skills.
Extra Curricular Activities
MFL Lunchtime Clubs and after-school support
Pen-friend links with schools in France and Germany
Annual study tours to France or Germany
Follow us on our Twitter account: @FairfaxMFL
