We strive to harness up-to-date teaching methods and technology to enhance teaching and learning. We use Interactive Whiteboards in classrooms and all students have access to ICT suites. Faculties work together to ensure their schemes of work include an international dimension, such as studying the work of foreign writers and artists, learning about the geography and history of other countries, performing dances from other cultures or finding out how mathematics and science have been influenced by great historical figures from abroad.
The faculty of Modern Foreign Languages currently offers French, German, Italian, Spanish and Urdu, but we have also taught Portuguese, Russian and Arabic. In KS3, all students choose two languages and in KS4 all students study for at least one language qualification. Our results are impressive and have continued to improve each year.
Our vision for languages is “Bringing Languages Alive”. Lessons incorporate foreign music, Internet-based games and foreign websites, digital listening material, videos and films. Our MFL weblog is regularly updated and contains news, language tasks and exercises, and useful links. We enjoy the support of Foreign Language Assistants each year so that students have first hand experience of communicating with native speakers. Each year KS3 students thoroughly enjoy watching a play performed in a foreign language, and we hold a special day for each language we teach, where all staff use the language with students and they can try food from a different country.
