A DIFFERENT LANGUAGE IS A DIFFERENT VISION OF LIFE

Federico Fellini

Our aim is to promote a love of languages and for pupils to experience the joy and satisfaction of being able to understand and communicate in a language other than their native tongue and to develop an awareness of themselves as global citizens, with an appreciation of the wider world and their place in it, and with an empathetic whole-world philosophy and sensibility.

French is taught from Reception to Year 11 and enthusiasm for the French language and culture is generated from a very early age through active learning in lessons, including traditional French stories, songs and games, with personalised learning tailored to meet individual needs and designed to encourage engagement and oral participation.

The department firmly advocates the communicative method of language teaching, placing emphasis on speaking work and developing the communication skills of students in order to enable them to understand the language and to become confident and independent French speakers. Authentic French materials are used wherever possible and group and pair is used as a means to develop collaboration and team-work skills.

Whole-school and extra-curricular events such as European Day of Language celebrations and trips to France are popular events on the school calendar which help to instil a cultural and linguistic sense of adventure, with pupils able to develop their experience of French life and culture and put into practice the language skills learnt.