In Modern Foreign Languages (MFL) at Key Stage 3 we aim to give students a broad range of topics to study which are relevant to their own lives and therefore easier to talk about. Grammar is developed progressively throughout the three years and is regularly revised and re-used in different contexts. The topics also begin to introduce the culture from countries where the target language is spoken to give students a greater understanding of the world around them and of other societies and cultures.

The skills of listening, reading, speaking, writing and translation are all developed simultaneously through varied classroom activities and students are provided with a vocabulary booklet to help with their home learning.  Students follow the Dynamo, Stimmt and Viva courses at Key Stage 3. We also use a variety of new technologies and students have access to interactive resources such as ActiveLearn and Memrise.

Students have five hours per fortnight of languages in Years 7 and 8 and six in Year 9.  This includes one timetabled hour in an ICT room where students use a range of MFL websites to consolidate and enhance their classroom learning. They are taught in mixed ability groups with students stretched and challenged through the teaching and learning they receive from our specialist language teachers.

Students study one language at Key Stage 3 which ensures that they are able to immerse themselves in the language and develop an ability to communicate well in that language to prepare them for the GCSE course from Year 10.  We are looking at ways to support the introduction of a second foreign language without diluting the quality of the language taught.

Students study the same language throughout the whole of KS3 which they can then opt to continue to GCSE and A Level. They will be assigned a language according to the half of the year they are placed in with the three languages rotating each year.