Curriculum

MFL

Curriculum Intent

Language learning empowers students by developing their ambition, respect, resilience and pride.  

Learning a foreign language is a skill that will be with our students for life. Our pupils show Respect by being open minded to broaden their view of the world when studying the culture of Germany, France or Spain.

Foreign languages not only allow students to increase the range of people they can communicate with, but also allow our pupils to show resilience by embracing another language other than their mother tongue.

Our pupils demonstrate ambition by completing homework on time and to the best of their ability and by revising well for assessments to ensure that they can show Pride in their achievement

How knowledge and skills build through Key Stage 3

Our curriculum is designed to introduce and build on grammar and vocabulary in a topic-based setting.

In year 7 students get the opportunity to learn French, German and Spanish on a rotational basis. This allows students to build on possible previous knowledge they might have had as well as introducing them to another language using a common framework. At the end of year 7 students can choose which language they want to study for year 8 and beyond. Allowing students to experience the three languages that we teach and then letting students choose one empowers them and ultimately produces better more invested learners.

How it builds on the Key Stage 2 primary curriculum

Previous language knowledge of Pupils at Key Stage 2 can be quite varied due to different schools having different language provisions. It is common to have a year 7 cohort with a number of students having some knowledge of French, German and Spanish and some students having no foreign language knowledge. The Year 7 curriculum is designed to bring all students to the same level and expose them to the similarities of the teaching of the different languages.

Beyond Kingshill – Post 16 and careers

Languages at GCSE are versatile qualifications that can be continued at A Level. Studying languages can open the door to many diverse careers. Students with language qualifications can choose to work directly on language related jobs such as translators, tour guides teachers, interpreters, representatives. However, languages are known as being facilitator subjects; taking an A-level in a language would allow you to apply to any degree, not just a language related one. Languages are always a fantastic skill to have that employers’ value.  

What topics will my child study? 
  • Terms 1 and 4, French:
    • Greetings, dates & numbers, school items, colours, animals, where you live, the weather and sports.
  • Terms 2 and 5, German:
    • Greetings, dates & numbers, school items, colours, food and describing your school
  • Terms 3 and 6, Spanish:
    • Greetings, dates & numbers, school items, colours, animals, family and physical descriptions
What homework will they get?

In KS3 homework is retrieval. Students will be given vocabulary to study and will be tested on recall of the vocabulary.

How will they be assessed in MFL?
  • Regular vocab tests in the lessons
  • At the end of each term there will be an assessment covering the topic that has been learnt over the term as well as previous knowledge.
As a parent, how can I help my child in this subject?
  • Help quiz them on the vocabulary
  • Help them make flash cards of words and test them
  • Encourage them to recall what they have learnt in the lesson
  • Encourage them to be in contact with the language through using apps like Duolingo or watching shows in the foreign language.
What topics will my child study? 
  • French:
    • Term 1: Family, house and food.
    • Term 2: personal and physical descriptions.
    • Term 3: School subjects and description of school.
    • Term 4: social media, sports and weather.
    • Term 5: My town and area what you are going to do.
    • Term 6: Holiday, what you did, the past tense and plan a play for Primary students.
  • German:
    • Term 1: Name, physical description, pets and family.
    • Term 2: Free time activities, sports and hobbies.
    • Term 3: My house and my bedroom description.
    • Term 4: Where you live, my house and my town.
    • Term 5: Holiday, places to stay and free time.
    • Term 6: Buying food, eating out, shops and plan a play for Primary students.
  • Spanish:
    • Term 1: Name, physical description, birthdays and family.
    • Term 2: Free time activities, the weather, sports.
    • Term 3: School subjects and description of school.
    • Term 4: Family descriptions, where you live, my house.
    • Term 5: My town and area what you are going to do.
    • Term 6: Holiday, what you did, the past tense and plan a play for Primary students.
What homework will they get?

In KS3 homework is retrieval. Students will be given vocabulary to study and will be tested on recall of the vocabulary.

How will they be assessed in MFL?
  • Regular vocab tests in the lessons
  • At the end of each term there will be an assessment covering the topic that has been learnt over the term as well as previous knowledge.
As a parent, how can I help my child in this subject?
  • Help quiz them on the vocabulary
  • Help them make flash cards of words and test them
  • Encourage them to recall what they have learnt in the lesson
  • Encourage them to be in contact with the language through using apps like Duolingo or watching shows in the foreign language.
What topics will my child study? 
  • French:
    • Term 1: Free-time, TV, films and hobbies.
    • Term 2: describing holidays in past tense
    • Term 3: Personality friendship music and clothes
    • Term 4: Where I live, rooms of the house and food
    • Term 5: Prepare a lesson for primary students and travel project
    • Term 6: Term 1 Y10
  • German:
    • Term 1: Free-time, TV, films and hobbies.
    • Term 2: Health and illnesses.
    • Term 3: Clothes and socialising with friends.
    • Term 4: travel and talking in future tense.
    • Term 5: Prepare a lesson for primary students and Sophie Scholl Film Project
    • Term 6: Term 1 Y10
  • Spanish:
    • Term 1: Name, physical description, birthdays and family.
    • Term 2: Free time activities, the weather, sports.
    • Term 3: School subjects and description of school.
    • Term 4: Family descriptions, where you live, my house.
    • Term 5: Prepare a lesson for primary students and travel project
    • Term 6: Term 1 Y10
What homework will they get?

In KS3 homework is retrieval. Students will be given vocabulary to study and will be tested on recall of the vocabulary.

How will they be assessed in MFL?
  • Regular vocab tests in the lessons
  • At the end of each term there will be an assessment covering the topic that has been learnt over the term as well as previous knowledge.
As a parent, how can I help my child in this subject?
  • Help quiz them on the vocabulary
  • Help them make flash cards of words and test them
  • Encourage them to recall what they have learnt in the lesson
  • Encourage them to be in contact with the language through using apps like Duolingo or watching shows in the foreign language.
link to Key Stage 4 GCSE curriculum

French

German

Spanish

Edexcel GCSE French

Edexcel GCSE German

Edexcel GCSE Spanish

Qualification at a glance

 

What topics will my child study? 

The course covers topic areas that are engaging and relevant to young people.  Assessment is equally weighted. All examinations will take place at the end of the course in Year 11. The themes are:

  • My personal world
  • Lifestyle and wellbeing
  • My neighbourhood
  • Media and technology
  • Studying and my future
  • Travel and tourism

Within the themes the students are expected to learn the specified vocabulary and grammar to listen, read, speak and write about the following subjects:

Range of skills

The course will consist of a range of activities, designed specifically to focus on and develop the four skill areas of language learning: Listening, Speaking, Reading and Writing, preparing the candidate with the necessary skills and knowledge to succeed in the final examinations.  Approaches to teaching and learning are varied and will include individual and group work, role play, use of ICT and pupil presentations.

What homework will they get?

In KS4 homework will be a mix of retrieval and recall as well as practicing exam skills.

How will they be assessed in MFL?
  • Regular vocab tests in the lessons
  • At the end of each term there will be an assessment covering the topic that has been learnt over the term as well as previous knowledge.
  • Four exams at the end of the GCSE:   

  

Skill

Duration of exam

Percentage of final grade

Listening

35-45 mins

25%

Reading

45 mins – 1 hour

25%

Speaking

20 minutes

25%

Writing

1 hour – 1 hour 15 minutes

25%

 

As a parent, how can I help my child in this subject?
  • Help quiz them on the vocabulary
  • Help them make flash cards of words and test them
  • Encourage them to recall what they have learnt in the lesson
  • Encourage them to be in contact with the language through using apps like Duolingo or watching shows in the foreign language.

 


 

What other opportunities do they have outside of the classroom?

Year 8 and year 9 have the opportunity to go to either Paris or Madrid in June (the trips are done in alternative years.

Year 10 have the opportunity of going to Munich or Barcelona (depending on the subjects they are studying)

Year 9 have the opportunity to plan and teach a primary lesson to primary students in term 5.

Year 8 have the opportunity to plan, create and perform a short play in their language of choice to primary students in term 6.

Useful links/resources

Admissions
Letters to Parents
Newsletters
Term Dates