Overview
We believe that the ability to communicate in a foreign language not only makes travelling abroad far more enjoyable but also opens up a whole host of doors and rewarding experiences to a young person including the excitement of discovering a new culture.
“If you talk to a man in a language he understands, that goes to his head. If you talk to him in his language, that goes to his heart.” Nelson Mandela
Speaking another language is a skill highly valued by a wide range of employers. Universities see the ability to study and succeed in a foreign language as a marker of commitment, dedication and academic ability, and therefore having a qualification in a language is high on the list of priorities of many of Britain’s best universities. Language graduates are able to enter a wide range of professions, such as journalism, tourism, law and publishing, to name just a few.
In the Modern Foreign Languages department students are encouraged to develop their linguistic fluency through a varied curriculum that focuses on both the language itself as well as its target cultures in equal measures.
Key Stage 4 GCSE. Years 10-11
SPANISH OR FRENCH?
We recommend that all pupils take a GCSE in a foreign language. The language you started in Year 7 may be the obvious option for the majority of students, as you have all studied it for longer; however, the intensive work that you do on your second language during Years 8 and 9 in Spanish is more than adequate preparation for choosing the language as a GCSE option. It is also possible to take two language GCSEs; students who do this really benefit from the similarity of the courses and always do very well.
Course Content
Over the course, students will cover a variety of topics linked to them and their wider global community. All four skills are based around the following three themes: identity and culture, local and global areas of interest, current and future study and employment. Within these students will have the opportunity to branch out to debates of topics that are of genuine interest to them. The course structures for French and Spanish GCSE are identical and focus on developing reading, listening, speaking and writing skills. The course is linear with all exams taking place at the end of Year 11 and there is an equal weighting of all four skills (25%) and students must be entered for the same tier (higher or foundation) for all. The reading and listening exams give students the opportunity to discover and reflect on extracts of authentic materials and we are pleased to see that translation has become a key element of the written paper. With increased emphasis on spontaneous speech and interaction, our aim is to enable students of all abilities to develop their language skills to their full potential, equipping them with the knowledge to communicate in a variety of contexts with confidence.
Trips, Visits and Exchanges
We believe that it is important to see how foreign languages can be put to use in authentic situations. This allows a student of a language to really see the progress they are making and adds relevance to their studies. For this reason, we offer a wide range of trips and visits for both languages, from exchange programmes and residential trips to day trips to many of the facilities that London already has to offer. We now run exchanges to both Strasbourg in France and Córdoba in Spain.
Exam Board – AQA
Final Grade – Grades 1-9
Structure of Assessment
25% Paper 1 – Listening exam
25% Paper 2 – Speaking exam (role-play & general conversation)
25% Paper 3 – Reading exam (including short translation)
25% Paper 4 – Written exam (including short translation)
Key Stage 5 A Level. Years 12-13
Examination Board: AQA
French Specification: Click here.
Spanish Specification: Click here.
Course Content
The new AQA A-level specification builds on the knowledge, understanding and skills gained at GCSE. It constitutes an integrated study with a focus on language, culture and society. It fosters a range of transferable skills including communication, critical thinking, research skills and creativity, which are valuable to the individual and society. The content is suitable for students who wish to progress to employment or further study, including a modern languages degree.
The approach is a focus on how French/Spanish-speaking society has been shaped socially and culturally and how it continues to change. In the first year, aspects of the social context are studied, together with aspects of the artistic life of French/Spanish-speaking countries. In the second year, further aspects of the social background are covered, this time focusing on matters associated with multiculturalism. Students also study aspects of the political landscape including the future of political life in the French/Hispanic world by focusing on young people and their political engagement.
Students will develop their knowledge and understanding of themes relating to the culture and society of countries where French/Spanish is spoken, and their language skills. They will do this by using authentically spoken and written sources in French/Spanish.
Skills Gained from Taking this Course
Linguistic skills: analysis of linguistic structures, awareness of the structures of the components of the Latin and English language.
Analytical skills: literary, cultural and historical.
Reading skills: texts with challenging content and language.
Written expression and ability to plan and write essays.
Independent enquiry skills.
Understanding of moral, social and political structures which are foundations of our own.
St Marylebone Entry Requirements
To gain entry into the sixth form at St Marylebone School, students must gain a minimum of five 9-6 grades at GCSE and a 5 grade in English and Maths GCSE.
Subject Specific Entry Requirements
For French A Level: Grade 6 in French GCSE.
For Spanish A Level: Grade 6 in Spanish GCSE.
Entry Suggestions
Have a secure grasp of verb tenses studied at GCSE, and be able to express yourself confidently in past, present and future time frames.
Have an interest in the history, politics and culture of the Target Language country e.g. who is the President/Prime Minister? What cultural differences/similaritiesEdexcel are there between the country and Britain? What historical events are celebrated by the citizens of the country and why?
An interest in exploring the cultures and identities of the wider French/Spanish speaking world through film, music etc.
If you are made an offer, you will be expected to complete the following before your first lesson in September:
French
Familiarise yourself with the new AQA A-level specification (online).
Go back over the main tenses and practise conjugating verbs on the spot (www.languagesonline.org.uk)
Try to read some authentic news stories and watch some short news clips to work on Listening skills and vocabulary.
Watch some French films and do a bit of research on the wider French-speaking world.
Preparing for Yr 12 – 2020
Spanish
Familiarise yourself with the new AQA A-level specification (online).
Go back over the main tenses and practise conjugating verbs on the spot (www.languagesonline.org.uk)
Try to read some authentic news stories and watch some short news clips (BBC Mundo) to work on Listening skills and vocabulary.
Watch some Spanish films and do a bit of research on the wider Spanish-speaking world.
Preparing for Yr 12 – 2020
Resources Needed for this Course:
A good bilingual dictionary (English – Target Language)
A modern grammar of the Target Language (we can recommend specific editions per language.)
