STAFF:
Mrs ReidMrs Haddock
Miss Irwin
Mrs McSorley
Mrs Abel
About our Department
LEARNING A FOREIGN LANGUAGE IS ESSENTIAL these days now that travel abroad is more common. Children in Year 8 have the opportunity of learning either French or Spanish and most will continue their study of this language throughout their five years at the school. Most pupils will study a foreign language to GCSE level and results in both French and Spanish are of the highest standard.Topics taught are geared towards the pupil’s standard and need for practical usage, e.g. being able to order food on a holiday, asking for and understanding directions etc.
We seek to further enhance the language skills of our pupils through our on-going links with the Alsace region of France and our pupils are given the opportunity to have penpals as a further means of communicating with our European partners.
Teaching Methods
Pupils are taught interactively and use is made of television and video recordings, cassettes, mime, songs, games and ICT. We also run a European Club in which pupils are given the opportunity to experience the cultural aspects of the target country's language, for example cooking, flamenco dancing. In recent years we have been to the Grand Opera House for a Flamenco dancing show, to a French restaurant, to the theatre to see a French play and we even enjoyed a performance of a foreign play in school, which was a great success. Pupils currently in Years 8, 9 and 10 do G.O.M.L. and at the end of each year they sit an examination in the 4 skills of speaking, listening, reading and writing. If they pass they receive a certificate at levels 1, 2 or 3 respectively.
