The Languages Department OVERVIEW

The Languages Department is housed in the new teaching block (completed August 2000). There are eight full time and two part time members of staff. The Department has sole use of a new (installed 2009) multimedia language laboratory.

On entering the school in Year 7, all girls begin two subjects with the option of stating preferences from French, Spanish, German and Latin. They are taught this language in tutor groups until the end of year 9.

At the end of Year 9, when they make their option choices, they also have an opportunity to begin an ab initio course in Ancient Greek to GCSE level. They must continue to study one modern language, but many maintain the study of both their foreign languages to GCSE level. In addition, our most talented students in German follow a Fast Track course which enables them to take their GCSE early at the end of year 10 and then they study for AS German in year 11. We have also introduced Mandarin as an additional, non-European language which is studied in a twilight session at the end of the school day. Students are able to sit for the widely recognised Asset Languages qualification to accredit their increasing skills in Chinese Reading, Writing, Speaking and Listening.

In the Sixth Form, five languages are offered at AS and A2 level: French, German, Spanish, Latin and Ancient Greek.

The department employs a variety of resources in its teaching. French uses the course books 'Encore Tricolore' - nouvelle edition in Key Stages 3 and 4, German follows the 'Logo' course, Spanish uses the 'Listos' course books to the end of year 11, supplemented by the 'Vaya' text book. Latin uses the Cambridge Latin Course.

Most upper school classes are taught in the Language Laboratory during one 60-minute period every other week, and all classrooms are equipped with tape recorders, overhead projectors, and interactive whiteboards. We use a range of teaching aids including song, video, DVD, drama and language games as well as stressing a grammatical understanding of the language being learned. The department is currently updating its own website for use in and out of school. The Classics Website is already well established.

The Languages Department runs several trips each year.

The French department organises an annual study tour to Paris for students from years 10 and 12. In 2010 we also collaborated with St Philomena's High School and a partner school in Belgium to run our first work-experience abroad exchange. This will expand further in 2011. There is also an annual study visit to Spain for pupils learning Spanish. In 2010 a group of 42 girls from year 10 and year 12 stayed with families in Granada. Other destinations have included Seville, Madrid and Barcelona.
The Classics department organises a trip to Italy or Greece every other year. In previous years the trip has taken girls to Rome and Sorrento and to Greece. In addition, the Classics department provides girls studying Latin and Greek with the opportunity to go out of school on many day visits to lectures, museums and theatre productions.
The German department takes students from years 8 and 9 to Germany for the Christmas markets in December. Year 10 and 12 students will also enjoy a study trip to Berlin in 2011.