Curriculum Intent

MFL whole curriculum intent

• To give pupils transferable skills for language learning which can be used across all different topic areas and key stages.
• To enable pupils to be effective communicators in a global world.
• To facilitate the learning of key vocabulary, structures and grammar which allow for effective, accurate communication in German.
• To foster a cultural understanding of German speaking countries and their place in the wider world. To develop an interest in, and understanding of, German music, films, sport, history and other aspects of the culture.
• To allow pupils to be creative in their use of German, confident in their application of the language in a range of contexts.
• To enable pupils to be independent learners, using all of the resources at their disposal to become more proficient language learners.
• To prepare pupils for their next steps in language education and ultimately its role in the workplace and wider world.
• To inspire pupils to travel and use their language skills.
• To allow pupils to see and explore cross-curricular links using their language skills.

Key Stage 3

For all students, Year 7 begins with an introduction to language learning which does not focus on one individual language, rather upon teaching students to use a cross-language approach which also encompasses their knowledge from primary school English, MFL and any home languages to give students transferable skills for language learning and grammatical building blocks, which can be used across all different topic areas and key stages.

We teach British values in the area of global citizenship. A message of tolerance and understanding in the context of learning more about the world is paramount in our approach. Our subject gives students valuable learning skills and strategies which they can apply to their other subjects, not least rote learning, a skill not much used in many subjects.

Year 7 topics are heavily cognate based to allow students to confidently access the material. Later KS3 topics allow them to talk about themselves and their interests. We also have a strong focus on different cultural topics; we teach about festivals, history and specific events in order to foster the students interest in the target language countries. We have a Year 9 trip to the Christmas markets to allow students to practise their language skills in an authentic context and experience German culture first-hand.

We are a department which embraces technology and leads the school in our use of it, which increases student motivation, interest, IT skills, and relevance in the modern world.

Key Stage 4

Our aim in KS4 is to prepare students for A Level and not just pass the GCSE.

We consolidate the grammar and skills covered at KS3, but also build on and extend this knowledge by applying an increasing number of complex topics and structures.

FLTs are available for students to practise in small groups to improve their oral confidence and fluency. This also gives them an opportunity to learn about the target language culture and nuanced idiomatic expressions.

We use a variety of authentic resources, such as songs, articles, alongside the course textbook to maintain interest, enjoyment and challenge. German lessons are very varied in approach and students are used to tackling topics in a wide variety of ways.

Exchanges are a pivotal part of our KS4 experience, allowing students to practise their language skills in an authentic context and experience German culture and lifestyle first-hand.

Key Stage 5

Our aim is to produce confident linguists, who are capable of holding a conversation with a native speaker on a whole range of issues, linguists who would be at home studying, working and living in the target language country.

Sixth form language learning encompasses many other subject areas such as history, politics, music, drama, literature and film studies, in addition to current affairs and in depth discussion and critical analysis of the target language culture. Students spent a lot of time with FLAs perfecting their speaking skills.

Students have a freedom of choice for their Independent Research Project (IRP), an oral project which allows them to investigate an area of interest completely independently and also teaches them valuable research skills, which prepares them for university.

We consistently go beyond the textbook in our use of authentic resources, wider discussion of issues and teaching students about the wider world.

Our Exchange to students is open to Year 12 students, many of whom have chosen German so that they can go again. The exchange in Year 12 really shows them the progress they have made in two years and allows them to have proper conversations with their hosts and engage in all sorts of discussions. The Berlin trip offered in Year 13 not only allows students to visit the German capital, parliament building and other sites, but also ties in with the course topics of Berlin, Art & Culture, Politics, Immigration and the Cold War.

Impact

Key Stage 3

• Learned how to use 3 different time frames, opinions & justifications to prepare them for GCSE.
• Developed their language detective skills, giving them an increased awareness of the grammatical terms used in languages, and made links between different languages—metacognition developed from the first week of Y7.
• Become more confident in trying, even if they may make mistakes.
• Used technology effectively to enhance their learning—we exclusively use digital exercise books in German at KS3.
• Made cross curricular links with other subjects, such as History & Geography.
• Improved all four skills: speaking, listening, reading and writing.
• Become familiar with techniques and question styles required at GCSE.
• Had regular opportunities for co-curricular enrichment, through activities such as translation competitions and the Y9 trip to the Christmas Markets in the Rhineland.
• Been inspired to carry on studying the language at GCSE.

Key Stage 4

• Covered the topics and grammar points set out in the GCSE specification.
• Become familiar and confident with the skills required at GCSE.
• Used exam-style questions in classwork, homework and assessments to prepare them for exams.
• Learned about diverse cultural aspects of German speaking countries e.g. Karneval.
• Used technology effectively to enhance their learning.
• Become more confident speakers, able to have short conversations in German, through regular practice with the FLA. Able to respond in a variety of different situations, role plays, different stimuli etc.
• Had regular opportunities for co-curricular enrichment, through activities such as translation competitions and the Y10 exchange to Stuttgart.
• Been inspired to carry on the subject at A Level.
• Become able to access a range of authentic texts and materials and deal with them appropriately.

Key Stage 5

• Developed a life-long love of the German language and passion for Germanic culture.
• Acquired confidence in speaking in German for an extended period of time on a variety of topical issues.
• Acquired the necessary grammatical knowledge to be able express themselves as accurately and fluently as possible, both when speaking and when writing.
• Acquired the appropriate examination techniques, such as writing summaries & doing translations to enable them to access the top grades at A Level.
• Acquired a thorough knowledge of various current issues in German-speaking countries, such as the political system, immigration and the effects of reunification.
• Developed independent research skills, through the IRP.
• Had opportunities to practise their language skills in a real life situation through an exchange to Stuttgart in Y12 and a trip to Berlin in Y13.
• Been provided with the opportunities, skills and support to enable them to study German and other language- related courses at top universities, including Oxbridge.
• Learned a life skill which can be married as a skill to any future job.