Modern Foreign Languages Overview

Zoe Pinkney
Head of Modern Foreign Languages

Head of Department

Please email Zoe Pinkney if you need to make an enquiry about Modern Foreign Languages.

Curriculum Time

In Year 7 and 8 sets 1, 2, 3 receive three hours per fortnight of French and three hours per fortnight of Spanish. Year 7 and Year 8 set 4 and set 5 students receive four hours of Spanish per fortnight. Currently in Year 9, students in set 1, 2 and 3 continue to receive three hours of French and three hours of Spanish per fortnight. Students in set 4 and set 5 receive two hours of French per week. At the end of Year 9 students can choose to opt for French or Spanish as one of their GCSE options. Currently there are 110 students at Ryedale School studying a foreign language at GCSE, receiving five hours of class time per fortnight.

Homework

At KS3 pupils studying French and Spanish receive 2 homeworks per week, whilst those studying only one language receive 2 homeworks per fortnight. At KS4 pupils receive 3 homeworks per fortnight. Homework is essential to our course, as it consolidates the learning of vocabulary and grammar taught in class.

Class Groupings

In Year 7, 8 and 9 students are grouped according to their English sets. A flexible approach is taken to the setting of GCSE groups, depending on numbers and the ability of the students who opt for a modern foreign language.

GCSE Syllabus

Year 11

We follow AQA 4655 GCSE French Syllabus and AQA 4695 GCSE Spanish Syllabus. The course is divided into four distinct areas: Unit 1 Listening (20%), Unit 2 Reading (20%), Unit 3 Speaking (30%) and Unit 4 Writing (30%). Units 1 and 2 are examined at the end of Year 11, and Unit 3 and 4 are controlled assessments which take place at specified times over the course.

Year 10

We follow AQA 8658 GCSE French Syllabus and AQA 8698 GCSE Spanish Syllabus. The course is divided into four distinct areas: Unit 1 Listening (25%), Unit 2 Speaking (25%), Unit 3 Reading (25%) and Unit 4 Writing (25%). This is a linear course so all units are examined at the end of Year 11. There are two tiers of entry; Foundation and Higher. http://www.aqa.org.uk/subjects/languages/gcse/french-8658 http://www.aqa.org.uk/subjects/languages/gcse/spanish-8698

Rooming and Resources

We have interactive whiteboards in every MFL classroom, using Boardworks software. We have developed multi-sensory resources to aid different learning styles and engage students with a variety of tasks based around group work, pair work and independent learning.

Departmental Ethos

We are committed to building the confidence of our students and to inspire and motivate them to develop a lifelong love of languages.

Extra-Curricular Opportunities

We provide a KS4 study club after school on a Tuesday and Thursday. Staff are available at lunchtime for any student needing extra help in KS3 or KS4. Latin is offered as an optional extra GCSE course to our gifted linguists.