Ms. K. Gilmartin, Curriculum Leader           Mr A. Pickford, Assistant Curriculum Leader

Staffing in the MFL department:

Miss S. Barry, Teacher of Spanish and French
Mr. S. McGovern,  Assistant KS3 Manager, Teacher of French and Spanish
Mademoiselle A. Saulnier, Teacher of French
Mr. A. Ryder, Teacher of French, Spanish and Italian
Miss C. Bolton, Teacher of Classics
Señorita M. Pozo, Teacher of Spanish, Spanish Assistant
Mademoiselle E. Luong, French Assistant

Welcome to the Faculty of Modern Languages

We are proud of our Modern Foreign Languages Faculty and the results which our girls achieve.

At KS4 all girls study either French or Spanish to GCSE with an option to study both languages if they like.

At Key Stage 3 all girls study French and Spanish: one language for two hours per week and the other for one hour per week. Spanish and French alternate in being the major language with each new cohort.

At the end of the Key Stage girls can choose either language for GCSE regardless of which they have studied for more time.

We have also introduced an exciting new development in Year 9 where some groups are following a fast track course leading to a GCSE in French at the end of Year 10 to be followed by a GCSE in Spanish at the end of Year 11.

All girls will study at least one Modern Foreign Language to GCSE.

In the Sixth Form we have AS and A2 groups studying French and Spanish. Last year the majority of our Year 12 linguists enjoyed a week’s work experience in France or Spain or even both in some cases.

Learning languages is fun here at the Belvedere Academy. We have a committed team of 7 enthusiastic and experienced teachers two of whom are native speakers. We are also fortunate to have the help of a foreign language assistant in both French and Spanish. Lessons involve a variety of teaching styles with the target language being the medium through which teaching takes place. We are lucky to have a new suite of MFL rooms including 2 ‘state of the art’ Language Laboratories as well as a wide range of resources including satellite television, interactive whiteboards, video camera, videos and DVDs and a large selection of reading books. We are a forward-looking faculty, keen to embrace new technology wherever practicable.

Visits and links abroad are seen as an important part of language learning and trips take place on a regular basis. In the last year there have been trips to Paris and Barcelona as well as the 6th form work experience in France and Spain. This year we are planning a trip to Paris, an activity holiday to a chateau in Normandy and work experience for 6th former to France and Spain.

Modern Foreign Languages Department Aims

• To provide all students with the opportunity to learn two Modern Languages from Year 7 - Year 9.
• To provide most students with the opportunity to achieve GCSE in two Modern languages by Year 11.
• To encourage positive attitudes to foreign language learning and to the speakers of foreign languages.
• To enable students to enjoy using the target language for the purpose of practical communication.
• To equip students with the communication, social and grammatical skills to enable them to respond appropriately to a wide range of different situations.
• To offer insights into and promote better understanding of other countries and cultures thus encouraging the development of tolerance, empathy and consideration for others.
• To provide a sound base in the language skills required for post 16 studies.
• To provide all students with the opportunity to study Modern Languages through the use of ICT.
• To strive for excellence in the teaching of Modern Languages and continue to develop and share good practice to cater for the learning needs of all students.
• To deliver interesting, varied, motivating and challenging lessons with good pace at all times.
• To be aware of more and less able students and ensure appropriate levels of challenge and support.
• To provide all students with reinforcement in Literacy and Numeracy through the study of Modern Languages.
• To equip students with the relevant study skills for independent learning.
• To provide opportunities for students to develop the Key Skills of communication, application of number, ICT, working with others, improving own learning and performance and problem solving.

Why Learn Languages?

We live in a country where most of us speak one of the world’s most common languages, but today this isn’t enough. We cannot understand the whole world in English. We live in a multi-lingual world and learning languages gives us the key to other cultures, making us more open-minded as well as teaching us more about our own culture. Learning languages not only makes us able to communicate when we go on holiday or when we have foreign visitors to our country, it also builds confidence and develops problem-solving skills. There is no doubt that, in the 21st century, being able to communicate in another language makes us more employable which is very important in these times of high unemployment. All these reasons mean that learning languages is very important for the young people of today, but more than any of this, languages are fun and open the door to friendships which we would not otherwise enjoy.

Why Study French/Spanish?

Students who have the ability to offer potential employers the capability to speak a fluent level of a foreign language with a high degree of accuracy possess an extremely marketable and sought after skill. With the advent of a European free market in trade, industry and employment, combined with the ongoing development and rapidity of international communications, the relevance and value of the foreign language has never been more obvious. GCSE prepares students for exciting career opportunities in a wide range of professions such as tourism, banking, commerce, hospitality and catering, teaching, law, business administration.

The Advanced Level course aims to provide students with a thorough knowledge of the language and to develop, in particular, the skill of speaking with a high degree of fluency. The course will include all four skills: listening, speaking, reading and writing will be taught through topics of interest to young people and relevant to modern life. The main themes are: Leisure and lifestyles, Individual and Society, Environmental Issues and Social and Political Issues.

Trips in the MFL department

We believe that trips abroad are vital for students to truly get the most out of studying a language.  We encourage parents to take their daughters to France or Spain during their studies but we also do our best to offer a range of trips to aid students’ learning and acquisition of French and Spanish.

In the last few years we have run trips to:

• Paris, France (KS4 and KS5)
• Normandy, France (KS3)
• Granada, Spain (KS4 and KS5)
• Barcelona, Spain (KS3)

Furthermore, many students in the Sixth Form have also taken advantage of the opportunity to complete a week’s work experience abroad in France and Spain which is organised by the Academy through Halsbury Travel.  More information can be found on their website www.workexperienceabroad.co.uk and you can also read a testimonial from one of our previous students.

"During the Easter holidays I took part in a week’s work experience in the Spanish town on Segovia in order to improve my Spanish speaking abilities for my Spanish AS examination. There were 13 other students from different colleges and sixth forms from all around England who took part in a wide variety of placements from hotel and restaurant work, working in shops and travel agents, schools and even medical centres. I had to do six hours a day for 5 days in El Centro Los Olmos (a specialist dialysis unit) which I thoroughly enjoyed as I got to interact not only with the nurses and doctors but also the patients and learn a bit about Segovia. This experience was not only useful for my Spanish skills but also for my future, as I would like to study nursing at university. I also was able to meet new people studying the same course as myself and experience the traditional Spanish life – including siestas which were one of my favourite parts. However, I didn’t enjoy having to get up at 6:45 every morning whilst those working in hotels got to stay in bed until half twelve! All in all it was a fully enjoyable and worthwhile experience which I hope has helped to improve my Spanish grade."

Rachel Shaw 12B

In March 2012, we shall again be taking KS3 students to Normandy to Le Château de la Baudonnière, where they shall take part in a range of outdoor pursuits all entirely in French!

Please click on one of the following links to view subject information

French

Spanish