Languages

In Lower 4, all pupils learn two languages from French, German, Spanish and Mandarin. They continue with both until the end of Upper 4 when they decide which language(s) to study to IGCSE.

During this stage, pupils gain the confidence to communicate orally and on paper about subjects that include Personal Information, Holidays, Education, Hobbies, the World of Work, and World Problems.

We also emphasise the global nature of languages and all pupils have the opportunity to travel abroad – to Normandy in Lower 4 and Hamburg and Seville in Upper 4.

In Mandarin pupils are offered a Chinese dumpling making session in the school Refectory and a trip to China is available to pupils in Upper 4. 

Norwich School offers four languages at GCSE: Chinese, French, German, and Spanish. We encourage all pupils to choose a language, although it is not compulsory.

French and Spanish follow the IGCSE course. The course requires that they understand, and can convey information about, topics including Health, Relationships, Free Time and the Media, Holidays, Home and Local Area, Environment, School and Future Plans, Current and Future Jobs, and World Problems.

For German, from September 2024, we will offer  AQA German at GCSE level with the chance to study a range of interesting topics including Identity and Relationships with Others, Healthy Living and Lifestyle, Education and Work, Customs, Festivals and Celebrations, Travel and Tourism, Media and Technology and the Environment. All four skills of Listening, Speaking, Reading and Writing are given equal importance and we also develop the skills of dictation, translation, grammar knowledge and cultural understanding. 

We offer an Edexcel GCSE in Chinese which includes identity and culture, local area, holiday and travel, school, future aspirations, study and work, international and global dimension. Pupils are also given the opportunity to make Chinese spring rolls in the school Refectory and there is a trip to China is available to Fifth Form pupils.

Pupils are examined in the skills of listening, reading, speaking and writing. We supplement the core textbooks with authentic materials from magazines, newspapers, radio, television and the Internet.

Pupils are encouraged to access a variety of extra reading and listening exercises from the school network. They also enjoy the chance to take part in one of our exchanges/study visits to France, Germany or Spain and have contact with a foreign language assistant in preparation for their speaking exams.

Click here to see the French, German and Spanish subject information.

The Languages Department offers an exciting and vibrant learning experience to pupils of all ages. Our mission is not merely to teach the nuts and bolts of grammar and vocabulary, but to instil a lasting love of languages. To achieve this, we exploit a range of engaging activities and resources. A lesson might be based around the current affairs of the nation in which a language is spoken, or through its literature, film and cultural life.

French, German and Spanish are offered at A level, with those departments following the AQA specification.

Employers favour well-rounded recruits, and candidates with language skills are often at an advantage. Sixth Form uptake is high and many pupils take their languages further, whether by pursuing them at degree level or by combining a language with another subject such as History, International Management or Engineering.

Great emphasis is placed upon spending time in the home of a language, and all pupils are strongly urged to participate in an exchange scheme or some form of study abroad. Such experiences allow pupils to immerse themselves in the life and culture of a nation.

The German Department runs a successful and long-established exchange with Liechtenstein. The French Department offers an exchange to Perpignan, where pupils are immersed in both the French language and culture. The Spanish Department runs annual study visits to alternating cities such as Cádiz and Madrid, whereby pupils stay with host families run through a local language school, in order to have a full immersive experience.

Each department has a native Foreign Language Assistant to conduct one-to-one or small group speaking sessions with Sixth Formers. Sixth Form pupils can also take part in the Language Leader Programme as part of their Community Service and learn the basics of how to teach languages in a primary setting while also assisting younger Norwich School pupils in their Modern Foreign Language (MFL) lessons and gain a leadership award.

Furthermore, we offer a variety of extra-curricular opportunities such as debating competitions, revision conferences and study day trips.

We also offer Edexcel A Level Chinese. CLICK HERE to find out more about the course and opportunities available to pupils. 

 

 

http://www.cie.org.uk/programmes-and-qualifications/cambridge-igcse-french-foreign-language-0520

https://www.cambridgeinternational.org/Images/414356-2020-syllabus.pdf

http://www.aqa.org.uk/subjects/languages/as-and-a-level/french-7652

http://www.aqa.org.uk/subjects/languages/as-and-a-level/german-7662

http://www.aqa.org.uk/subjects/languages/as-and-a-level/spanish-7692

https://qualifications.pearson.com/en/qualifications/edexcel-gcses/chinese-2017.html

https://qualifications.pearson.com/en/qualifications/edexcel-a-levels/chinese-2017.html