Modern Foreign Languages
Our school is passionate about the value of learning a language and we provide this for students of all ability. We believe that having knowledge of more than one language can open doors to many opportunities, both within our community and abroad.
Experiencing diverse cultures and cuisine form important parts of learning and as part of our curriculum. Each year we take students to El Torero restaurant in Newcastle so they can sample Spanish dining. In 2025, we are excited to offer an educational visit to Barcelona, Spain.
Year 7, 8 and 9 students
Our Year 7 students study Spanish. Learning this language is accessible to learners of all abilities and it has the most relevance to our students. We collaborate with our primary feeder schools meaning, whether students have previously studied the language or are new to Spanish, they build upon the skills they acquired when learning a second language in primary school.
Our curriculum is knowledge-rich and interleaved allowing students to build strong connections between topics. Our teaching focuses on developing the breadth and depth of competence in listening, speaking, reading, and writing and this is based upon a solid foundation of core phonics, grammar, and vocabulary. Students learn to develop and justify their points of view with increasing independence and accuracy on a range of themes.
Year 10 and 11 students
Languages are at the core of our curriculum, and all students study Spanish at GCSE. In years 10 and 11, building upon the core knowledge acquired at Key Stage 3, our students deepen their understanding of Spanish phonics, grammar, and topic-specific vocabulary. They are challenged to remember more by an interwoven curriculum model and frequent retrieval practice. The curriculum builds confidence and challenges students to develop their understanding and opinions on a range of topics. Students are assessed at the end of the year across four areas.
Listening – 25%
Reading – 25%
Speaking – 25%
Writing – 25%