Higham Lane School
Modern Foreign Languages
Modern Foreign Languages FAQs
What does a French lesson look like?
In a French lesson, you will be practising how to speak and hold a simple conversation, but also how to write sentences and paragraphs in French. You will develop your vocabulary and grammar knowledge in French. You will also listen to French extracts and read French texts. Sometimes you may be asked to practise your French on websites such as linguascope.com. French lessons are very entertaining, challenging and engaging!
Can you study French at GCSE and A-Level at Higham Lane School?
Yes and yes! All students will have the opportunity to study French at GCSE as it is now a compulsory subject. Higham Lane Sixth Form centre also offers the opportunity for students to continue with their language learning at A-Level. Learning a language is very rewarding. It is challenging, entertaining and stimulating. It opens up lots of doors for universities and colleges, as well as in the world of work. It develops your communication skills, as well as your reading skills. It also makes you more aware of the different cultures around the world.
Are there any trips abroad at HLS?
Yes, over the past 5 years, we have taken approximately 45 students from Year 7 to 10 to Le Touquet, northern France for 3 days and 2 nights in July. Le Touquet we visite a snail farm, a bakery, a bee farm, an apple farm and a chocolate factory. We also had the opportunity to do some shopping in a big shopping centre before returning to the UK. In December we take 40 students from Year 11 to 13 to Lille, northern France. We visit the art museum, the Christmas market, a restaurant, the Belfry tower (104 steps up).
In Modern Foreign Languages, we aim to promote an enjoyment in language learning and an interest in finding out about different countries and cultures.
All pupils will study French in their time at Higham Lane School.
French is now a compulsory subject and all Key Stage 4 students will continue with their French studies at GCSE level. Key Stage 4 students may have the opportunity to be spoken to by various guest speakers who will demonstrate the importance of language skills in their professional life.
In Key Stage 5, we offer A-level in French.
Extra-curricular activities may include whole-school celebrations for European Day of Languages (26th September) and French Bastille Day (14th July), sessions at lunch or after school to support Key Stage 3, 4 and 5 students with their studies, and a French series club at lunchtime. We also offer a residential to France (Le Touquet, northern France) for Year 7-10 students who are currently studying French and to Lille, northern France for Y11-13 students in order to enable students to gain real life experience of the language.
Year 7 Curriculum
In Year 7, students will receive a bespoke programme of study tailored to introducing them to French and/or to develop their language skills further.
We use topic-based schemes of learning, as well as part of the NCELP (National Centre for Excellence in Language Pedagogy) schemes of learning and this means that the teaching of phonics is paced and explicit. The vocabulary is carefully selected based on word frequency and no more than one new grammatical function is taught every two weeks. This also means that students will have the opportunity to develop their language skills through themes that are engaging, such as “all about myself and my family”, “my school” and “my free time”.
Students who have studied some French in primary school will have the opportunity to consolidate and develop their knowledge further, whilst students who have never studied French or studied a different foreign language in primary school will be accompanied and supported to develop their knowledge of French. They will have a weekly online quiz on Languagenut.com (login details will be issued at the end of September for Year 7)
Year 8 Curriculum
In Year 8, the students will continue to receive a bespoke programme of study tailored to build on their knowledge by using topic-based schemes of learning, as well as part of the NCELP schemes of Learning. By focusing on the most frequently occurring vocabulary in the French language and providing a strong spine of grammar, the course provides the foundations for all future language study.
Students will continue to develop their language skills, as well as their love for the culture through engaging and stimulating topics, such as “my town”, “celebrations” and “my holidays” and “media”.
They will have a weekly quiz on Languagenut.com (All login details have been issued at the start of the year and are available on Google Classroom in the classwork tab).
Year 9 Curriculum
In Year 9, the students will continue to receive a bespoke programme of study tailored to build on their knowledge by using topic-based schemes of learning, as well as part of the NCELP schemes of Learning. By focusing on the most frequently occurring vocabulary in the French language and providing a strong spine of grammar, the course provides the foundations for all future language study.
Students will continue to develop their language skills, as well as their love for the culture through engaging and stimulating topics, such as “Free time in real life and online”, “The important people in my life” and “My school life”.
They will have a weekly quiz on Languagenut.com (All login details have been issued at the start of the year and are available on Google Classroom in the classwork tab).
Year 10 Curriculum
In Year 10, the students will begin studying the new GCSE course for French (Edexcel exam board – new specification, first teach September 2024) which allows them to begin to access the language in more depth which they will later need to achieve excellent results in their French GCSE exams at the end of Year 11. Students will start their training of the different elements of the French GCSE course in order to achieve their potential. They will have a weekly vocabulary quiz based on the vocabulary which has been provided by the exam board. Units of study include: “physical and mental well-being”, “travel and tourism” and “the environment”
They will have a weekly quiz on Languagenut.com (All login details have been issued at the start of the year and are available on Google Classroom in the classwork tab).
Year 11 Curriculum
In Year 1, students will continue studying the new GCSE course for French (Edexcel exam board – new specification, first teach September 2024) which allows them to access the language in more depth which they will later need to achieve excellent results in their French GCSE exams at the end of Year 11. Students will continue their training of the different elements of the French GCSE course in order to achieve their potential. Units of study include: “my neighbourhood”, “future opportunities” and “revisions”. They will also sit their final exams in Listening, Reading and Writing, which normally take place around mid-May, and a Speaking exam, which normally takes place shortly after the Easter holidays each year.
They will have a weekly quiz on Languagenut.com (All login details have been issued at the start of the year and are available on Google Classroom in the classwork tab).
Year 12 Curriculum
In Year 12, students studying French will be studying their A-level using the Eduqas exam board and a combination of the AQA and Elan coursebooks. This allows students to access the various elements of the course which they will later need to achieve excellent results in their French A-level exams at the end of Year 13. Students will study the full A-level course at Higham Lane Sixth Form, sitting their final exams in the summer of Year 13. Units of study include:
- The area you live in and speaking about yourself.
- Regional culture and heritage in France, French speaking countries and communities.
- France, Canada and Switzerland and Les Domtoms in a European context, Literature, art, film and music in the French-speaking world.
- Youth trends, issues and personal identity.
- Employment and education.
- Family structures, traditional and modern values, friendships/relationships, citizenship.
- Study of 'Les Choristes' film.
They will have a weekly quiz on Languagenut.com (All login details have been issued at the start of the year and are available on Google Classroom in the classwork tab) as well wider reading tasks to complete as homework.
Year 13 Curriculum
In Year 13, students taking French will be studying their A-level using the WJEC exam board and a combination of the AQA and Elan coursebooks. This allows students to access the various elements of the course which they will later need to achieve excellent results in their French A-level exams at the end of Year 13. Students will study the full A-level course at Higham Lane Sixth Form, sitting their final exams in the summer of Year 13. Units of study include:
- June 1940-May 1945, Life in occupied France, The French resistance.
- Cultural dimension in occupied France, The political context of theatre and drama productions.
- 1945-1950 Rebuilding and restructuring society in post-war years.
- Oral exam Independent research project preparation time.
- Migration and integration: Reason for migration, factors which make migration/integration easy/difficult.
- Cultural enrichment and celebrating difference: The positive aspect of a diverse society.
- Cultural identity and marginalisation: reasons for marginalisation; ways to eliminate marginalisation.
- Discrimination and diversity: Life for those who are discriminated against.
- Study of the book “No et Moi” by Delphine de Vigan.
They will have a weekly quiz on Languagenut.com (All login details have been issued at the start of the year and are available on Google Classroom in the classwork tab) as well wider reading tasks to complete as homework.
N FINLEY, Subject Leader for Modern Foreign Languages
For further details on this subject, please feel free to email us contactus@highamlaneschool.co.uk
