At The Duston School all pupils will study either French or Spanish from Year 7 and will continue with this language as they progress up the school.

In our language lessons we seek to:

• develop confident language learners who can thrive in the working world.
• engage pupils actively in language learning in lessons, providing as much exposure as possible to French/Spanish as possible in the four skills: writing, reading, speaking and listening.
• encourage oracy so that pupils are actively using language every lesson, building up their own expressive skills
• promote a respect for other cultures.
• embed positive learning habits.
• guide pupils towards mastery of grammar contexts and the different syntax of language.

We provide a curriculum structured around retrieval practice, spaced repetition and interleaving, revisiting vocabulary and grammar structures to secure long-term retention including regular mini-quizzes and mini whiteboard tasks to check understanding.

We offer several competitions every year including the Annual KS3 Languages Spelling Bee and we have a week of celebrations the European Day of Languages. We also have a Languages Detective Transition Project for the new Year 6 cohort and offer the official Language Leaders qualification for Years 9/10 pupils.

Key Stage 3

At Key Stage 3 pupils will study one key text on a single theme per term (see table below).

The goal is to be able to recite this key text by heart and to learn to adapt the language for themselves to express their own opinions on this topic using the advanced structures contained in the text.

We put great emphasis on oracy.

Every lesson consists of 20 minutes of oracy. This is aimed to be engaging and confidence-building for pupils.

Pupils complete three pieces of extended writing per term, receiving whole class feedback on each of these. 

Each key text at KS3 is based on a character who comes from a different nation which speaks their studied language.

Each term starts with a basic knowledge quiz which becomes more advanced as pupils progress.

	Year 7	Year 8	Year 9
Term 1	All about me	School	Film and TV
Term 2	Hobbies and free-time	Holidays	Shopping
Term 3	Descriptions of people	Music and sport	Daily Routine
Term 4	Where I live	Future aspirations	Well-being
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Term 5	Food and drink	Technology	Relationships
Term 6	Revision/Oracy project	Revision/Oracy project	Revision/Oracy project

 

Key stage 4

Students study the Edexcel Specification for French and Spanish at GCSE, taking four exams in total at the end of Year 11.

Students will either be entered for the Foundation or Higher paper in all four exams. 

Paper 1 Listening 25% - Foundation 45mins/ Higher 1hr 

Paper 2 Speaking 25% - Foundation 7-9mins/ Higher 10-12mins (early exam taken in April/May)

They will have two sets of speaking mocks in November and February to ensure confidence and success in this challenging element. 

Paper 3 Reading 25% - Foundation 45mins/ Higher 1hr

Paper 4 Writing 25% - Foundation 1hr/Higher 1hr15. 

 

Each term a specific skills is studied in depth via the use of a past paper (outlined below) as well as grammar, writing and speaking practice.

Pupils will be tested on vocabulary every lesson and complete homework from a revision workbook.

 

Key Stage 5

We are pleased to offer both French and Spanish AS and  A-level from the AQA specification.

This course contains inspiring and engaging themes, ranging from modern family dynamics to cybersociety to heritage and contemporary music.

Pupils will study a film in Year 12 and a book in Year 13.

Pupils will have dedicated grammar and speaking lessons in addition to topic-based lessons.

Studying languages at A-level opens doors to global careers in diplomacy, business, medicine, law and more. It also makes you stand out to universities and employers enhancing communication, memory, and analytical skills and cultural sensitivity.

We encourage pupils to undertake a trip or work experience in a target-language country if possible.

Through this course pupils develop an advanced level knowledge and understanding of the French/Spanish language and culture.

Pupils become able to write extended pieces of formal French/Spanish, understand extended texts or recordings as well as debate competently orally in French/Spanish

More details are available within the 6^th Form Prospectus.