Skip to content ↓

Modern Foreign Languages

Curriculum Intent - MFL:

Learning a foreign language provides an awareness, understanding and tolerance of other cultures.

High quality language learning fosters curiosity and deepens understanding of the world in which we live. Our aim is to broaden horizons of our students; to encourage them to step beyond familiar boundaries and develop new ways to appreciate cultural diversity.

We enable our students to express their ideas and thoughts in either French or Spanish; to understand and respond both in face to face situations and in writing. We provide opportunities to communicate information for practical purposes and to learn new ways of thinking. 

 Innovative and engaging lessons based on a foundation of mechanics of language, communication, comprehension, culture, and internationalism build confidence and a deep understanding of the target language.  Our students develop competency in listening, speaking, reading, and writing, that is both broad and deep.

In communicating factual and personal information that goes beyond their immediate needs and interests, our students develop and justify points of view with increasing spontaneity, independence, and accuracy.

Our mission is to create optimal conditions to create learner success and to empower students to be self-efficacious.

Curriculum Overview French

  Autumn Spring Summer

Year 7

My world: personal information; numbers 0-100; physical descriptions of people; relationships; opinions with activities.

Aspect life at school; opinions of subjects; asking and giving the time; simple future plans.

My hobbies/free time: using technology; sports and non-sports activities; giving information about the weather; parts of the body, minor injuries.

Where I live: describing location; asking for and giving directions; register of language; describe an outing.

Holidays: review weather; destination, accommodation, and holiday activities (actual and ideal); numbers 0-1000; buying food and drink (café/restaurant/supermarket)

The environment: natural world (animals); habitat; description; lifestyle; visit to local zoo.

Year 8

Free time at home: genre of tv programmes, films; opinions with justification; use of the internet; review weather conditions; talking about self and others.

Francophone world (Paris): tourist activities with opinions; describing a past visit to Paris; asking for tourist information.

My identity: description of personality of self and others; relationships; genres of music with opinions; agreeing and disagreeing with points of view; explaining your favourite things.

At home: describing dwellings (actual and ideal); talking about various aspects of a forthcoming event; discussing clothes, food, and meals

Talent and ambition: explaining what must and can be done in the context of a competition; giving instructions; comparing the qualities of others.

The environment: (local issues); describing current situation; discuss solutions to local environmental issues (air/sea/land); visit to either Eden Project or Plymouth Aquarium.

Year 9

Once upon a time: discussing what you used to do/ be like; review of physical description including preferences (sport, tv, music, clothes, food); whodunnit? Crime at the castle Mystery.

Healthy living: discussing key aspects of a healthy lifestyle (food, exercise); making plans to maintain fitness.

Careers and future plans: discussing ambitions for work and pleasure; the value of learning a foreign language; discussing jobs and places of work; responsibilities at work.

A special holiday: discuss countries and locations; types of holidays; holiday items; describe a disastrous holiday; describe a visit to tourist attractions.

Celebrations: review of food with opinions; appropriate clothes for different occasions; study and explain a cultural festival.

The environment: World issues

(environmental problems); preparation for a GCSE style speaking assessment; research of the origin and transportation of products around the world.

Year 10

Who am I?: discussing qualities of a good friend; family relationships; making arrangements to go out; describing a day out; discussing role models.

Free time/Hobbies: talking about Sport; talking about using technology; discussing reading habits, tv programmes and music; describing a night out.

Celebrations: describing daily life; shopping for clothes and a special meal; explain festivals and traditions; describe and explain family celebrations;

Where I live: describe regions; finding out about tourist information; discussing plans and the weather; description of typical towns, ideal or otherwise.

Mock exam preparation: walking, talking exam sessions.

Holidays: describing accommodation and journeys; describe activities (current and past); ordering meals in a restaurant; describe/explain a problematic holiday.

Year 11

Life at school: describe subjects and facilities with opinions; compare a typical French school with your own; describe school rules and regulations; a typical school day and school clubs; success at school with justification.

At work: discussing preferences of jobs; future plans and ambitions; the importance of languages in the workplace; talking about part-time jobs and work experience.

Mock exam preparation: walking, talking exam sessions.

The environment: Discussing extreme weather conditions; protecting the environment locally and globally; discussing ethical shopping; talking about volunteering; discussing national events.

Year 12

The changing family model: describe and discuss trends in marriage and other forms of partnership; consider and discuss the merits and problems of other partnerships; consider relationships between generations and discuss problems that arise.

Cybersociety: describe and discuss the dangers of technology and how it has transformed everyday life; discuss current technology and explore future developments.

Volunteering: examine the voluntary sector in France and the range of work provided; discuss the benefits of voluntary work.

Artistic culture in the Francophone world: understand the notion of heritage, its preservation locally and nationally; consider how heritage sites are marketed; understand how heritage impacts upon and is guided by society.

Literature: study of a French text; the language of literature; story, themes, characters, author techniques and style, and social environment.

OR

Film: study of a French language film; the language of film; story, themes, characters, author techniques and style, and social environment.

Contemporary Francophone music: Consider the popularity, diversity, and genre of music; consider who listens to contemporary music and by what means; consider threats to Francophone music and how it may be preserved.

French Cinema: consider aspects of French cinema; evolution and major developments of French cinema; consider the popularity of French cinema and film festivals.

Literature: study of a French text; the language of literature; story, themes, characters, author techniques and style, and social environment.

OR

Film: study of a French language film; the language of film; story, themes, characters, author techniques and style, and social environment.

Year 13

Aspects of society: consider the benefits of living in an ethnically diverse society; consider the need for tolerance and respect of diversity; consider how to promote diversity.

Life of social marginalised groups: examine different groups who are socially marginalised; discuss measures to help those whoa re marginalised; consider contrasting attitudes towards marginalised groups.

Literature: study of a French text; the language of literature; story, themes, characters, author techniques and style, and social environment.

OR

Film: study of a French language film; the language of film; story, themes, characters, author techniques and style, and social environment.

Individual research project: planning, research and preparation for the individual research project.

Attitudes to criminal behaviour: examine varied attitudes towards crime; discuss prison – merits and problems; alternatives to prison as punishment.

Young people and their attitude to politics: discuss arguments relating to the vote and examine the French political system and its evolution; discuss engagement levels of young people and their influence on politics; Discuss the future of politics and political engagement.

Literature: study of a French text; the language of literature; story, themes, characters, author techniques and style, and social environment.

OR

Film: study of a French language film; the language of film; story, themes, characters, author techniques and style, and social environment.

Individual research project: planning, research and preparation for the individual research project.

Demonstrations and strikes: Understand the important role of unions; talk about strikes and protests and consider different methods of protesting; discuss different attitudes towards strikes, protests and other political tensions.

Immigration: discuss some of the political issues concerning immigration in Francophone countries; Consider the viewpoints of political parties regarding immigration Consider immigration from the standpoint of immigrants, as well as aspects of racism.

Literature: study of a French text; the language of literature; story, themes, characters, author techniques and style, and social environment.

OR

Film: study of a French language film; the language of film; story, themes, characters, author techniques and style, and social environment.

Curriculum Overview Spanish

  Autumn Spring Summer

Year 7

My world: personal information; the Spanish alphabet; numbers 0-100; physical descriptions of people; relationships; opinions with activities. Study of ‘El día de los Muertos’

Aspects of life at school; opinions of subjects; asking and giving the time; simple future plans.

My hobbies/free time: using technology; sports and non-sports activities; giving information about the weather.

Where I live: describing location; asking for and giving directions; register of language; describe an outing.

Holidays: review weather; destination, accommodation, and holiday activities (actual and past); numbers 0-1000; buying food and drink (café/restaurant/supermarket)

The environment: natural world (animals); habitat; description; lifestyle; visit to local zoo to complete a project.

Year 8

A recent holiday: describing what you did on holiday on specific days at specific times; transport, countries, people; asking questions.

Free time at home: genre of tv programmes, films; opinions with justification; use of the internet; recent activities at home.

Party preparations: discussing typical food of Hispanic countries; compare mealtimes in Spain and the UK; ordering a meal at a restaurant; buying food for a party, describe a party (past and future)

Arranging to go out: getting ready to go out (clothes, routine); making excuses.

House and home: describing a holiday home (actual and ideal); comparing Summer camps.

The environment: (local issues); describing current situation; discuss solutions to local environmental issues (air/sea/land); visit to either Eden Project or Plymouth Aquarium to complete a project.

Year 9

My preferences: things I like; favourite activities, genre of films; describing past and future birthday celebrations; study ‘La Quinceañera’.

Careers and future plans: discussing ambitions for work and pleasure; the value of learning a foreign language; discussing jobs and places of work; responsibilities at work; a typical day at work.

The Rights of children around the world: compare the rights of children in the UK and in Hispanic countries; describe working conditions of children; compare aspects of daily life (school and work)

An adventure in Madrid: discuss aspects of Madrid and tourist sites; compare different tourist attractions; real-life coping strategies (language); plan a visit to Madrid, explain choices and describe the event.

Keeping fit: discussing food with opinions, sports and activities, daily routine, healthy lifestyle; describing illness and parts of the body that hurt or are injured; create a physical workout.

The environment: World issues (environmental problems); preparation for a GCSE style speaking assessment; discuss solutions for some of the global issues.

Year 10

Holidays: describing accommodation and journeys; describe activities (current and past); describe a visit to Barcelona; describe/explain a problematic holiday.

Life at school: describe subjects and facilities with opinions; compare a typical French school with your own; describe school rules and regulations; a typical school day and school clubs; success at school with justification.

Who am I?: discussing social networks; the qualities of a good friend; family relationships; making arrangements to go out; describing a day out; discussing role models.

Free time/Hobbies: talking about Sport; talking about using technology; discussing reading habits, tv programmes and music; describing a night out.

Mock exam preparation: walking, talking exam sessions.

Where I live: describe regions; finding out about tourist information; discussing plans and the weather; description of typical towns, ideal or otherwise; describe a past visit (imaginary or real) to a Hispanic town.

Year 11

Celebrations: describing daily life; shopping for clothes and a special meal; explain festivals and traditions; describe and explain family celebrations.

At work: discussing preferences of jobs; future plans and ambitions; the importance of languages in the workplace; talking about part-time jobs and work experience.

Mock exam preparation: walking, talking exam sessions.

The environment: Discussing extreme weather conditions; protecting the environment locally and globally; discussing ethical shopping; talking about volunteering; discussing international events.

Year 12

Aspects of Spanish Society: traditional and modern values; changes to the family model in the 21st Century; trends in Marriage and Divorce; the  Influence of the Catholic Church on society. 

Cyberspace: the influence of the Internet; the effect of Smartphones on society; the advantages and dangers of social media.

Gender equality: the role of women at work and at home; the effects of male chauvinism and feminism; changes to LBGTQ+ rights and marriage in the Hispanic world.

Artistic culture in the Hispanic world: discussions on the influence of singers, musicians, tv personalities and cinema stars have on young people and society; to consider the influence that fashion models have on young people.

Literature: study of a Hispanic text; the language of literature; story, themes, characters, author techniques and style, and social environment.

OR

Film: study of a Hispanic film; story, themes, characters, techniques and style, and social environment.

Regional identity in Spain: to explain and discuss traditions and customs; to know about the varied Gastronomy throughout Spain; to consider the languages spoken throughout Spain.

Cultural heritage: to know and understand the range of civilisations that have contributed to Spanish identity; the pre-Columbian heritage of Latin America; to discuss Spanish and Latin American artists and architecture in Spain; to understand the diversity of Hispanic music and dance.

Literature: study of a Hispanic text; the language of literature; story, themes, characters, author techniques and style, and social environment.

OR

Film: study of a Hispanic film; story, themes, characters, techniques and style, and social environment.

Individual research project: planning, research and preparation for the individual research project.

Year 13

Multiculturalism in Hispanic society: understand immigration in Spain, explore existing legislation and future legislation; explore the problems that illegal immigrants may face.

Racism: to understand racist and xenophobic attitudes in Spain: explore existing legislation and future anti-racist legislation.

Individual research project: planning, research and preparation for the individual research project.

Co-existence: to explore and describe the varied cultures within Spain and Latin America; education and religion.

Political life in Hispanic culture: Discussion of young people and citizenship; young people’s attitude to political life – activism or apathy?; understand unemployment amongst young people; study of an ideal society.

Literature: study of a Hispanic text; the language of literature; story, themes, characters, author techniques and style, and social environment.

OR

Film: study of a Hispanic film; story, themes, characters, techniques and style, and social environment.

Individual research project: planning, research and preparation for the individual research project.

Monarchy and dictatorship: to explore the Franco dictatorship; understand the rise of the monarchy; to understand dictatorships in Latin America.

Popular movements: the effect of demonstrations and strikes on society; to understand and explain the power of unions; to explain and analyse social protests.

Literature: study of a Hispanic text; the language of literature; story, themes, characters, author techniques and style, and social environment.

OR

Film: study of a Hispanic film; story, themes, characters, techniques and style, and social environment.