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Pupils

Modern Foreign Languages

The ability to use languages at work is increasingly required by employers and language skills are becoming an essential part of life in the global marketplace.

Not only that, they can be a fun and highly rewarding area of study. Languages are at the centre of the curriculum at Reepham High School and College and the work of the department is a key aspect of our International Schools Status.

We have a strong dedicated team who are all passionate about languages.

  • Mlle M Teillet (Head of MFL and Teacher of French and Spanish)
  • Ms B Pelaz (Second in Department and Teacher of Spanish and French)
  • Miss V Crowe (Teacher of Spanish and French)
  • Mr A Crowther (Teacher of Spanish and French)
  • Mr D Kibbey (Teacher of French and Spanish)

We also regularly work with teacher training providers such as the UEA PGCE programme and Schools Direct.

Key Stage Three

We recognise that pupils have very different experiences of studying modern foreign languages at primary school. Therefore, we assume very little prior knowledge of French or Spanish on joining the school in Year 7. However, we ensure we set more challenging targets for pupils who understand a significant amount of one or both languages.

Pupils are taught in tutor groups throughout Year 7. Pupils have three one-hour lessons per fortnight of French and three one-hour lessons per fortnight of Spanish in Year 7. A very small number of pupils may be disapplied from one of the languages in order to take on additional Literacy work.

Year 7 pupils take four assessments in total over the year and will be set at the end of the year according to their progress in both languages. At the start of Year 8 the highest achieving pupils will study both French and Spanish, while other pupils continue to study their stronger language only. At the end of Year 8, pupils will choose whether they want to continue to study a language in Year 9 and will be encouraged to do so. A number of pupils continue to study both French and Spanish in Year 9.

Key Stage Four

French and Spanish are popular GCSE options. There are normally two GCSE classes per year group in French and Spanish. Pupils have five hours of lessons per fortnight in Year 10 and Year 11. Each year a number of pupils take two languages to GCSE level.

Exam Specification:
Edexcel - French GCSE (1FR0)

Edexcel - Spanish GCSE (1SP0)

Key Stage Five

Reepham College offers A-level French and A-level Spanish. Please see the college website & prospectus for more details.

www.reephamcollege.com/for-students-and-parents/subjects


Accommodation and Resources

The Modern Languages department is based in a contemporary building dedicated to language learning.

Each room has a computer-linked projector and interactive whiteboard. There is a tablet trolley for shared use within the department.

The department is well resourced with Expo textbooks for Key Stage 3 French, ¡Mira! for Key Stage 3 Spanish, Studio for Key Stage 4 French and ¡Viva! for GCSE Spanish.

We subscribe to www.linguascope.com and other language websites for class and individual use.

Our School (Medium)


Extra-curricular Activity and Trips

In the Modern Languages Department, we realise that the best way to practise a language is to do so abroad. To this end, members of the department arrange and run up to four annual trips.

Year 7 Curriculum Enhancement Week trip to Normandy: We typically take around 40 pupils for four nights in July. We stay in hostel style accommodation in Normandy and go to Château de la Bourdonnière near Avranches, where pupils enjoy a number of activities e.g. rock climbing, archery, swimming, bread making and circus skills, with all instruction in French. The pupils have the opportunity to visit the well-known Mont Saint Michel, a beautiful island which counts among France's most stunning sights. The pupils also visit a supermarket and have a French themed fancy dress evening on the final night, as well as tasting some French delicacies! This trip will resume in 2023.

Year 10 / 12 / 13 Spanish exchange trip to Ciudad Real:The pupils will have the opportunity to take part in a Spanish exchange in the summer term, staying with host families. Trips include Toledo or Córdoba and traditional villages in La Mancha. The Spanish group will visit the Reepham area in the winter term. Please note that we only run this trip if we have sufficient numbers.

Year 10 / 12 / 13 French exchange trip: The pupils will have the opportunity to take part in a French Exchange in March or April, staying with host families. Activities include a visit of Villefranche de Rouergue and its market, a visit to the city of Toulouse, trips to the cinema, a laser game, an escape game and a supermarket. The French group will visit the Reepham area in January or February. Please note that we only run this trip if we have sufficient numbers.

Cine club: Two to three times a year we offer the Y12 and Y13 the opportunity to attend a screening of a French or Spanish language film at the UEA. The film usually covers a topic which is directly linked to the A level programme of study.

Languages club: We usually run a Languages club every Tuesday at lunch time for all years. This is the perfect club for students who fancy watching a French or Spanish TV series, playing a board game in a different language and working out the lyrics to a pop song or national anthem.


* For detailed information on the Modern Foreign Languages curriculum, please refer to the Parents Guide to the Curriculum.

Our Schools

Synergy Multi-Academy Trust comprises fifteen Norfolk schools serving children between the ages of 2 and 18. Our schools work collaboratively together to raise standards and provide education of the highest possible standard, offering the best of opportunities for pupils. The Trust was initially established in 2015. We believe that all of our schools have strengths and areas to develop, and that all can improve through sharing expertise and wisdom. The Trust understands that there will be excellent practice in each school, and that every school will be able to contribute to the development of the Trust as a whole.

Our Schools

Synergy Multi-Academy Trust comprises fifteen Norfolk schools serving children between the ages of 2 and 18. Our schools work collaboratively together to raise standards and provide education of the highest possible standard, offering the best of opportunities for pupils. The Trust was initially established in 2015. We believe that all of our schools have strengths and areas to develop, and that all can improve through sharing expertise and wisdom. The Trust understands that there will be excellent practice in each school, and that every school will be able to contribute to the development of the Trust as a whole.

Student area  Parent area  Staff area