MFL

Curriculum intent

“To have another language is to possess another soul” – Charlemagne

At Saint Martin’s we firmly believe that learning a language has far reaching benefits beyond the mastery of the language itself. Improved cognitive performance and enhanced memory are just some of the benefits that can be derived from the study of a second language. Our carefully developed schemes of work and lesson plans are designed to equip our students with a host of soft skills (problem-solving, cultural awareness, attention to detail etc) that will stand them in good stead in both their personal and professional lives.

Curriculum outline

French and Spanish are offered on an alternate year basis at Saint Martin’s. Our current year 8 students study French and our current year 7 students study Spanish. In September 2024, our year 7 students will be studying French and our year 8 students will continue with their study of Spanish.

Equal importance is given to each of the four skills: Listening, Reading, Speaking and Writing. At KS3, we concentrate on learning and developing the basic principles of practical language. Students work through a variety of different topic areas, gradually building their grammatical knowledge and widening their vocabulary. Our ambitious curriculum also ensures that students gain an understanding of fundamentals of French/Spanish culture.

At KS4, we follow the Edexcel specification, and we develop the students’ existing linguistic ability, with emphasis on more advanced and mature writing and speaking. Traditional grammar forms an important part of what we teach, but we believe it is equally important for students to be confident in getting their message across and making themselves understood.  Building and encouraging confidence, spontaneity and enthusiasm is central to our departmental vision.

KS4

We offer French and Spanish at GCSE, following the Edexcel specification. Most students will be required to study a language at GCSE and will continue to study the language that they have studied in Key Stage 3. Some students may be able to study two languages or take a new language at Key Stage 4, if they are able to demonstrate an aptitude for languages.

French

Year 7

Moi

In this introductory topic students are taught how to give basic personal information (i.e. name, age, birthday) as well as learning to describe both their physical appearance and personalities.

2.Ma famille et mes amis

Students revisit vocabulary and structures from the first module and build on the vocabulary they learnt to begin describing their family and pets.

Ma routine

In this module we learn how to tell the time and talk about our daily routine. The unit also introduces students to basic opinions and justifications.

Ma région

Students are introduced to vocabulary to describe their town and wider region.

Year 8

Mon collège

Module 5 sees students learning how to describe their favourite subjects and giving reasons and justifications for their opinions.

Ça, c’est mon truc

Students will learn how to talk about the weather. They will also be introduced to vocabulary to describe items of clothing. By the end of the module students will be able to say what they are wearing and why.

Destination vacances

In module 7 students are taught how to talk about their holidays using a range of tenses. They’ll learn the names of different countries, modes of transportation and holiday activities.

Bouger c’est important!

In this final module students will learn to describe what they do in their free time. By the end of the unit, they will be familiar with the vocabulary and structures associated with sport and hobbies. They will also be able to express opinions about films.

Year 9

Module 1 Tu as du temps à perdre?

The first module of the GCSE course begins by looking at the Francophone world, before moving on to the topic of life online, TV & film and arranging to go out.

Module 2 Mon clan, ma tribu

In module 2 students learn vocabulary and structures to enable them to talk about their identity, friendships and routines. They’ll revisit vocabulary for describing people and learn how to talk about their role models and idols.

Module 3 Ma vie scolaire

In this module students will look at the topic of school again in greater depth. In addition to expressing more complex likes and dislikes about their school subjects, they’ll talk about the importance of learning languages.

Year 10

Module 4 En pleine forme

Year 10 begins with a recap of food and drink before moving on to look at vocabulary and structures to describe mental health. Students will also examine the topic of illnesses and injuries and learn to describe how they would change their lives for the better in the future.

Module 5 Numéro vacances

Module 5 focuses on the topic of holidays and festivals. Students will learn how to talk about holidays in a range of tenses whilst also being introduced to vocabulary to book accommodation and excursions.

Module 6 Notre planète

The final module of year looks at the environment and how it can be protected. Students will be taught vocabulary and the structures to enable them to discuss a range of new technologies and how they can help the environment in the future.

Year 11

Module 7 Mon petit coin du monde

Module 7 is all about teaching students to describe the area where they live. They’ll encounter new vocabulary to enable them to discuss shopping and giving directions, whilst also learning how to describe their ideal home.

Module 8 Mes projets d’avenir

The final module of the GCSE course is all about describing future plans. By the end of the module students will be able to discuss the advantages and disadvantages of different jobs as well as talking about plans for a gap year.

Revision

The rest of the academic year is dedicated to revision of all the key topics. Lessons will include a mixture of teacher led activities, recapping vocabulary and structures, and independent study using exam-style materials.

Spanish

Year 7

İVamos!

In this introductory topic students are taught how to give basic personal information (i.e. name, age, birthday) as well as learning to describe both their physical appearance and personalities.

Mi burbuja

Students revisit vocabulary and structures from the first module and build on the vocabulary they learnt to begin describing their family and pets.

Mi rutina diaria

In this module we learn how to tell the time and talk about our daily routine. The unit also introduces students to basic opinions and justifications.

Mi colegio

The final unit of year 7 focuses on the topic of school. Students learn to talk and write about what they study and to give opinions about their lessons. The topic also allows us to examine some of the differences between schools in the England and Spain.

Year 8

A comer

Year 8 starts with the topic of food. Students will learn the names of different types of foods and drinks. There will be opportunities for students to find out more about the types of food and drink that are popular in Spain.

Mi casa y mi ciudad

In this module students will learn how to describe their home and local area. They will also revisit the topic of family and relationships as they describe who they live with.

El tiempo y la ropa

Mi tiempo libre

Year 9

Module 1 İDiviértete!

The first module of the GCSE course begins by looking at the Spanish-speaking world. It goes on to cover hobbies and free time activities, making plans to go out and describing past events.

Module 2 Viajes

Module 2 starts with a cultural unit on Andalusia before moving on to holidays. By the end of the module students will be familiar with ordering food in a restaurant and describing what the best and worst things are about a town/city.

Module 3 Mi gente, mi mundo

Students will learn how to talk about friendships and relationships as well as their role models and what matters to them. They’ll also learn how to talk about problems they might have in their relationships and how to give advice about these issues.

Year 10

Module 4 Mi estilo de vida

Module 4 revisits the topic of food and in particular food in the Spanish speaking world. Students will learn how to talk about healthy lifestyles as well as learning the names for different body parts and being able to talk about illnesses and injuries.

Module 5 İA clase!

In this module, students will look at the topic of school again in greater depth. In addition to expressing more complex likes and dislikes about their school subjects, they’ll talk about how they would change their school. The final unit of this module focuses on a past school trip.

Module 6 Mi barrio y yo

The final module of year 10 gives students the opportunity to find out more about life in Colombia. They will look at life in the city of Medellín and learn about how life has changed there over time. They’ll also revisit the topic of shopping.

Year 11

Module 7 Un mundo de esperanza para todos

Year 11 starts with students learning to talk about their own community and their place within it. The topic then broadens out into a look at the issues of climate change and other environmental issues.

Module 8 El futuro te espero

The final topic of the GCSE course gives students the opportunity to consider their future. Students will learn how to talk about jobs and future career intentions. The revised GCSE course has been brought up to date with a unit on the impact of AI on the world of work and students will learn how to discuss the challenges of an ever-changing jobs market.

Revision