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The Curriculum in Detail
French is currently the key modern foreign language taught at Winchester House from
Year 1 (5-6 yr olds) through to Year 8 (12-13 yr olds)
From this early starting point, we aim to inspire, motivate and enrich our pupils with an insight into the French language and its associated cultures. We are a dynamic department, which adapts and regularly reviews its interactive, multisensory teaching approach. French is a lively and successful area of the curriculum which prides itself on its academic success and its well-established reputation as a flagship for good practice. (IAPS school inspection, 2002)
The subject is taught by specialist teachers throughout the school. A lively, interactive approach ensures a motivating and challenging learning experience. Equal emphasis is given to the four skill areas of the language, as appropriate: Listening, Speaking, Reading and Writing. French promotes skills that go far beyond pure language acquisition. It encourages confidence, promotes oracy, literacy and numeracy. It also helps develop social skills and engages pupils' interests in the wider world inspiring an appetite for communication. Beyond the classroom..... This academic year we have purchased the site licence to a super Modern Language website called Linguascope (http://www.linguascope.com). This multi lingual resource is already providing valuable learning fun for many of our younger and older learners. It is an interactive topic based approach calling on all the skills of Listerning, Speaking, Reading and Writing. Pupils are able to experiment with linguascope from school, home or wherever they have internet access by typing in a user name and password. There are some live radio stations and French television channels on offer too. Pupils and parents can also motivate themselves to learn or refresh Italian, Spanish, German and English. We are fortunate to have two modern Foreign Language classrooms already equipped with interactive whiteboards and projectors which generally facilitate the classroom usage of linguascope and our other ICT resources such as Badger Primary French and Petit Prof 1, 2 and grammar. The department offers a wide variety of regular extra language opportunities and shows a commitment to raising pupils' awareness of French beyond the classroom.
An Annual trip to Normandy for Year 8. Visits to local theatres - Oundle School, European Youth Theatre Year 6 Trip. French week - a whole school cultural and language immersion from Year 1 - Year 8 which included French school food and menus for a whole week, a visiting French theatre company, daily competitions, a 'French Cinema' experience, a French assembly, a wine appreciation workshop for Year 7 & 8. Boarders were treated to a 'Souper Gastronomique' featuring escargots, cuisses de grenouilles, bouillabaise, coq au vin etc.... There were also cross-curricular lessons (Famous French scientists - Science department and French music and songs in the Music department). We also ran a very successful French cafe 'Ole, Ole' at the Advent Fayre staffed by year 7 pupils. And after CE exams Year 8 pupils embark upon a modern language intensive course providing a glimpse into Portuguese, German and Italian. To sum up?.. We believe in... Encouraging a love of the language through an enthusiastic and committed delivery and embracing diversity to extend pupils to attain their full potential whatever their level of language on entry. More importantly perhaps we motivate our young learners through a sense of fun, purpose and success. Vive la France! Vive les vacances en France! |
