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The Languages department at Wallingford School aims to provide all students with the knowledge and skills they need to become able linguists and lifelong language learners. During MFL lessons we teach students to develop the four skills of listening, speaking, reading and writing as well as a sound knowledge of vocabulary, grammar and phonics rules which ensures they make strong progress and become increasingly more confident about using the language in both spoken and written forms.   

All students have the chance to study two out of three languages. All students entering the school start with either Spanish or German in Year 7 and they all pick up French as a second language in Year 8 and study two languages in Year 8 and 9. Most students have some knowledge of French from Key Stage 2 and this combined with our accelerated 2 year scheme of work in French means that students are more than ready for GCSE French after only 2 years of study. 

A great many students continue with one language at GCSE and we have an increasing number of dual linguists. Both French and German are currently offered at A Level and we intend to introduce Spanish A Level to our Key Stage 5 provision. We welcome students who come to the school already fluent in a home language and we are happy to facilitate an early GCSE in year 10 where appropriate. 

We are fortunate to have a French and German Foreign Language Assistant on the MFL team and they offer individual conversation practice to all our A Level  linguists. 

Outside the classroom we offer a variety of competitions and events, such as Speed Language Learning for European Day of Languages, the GCHQ National Languages Competition for our most able linguists, the Anthea Bell Translation Prize and the Oxford German Network Sixth Form Kneipenquiz at Radley College. We also have close links to Oxford University and regularly take part in events such as the Year 9 Languages day at Queen’s College, the year 12 Literature Masterclass and A Level Study Day at the Department of Education.  

We believe that using the target language in real-life scenarios is essential and to this end we offer all students a day trip to France in Year 8 and exchanges with our partner schools in Grenoble and Bad Wurzach in year 10 and 12. We are planning on introducing an equivalent exchange for Spanish in the near future. These visits also broaden our students’ cultural awareness and help them to develop tolerance, resilience and independence.    

• Key Stage 3 Spanish (Years 7 and 8)

Key Stage 3 - Years 7 and 8