KS4 (Years 10 - 11)

All students must study a modern foreign language at NFGS at KS4. Two years ago we introduced a fast-track course which incorporated two languages in one option line. This means that the students study two languages from French and Italian, French and German or French and Latin to GCSE. Due to the limited time available to complete the course students are expected to show complete commitment and to come to a twilight session once a fortnight. We also begin the course in the summer term of Year 9.

All subjects follow the Edexcel specification and this involves 5 topics: House, Home and Daily Routine; Education, Training and Employment; Home and Abroad; Media, Entertainment and Youth Culture: Social Activities, Fitness and Health. The students are entered for one of two levels, Higher(A-C) or Foundation(C-G). Fortunately, they can do some papers at Higher and others at Foundation.

The students do coursework which is 25% of the course and they submit three pieces of up to 200 words from the 5 or 6 that they complete over the 2 years.

Year 10 (September): Write an account of the life of a famous person
Year 10 (January): Write about your Christmas holidays or a diary of your exchange visit..
Year 10 (February): Write and account of a party or a concert that you have been to.
Year 10 (April): Write a review of a book that you have read or a film that you have seen.
Year 10 (July): Design a brochure of your or and imaginary school or write a report to your exchange school about your work experience.

Year 11: (October) Write an account about a holiday or a letter of complaint to a travel company.
200 words are needed for an “A” grade. The following guidelines are issued to students to ensure the highest possible grade.

The speaking examination (25%) is conducted by the students’ teacher in the May of Year 11 and it involves 2 role-plays and two conversations based on the questions that can be found on the school website. There we have model answers and sound files for the students to use to help them. In Year 11 the students have an opportunity for individual oral practice with their teachers at lunch-time or registration. They also see the Languages Assistants once a fortnight.

The students also do a Reading (25%) and a Listening (25%) examination and have plenty of practice of past papers in Year 11.

For the course the students need a good dictionary (about £10). The Malvern Guide (£3.50) and verb book (£5) are also very useful. All can be purchased from the Languages Department. The students are issued with vocabulary lists, a card with all essential grammar and a booklet about the GCSE course.

Students are regularly assessed and are examined in the May of Year 10 and December of Year 11.

The text-books used are:

• Métro 4 , Rouge and Vert for French;
• Logo 4 Rot and Grun for German;
• Amici for Italian.
• Captado1 & Captado 2 for Spanish.