Modern Foreign Languages

Welcome to the Faculty of Modern Foreign Languages at Therfield School.

Who are we?
We are a team of experienced teachers who are all University Language graduates with Batchelor of Arts degrees in French and/or German. Amongst our other interests and degree subjects we have Italian, Spanish and Linguistics. The team have all spent time living in both France and Germany and are passionate about the opportunities the knowledge of a foreign language can offer students. As Second Lead Subject of the Sports College we are committed to a 'Languages for All' philosophy. We equally recognise that every student needs to access the learning of a language at their own pace to achieve their full potential and enjoy the experience.

How we are passionate about MFL
As Second Lead Subject we are keen to remind students how important it is to learn a language here at Therfield. We offer plenty of schemes and opportunities for our eager linguists such as: Year 8 Arsenal Double Club - languages and football coaching combined with a visit to The Emirates Stadium; The Language Leaders Award - pupils in Year 8 and 9 work on projects as leaders in languages which has included working as language assistants for a day in Leatherhead Trinity Primary School; we have also encouraged other teachers at Therfield to show that they speak foreign languages with assembly presentations and the use of the foreign language in (for example) PE, Maths, Science or Geography lessons. During House Day in the Summer Term last year we provided pupils with the opportunity to play Handball in German and Italian Tennis as well as doing the Tour de France in the gym and dancing salsa in Spanish.

Our Trips and Exchanges
The Faculty runs several exciting trips and exchanges. This year, we have offered to our students in Year 7 a long weekend taster trip in July to Normandy in France or Cologne in Germany, and to those in Year 8 the ‘European Experience’ trip which visits Strasbourg in France but also crosses the border into Germany. Unlike many other schools, Therfield is proud to still offer exchange trips for Year 9, 10 and 12 students to Nantes in France and Munich in Germany.

Our Language Clubs and Heritage Languages
We offer Spanish Club at lunchtime and Mandarin Chinese and Latin as after-school clubs. The teachers at these clubs are specialists in the language, offering the students support to learn in a relaxed and motivating environment. These clubs are open to all students, whatever their ability. Keen students who attend regularly will be given the opportunity to study for a recognised qualification in the language, dependent on their level of competence. Students who speak another language at home are encouraged to sit additional qualifications in these languages: there is a wide range of qualifications available at both GCSE and A level.

Which languages do we teach at Therfield?
All students in Year 7 learn either French and German (you can state a preference on your application form). Students are placed in ability groups at the end of the Spring Term to maximise their learning. There are usually three or four sets for each language. The majority of students continue with their study of the one language all the way through Key Stage 3 (to the end of Year 9). Set 1 students in Year 9 get a brief taster in a second language to encourage them to think about taking two languages at GCSE in Key Stage 4. The setting system is flexible: students may go up or down a set to fit in with their learning requirements.

Which Language at Key Stage 4
Students' first and core language is the language which is continued at Key Stage 4. So, if you start learning French in Year 7 you must continue with French all the way, if you start learning German in Year 7 then all the way with German. This gives you the best possible chances of success at GCSE or NVQ.

Students who want to take two or three languages in Year 10 or 11
Students in set 1 or other able linguists have the opportunity to take two or even three languages at GCSE if numbers allow. This is a fantastic opportunity for our budding linguists and a great route to AS and A level. These students get 5 lessons in each language per fortnight.

Students who find languages more challenging
Students who find languages more challenging do not need to continue with their study of MFL in Year 8 or 9 but instead follow a course called European Language Skills. This exciting new course allows students to learn about different countries in Europe, the culture, the people and a very basic amount of language from the country they are studying. Alongside this course the school also offers extra literacy and numeracy. These students do not have to take MFL at Key Stage 4 but they can take then NVQ (see below) course if they want to.

Do students in other sets have to take a Language in Year 10 and 11?
The majority of students at Therfield must take a language at Key Stage 4 but they can choose between the full two-year GCSE course or the one-year NVQ course. Parents receive a personalised letter from the student’s class teacher in Year 9 advising them of the best route. Where a student is motivated and able to do so, they will be encouraged to take the full GCSE course as Universities and Colleges of Further Education state that they expect future students to have a GCSE in an MFL, in addition to being part of the new English Baccalaureate qualification. The GCSE route is the route for approximately 70% of our students. This is a far greater figure than the vast majority of similar schools.

How do we teach MFL here at Therfield?
All students learning a language have 5 lessons a fortnight of tuition. At Key Stage 3 all students have one lesson per fortnight in the MFL ICT suite which allows them guided access to up-to-date language learning software. This has been shown to greatly increase their vocabulary in the foreign language and is also good fun! Students receive a language text book (Echo for German and Expo for French) to support their learning. Students are expected to learn vocabulary in their Vital Vocab book and are tested on a fortnightly basis at all levels. In class we focus on Listening, Speaking, Reading and Writing, using role plays and vocabulary practice as often as possible. All our classrooms are equipped with projectors and access to digital audio allowing the team to prepare lessons which use a wide variety of teaching techniques.

Do we teach Spanish at Therfield?
At Key Stage 3, Spanish is available through attendance at the weekly Spanish Club. There is then the opportunity for students to do GCSE Spanish in two years from scratch in Years 10 and 11 as a second or even third language. This course is fast-stream and for students who have already shown that they are motivated and able linguists in Key Stage 3. The GCSE Spanish option can only be taken as a second or third GCSE language.