MODERN FOREIGN LANGUAGES

CURRICULUM:

MODERN FOREIGN LANGUAGES

DEPARTMENT STAFF

HEAD OF DEPARTMENT:

MRS K ROBERTSON

Second in Dept: Mrs S Thompson

Teaching Staff: Mr K Mather, Mrs S Willis, Mrs K Russell, Miss O Wood

KEY STAGE 3

Structure of MFL at Sacred Heart:

French and Spanish are taught on a carousel basis. Students in Year 7 will study either French or Spanish and they will continue to study this language up until Year 9.

In Year 8, students in the top teaching band will also study a second language, which is the other language the department offers. (Eg in 2026-2027 all Year 7 students study French. When this cohort move into Year 8, top band students will also study Spanish as their second language). Students will carry on with this structure until Year 9, when they will then choose their options for Key Stage 4.

MFL Carousel for Year 7 students for the next 5 years:

2026-27 – French (current Year 7)
2027-28 – Spanish
2028-29 – French
2029-30 - Spanish
2030-31 - French

Key Stage 3 Topics:

Languages offered: French / Spanish

Year 7: French (Also content for Year 8 Second Language French)

Tout sur moi: Introduction to French where students will learn the key phonic sounds in the language. They will learn key vocabulary areas (numbers/ alphabet/ days/ months) and how to pronounce and recognise them. Students will learn how to give and understand basic greetings and information about themselves. Students will also develop more linguistic ability to be able to talk about themselves giving more information including personal descriptions. In this topic students will be taught adjectival agreement and word order in addition to changing the subject of the verb describing family members.

Au collège: This topic will allow students to develop opinions and justifications in the topic of school. They will learn extended descriptions in context of school facilities and uniform. They will give opinions and justifications of subjects and various aspects of the school.

Ça c’est mon truc: In this topic students will learn how to describe themselves in terms of tastes and preferences including fashion and free time. Students will learn how to give opinions and justify opinions through a range of adjectives. Opinions, justifications, adjectives and word order are considered extensively in this topic.

Year 8 Spanish (Also content for year 9 Second Language Spanish)

Mi semana: In this topic students will revise content and skills from Year 7 which will support them with their progress into Year 8. The topic will give a basis for further reinforcement of the present tense which will be necessary to work with reflexive verbs. Within this topic students will develop the ability to understand and communicate facts and opinions about their daily routine and free time activities. The topic will give students an introduction to adverbs and allow them to give more complex opinions.

Las vacaciones: Students will build on all skills studied to date. This topic will allow students to develop more spontaneous conversational skills, asking and responding to questions. In addition to this, students will also develop the ability to recognise and use the immediate future tense as well as the preterite tense. The topic aims to continuously develop and strengthen the key mastery skills within the context of holidays.

La vida tecno: This topic will allow students to build on key areas previously studied through the context of technology and their preferences with reading and cinema. Students will build on present and future tenses as well as developing their ability to use the preterite tense. Students will develop written and spontaneous spoken skills and will develop the ability to transfer these skills to other topic areas and contexts.

Year 9: French

Autour du monde: This topic will build on the holidays topic from Year 8. Students will develop the ability to describe travel preferences as well as key conversational scenarios they may face on holiday such as making reservations and planning journeys. Students will develop the ability to recount a holiday using the past tense and using and understanding a variety of tenses in written and spoken work.

La technologie: This topic requires students to learn to talk about old and new technology, building on their existing vocabulary and grammar knowledge. Students will develop the ability to give detailed descriptions and opinions of technology and the pros and cons of social media as well as develop more complex nuances of the language. Students will consolidate tenses studied previously as well as develop the ability to speak hypothetically about technology.

Chez moi: This topic focusses on challenging students to consider what is in their house at a more basic level then develops the ability to give more extended and detailed descriptions. Students will revisit key grammar concepts previously learned as well as being able to give and understand hypothetical information about where they live.

Throughout both French and Spanish at KS3 students will be taught grammar and phonics in addition to the content listed.

KEY STAGE 4

KEY STAGE 4 OVERVIEW:

Languages offered: French / Spanish

Examination Board: AQA

The new French and Spanish GCSE specifications by AQA, introduced in 2024, aim to equip students with practical language skills and cultural understanding essential for modern global interactions. These updated courses focus on effective communication, cultural awareness, and comprehensive language competency.

The key objectives of the new GCSE specifications include:

Enhancing Communication Skills: Fostering the ability to speak, write, and understand French and Spanish in real-life contexts
Cultural Awareness: Providing insights into French and Spanish-speaking cultures, promoting global citizenship
Critical Thinking: Developing students' analytical and problem-solving skills through the study of language structures and cultural contexts

Summary of Topics

Both the French and Spanish GCSE courses cover a wide range of topics that are essential for comprehensive language learning:

Identity and Culture: Family, friends, technology, free-time activities, and customs
Local, National, International, and Global Areas of Interest: Home, town, social issues, global environmental problems, and travel
Current and Future Study and Employment: Education, career ambitions, and employment opportunities

These topics are designed to be engaging and relevant, encouraging students to apply their language skills in various practical and personal scenarios.

Assessments

The assessment structure is designed to evaluate a range of language skills through four main components:

Listening (25%): Understanding and responding to different types of spoken language
Speaking (25%): Communicating and interacting effectively in the target language
Reading (25%): Comprehending and interpreting written texts from various sources
Writing (25%): Producing clear and coherent texts for different purposes and audiences.

These assessments aim to provide a balanced evaluation of students' abilities in practical language use and comprehension.

GCSE Spanish / French have:

a Foundation Tier (grades 1–5)
and a Higher Tier (grades 4–9)

Students must take all four question papers at the same tier.

Paper 1 – Listening

Listen to conversations, announcements and other spoken texts.
Answer comprehension questions and complete a dictation.
Foundation: 35 minutes | 40 marks
Higher: 45 minutes | 50 marks

Paper 2 – Speaking

Role-play
Reading aloud + short conversation
Photo card + unprepared conversation
Foundation: 7–9 minutes | 50 marks
Higher: 10–12 minutes | 50 marks
Both tiers also have 15 minutes of supervised preparation time.

Paper 3 – Reading

Read texts such as adverts, emails, websites and articles.
Answer comprehension questions.
Complete a translation into English.
Foundation: 45 minutes | 50 marks
Higher: 1 hour | 50 marks

Paper 4 – Writing

Foundation: short sentences, short writing task, grammar task, translation into the target language and a longer writing task.
Higher: translation into the target language, a 90-word task and a longer 150-word task.
Foundation: 1 hour 10 minutes | 50 marks
Higher: 1 hour 15 minutes | 50 marks

Key requirements:

Students need to recognise the relationship between past, present and future events
Use of authentic sources
Use of materials addressing a wide range of relevant contemporary and cultural themes
Translate a short passage from TL into English (Reading) & English to TL (Writing)
Students must apply grammatical knowledge of language and structures in context

KEY STAGE 5

KEY STAGE 5 OVERVIEW:

Languages offered: French / Spanish

Examination Board: AQA

At Sacred Heart French and Spanish are offered as full A-Level qualifications studied over two years. The As Level course (also known as Year One) is not offered on its own.

Throughout the two years students study topics specific to the language and culture that they are studying:

French:

Aspects of French-speaking society: current trends

The changing nature of family (La famille en voie de changement)
The 'cyber-society' (La «cyber-société»)
The place of voluntary work (Le rôle du bénévolat)

Aspects of French-speaking society: current issues

Positive features of a diverse society (Les aspects positifs d'une société diverse)
Life for the marginalised (Quelle vie pour les marginalisés ? )
How criminals are treated (Comment on traite les criminels)

Artistic culture in the French-speaking world

A culture proud of its heritage (Une culture fière de son patrimoine)
Contemporary francophone music (La musique francophone contemporaine)
Cinema: the 7th art form (Cinéma : le septième art)

Aspects of political life in the French-speaking world

Teenagers, the right to vote and political commitment (Les ados, le droit de vote et l'engagement politique)
Demonstrations, strikes – who holds the power? (Manifestations, grèves – à qui le pouvoir ? )
Politics and immigration (La politique et l'immigration)

Spanish:

Aspects of Hispanic society

Modern and traditional values (Los valores tradicionales y modernos)
Cyberspace (El ciberespacio)
Equal rights (La igualdad de los sexos)

Multiculturalism in Hispanic society

Immigration (La Inmigración)
Racism (El Racismo)
Integration (La Convivencia)

Artistic culture in the Hispanic world

Modern day idols (La influencia de los ídolos)
Spanish regional identity (La identidad regional en España)
Cultural heritage or cultural landscape (El patrimonio cultural)

Aspects of political life in the Hispanic world

Today's youth, tomorrow's citizens (Jóvenes de hoy, ciudadanos de mañana)
Monarchies, republics and dictatorships (Monarquías, repúblicas y dictaduras)
Popular movements (Movimientos populares)

At A-level students will also study one book and one film from a prescribed list specific to the language.

Assessment:

Paper 1: Listening, reading and writing

What's assessed:

Aspects of TL-speaking society: current trends/ current issues/Artistic culture in the TL-speaking world
Aspects of political life in the TL-speaking world
Grammar

How it's assessed:

Written exam: 2 hours 30 minutes
160 marks in total
40% of A-level

Questions:

Listening and responding to spoken passages from a range of contexts and sources covering different registers and adapted as necessary. Material will include complex factual and abstract content and questions will target main points, gist and detail. Studio recordings will be used and students will have individual control of the recording
All questions are in TL, to be answered with non-verbal responses or in TL (60 marks)
Reading and responding to a variety of texts written for different purposes, drawn from a range of authentic sources and adapted as necessary. Material will include complex factual and abstract content and questions will target main points, gist and detail
All questions are in TL, to be answered with non-verbal responses or in TL (60 marks)
Translation into English; a passage of minimum 100 words (20 marks)
Translation into TL; a passage of minimum 100 words (20 marks). No access to a dictionary during the assessment

Paper 2: Writing

What's assessed:

One text and one film from the list set in the specification
Grammar

How it's assessed:

Written exam: 2 hours
90 marks in total
30% of A-level (awaiting assessment criteria for writing)

Questions:

A choice of two questions in target language on the film studied.
A choice of two questions in target language on the text studied.
All questions will require a critical appreciation of the concepts and issues covered in the film/text and a critical and analytical response to features such as the form and the technique of presentation, as appropriate to the work studied (eg the effect of narrative voice in a prose text or camera work in a film).
No access to texts or films during the assessment
No access to a dictionary during the assessment
Students are advised to write approximately 300 words per essay

Paper 3: Speaking

What's assessed:

Individual research project
One of four sub- e.g. Aspects of TL-speaking society: current trends, aspects of TL-speaking society: current issues, artistic culture in the TL-speaking world, aspects of political life in the TL-speaking world.

How it's assessed:

Oral exam: 21–23 minutes (including 5 minutes preparation time)
60 marks in total
30% of A-level

Questions:

Discussion of a sub-theme with the discussion based on a stimulus card (5–6 minutes). The student studies the card for 5 minutes at the start of the test (25 marks)
Presentation (2 minutes) and discussion (9–10 minutes) of individual research project (35 marks)
No access to a dictionary during the assessment (including 5 minutes preparation)
Students may take the assessment only once before certification.
Assessments will be conducted by either the centre or a visiting examiner and marked by an AQA examinerExamination Board: AQA

Year 12 and 13 A LEVEL SPECIFICATION:

At Sacred Heart, French and Spanish are offered as FULL A-LEVEL qualifications studied over two years. The AS level course is NOT offered.

Throughout the two years, students study topics specific to the language and culture that they are studying:

French

3.1.1 Aspects of French-speaking society: current trends

• The changing nature of family (La famille en voie de changement)

• The 'cyber-society' (La « cyber-société »)

• The place of voluntary work (Le rôle du bénévolat)

3.1.2 Aspects of French-speaking society: current issues

• Positive features of a diverse society (Les aspects positifs d'une société diverse)

• Life for the marginalised (Quelle vie pour les marginalisés?)

• How criminals are treated (Comment on traite les criminels)

3.2.1 Artistic culture in the French-speaking world

• A culture proud of its heritage (Une culture fière de son patrimoine)

• Contemporary francophone music (La musique francophone contemporaine)

• Cinema: the 7th art form (Cinéma : le septième art)

3.2.2 Aspects of political life in the French-speaking world

• Teenagers, the right to vote and political commitment (Les ados, le droit de vote et

l'engagement politique)

• Demonstrations, strikes – who holds the power? (Manifestations, grèves – à qui le pouvoir?)

• Politics and immigration (La politique et l'immigration)

Spanish

3.1.1 Aspects of Hispanic society

• Modern and traditional values (Los valores tradicionales y modernos)

• Cyberspace (El ciberespacio)

• Equal rights (La igualdad de los sexos)

3.1.2 Multiculturalism in Hispanic society

• Immigration (La Inmigración)

• Racism (El Racismo)

• Integration (La Convivencia)

3.2.1 Artistic culture in the Hispanic world

• Modern day idols (La influencia de los ídolos)

• Spanish regional identity (La identidad regional en España)

• Cultural heritage or cultural landscape (El patrimonio cultural)

3.2.2 Aspects of political life in the Hispanic world

• Today's youth, tomorrow's citizens (Jóvenes de hoy, ciudadanos de mañana)

• Monarchies, republics and dictatorships (Monarquías, repúblicas y dictaduras)

• Popular movements (Movimientos populares)

At A-level students will also study One text and one film from a prescribed list specific to the language

The assessment format is as follows:

A-Level Paper 1: Listening, reading and writing

What's assessed:

• Aspects of TL-speaking society: current trends/ current issues/Artistic culture in the TL-speaking world

• Aspects of political life in the TL-speaking world

• Grammar

How it's assessed:

• Written exam: 2 hours 30 minutes

• 100 marks in total

• 50% of A-level

Questions:

• Listening and responding to spoken passages from a range of contexts and sources covering different registers and adapted as necessary. Material will include complex factual and abstract content and questions will target main points, gist and detail. Studio recordings will be used and students will have individual control of the recording.

• All questions are in TL, to be answered with non-verbal responses or in TL.

• Reading and responding to a variety of texts written for different purposes, drawn from a range of authentic sources and adapted as necessary. Material will include complex factual and abstract content and questions will target main points, gist and detail.

• All questions are in TL, to be answered with non-verbal responses or in TL.

• Translation into English; a passage of minimum 100 words.

• Translation into TL; a passage of minimum 100 words. There is no access to a dictionary during the assessment.

A-Level Paper 2: Writing

What's assessed:

• One text and one film from a prescribed list appropriate to the language.

• Grammar

How it's assessed:

• Written exam: 2 hours

• 80 marks in total

• 20% of A-level

Questions:

• Two essays in the target language: one question on a set text from a choice of two questions and one question on a set film from a choice of two questions.

• All questions will require a critical appreciation of the concepts and issues covered in the work and a critical and analytical response to features such as the form and the technique of presentation, as appropriate to the work studied (eg the effect of narrative voice in a prose text or camera work in a film).

• No access to texts or films during the assessment.

• No access to a dictionary during the assessment.

• Students are advised to write approximately 300 words per essay.

A-Level Paper 3: Speaking

What's assessed:

• Individual research project

• One of four sub-themes: Aspects of TL-speaking society: current trends, Aspects of TL-speaking society: current issues, Artistic culture in the TL-speaking world, Aspects of political life in the TL-speaking world

How it's assessed:

• Oral exam: 21–23 minutes (including 5 minutes preparation time)

• 60 marks in total

• 30% of A-level

Questions:

• Discussion of a sub-theme with the discussion based on a stimulus card (5–6 minutes). The student studies the card for 5 minutes at the start of the test (25 marks).

• Presentation (2 minutes) and discussion (9–10 minutes) of individual research project (35 marks).

• No access to a dictionary during the assessment (including 5 minutes preparation).

• Students may take the assessment only once before certification.

• Assessments will be conducted by either the centre or a visiting examiner and marked by an AQA examiner.