Head of聽 Department: Mrs R Cox
As a member of The Cam Academy Trust, one of our core principles is the 鈥業nternational Principle鈥�, which means that we have a strong international emphasis in our educational provision, both within and beyond the classroom. A strong international aspect to all young people鈥檚 education is crucial in its own right and because it is聽key聽for the positive functioning of all societies: Languages promote curiosity about and an appreciation of different cultures and ways of life, as well as encouraging a more open-minded view of the world.
Our curriculum builds on the foundations provided by pupils鈥� study of MFL at KS2. All pupils study Spanish as their first modern foreign language. More than 60% of the cohort also study a second modern foreign language, either French or German. The vast majority of pupils study at least one of these languages to GCSE level and we use the AQA specification for all three languages.聽 In addition to our core curriculum, we are also in our聽fourth聽year of the Mandarin Excellence Programme so pupils in KS3 have the opportunity to study Mandarin after-school, and we also now have our first GCSE Mandarin group within the traditional school day.
If you would like to view related Key Stage 5 courses, please click here
Key Stage 3
At KS3, we aim to instil our learners with both enthusiasm and proficiency in key areas of language learning. Our pedagogy is research-led, and learning is carefully planned to support progression for all learners. Our schemes of work provide a detailed, sequenced curriculum where systematic practice of high-frequency vocabulary, phonics, and grammar leads to confident, creative communication. Opportunities to revisit are planned to ensure pupils have enough time to deepen their understanding.
We aim to encourage pupils to appreciate and be curious about other cultures and promote the importance of a deeper understanding of the world. We want to encourage a love of learning a foreign language and ensure that pupils leave confident and enthused to continue learning a language, ready for a future in the global workplace.
Detailed KS3 curriculum information can be viewed in the documents, which can be downloaded from this page.
Key Stage 4
GCSE Spanish
What is GCSE Spanish?
Spanish is the second most spoken language in the world in terms of numbers of native speakers. Being able to speak and communicate in Spanish is therefore a skill which is highly valued by employers, particularly when combined with another skill area. The course includes the four skills of listening, speaking, reading and writing as well as translation skills. It will also improve your social skills, give you a sense of achievement, and the language skills that you develop could be a valuable tool when you travel abroad for either business or pleasure.
What skills will I develop?
As well as improving your ability to communicate in Spanish, GCSE Spanish teaches you communication skills, adaptability and cultural awareness. Learning how to interact with speakers of another language means you are less likely to be stuck in one mode of thinking.聽 It can help you see things from a range of perspectives, develop your problem-solving skills, and make you more adaptable, resourceful and creative.
What syllabus will I follow?
We follow the AQA syllabus 8692 for Spanish. The objective of the AQA course is to enable pupils of all abilities to develop their confidence and language skills in a variety of contexts.
What will the course look like?
Assessment is set in the context of these three themes.
- Theme 1: People and lifestyle
- Theme 2: Popular culture
- Theme 3: Communication and the world around us
Pupils taking GCSE Spanish will have the opportunity to complete one week of their work experience in Cantabria, Spain. This is an excellent way to improve language skills, develop cultural understanding, make international friends and really impress a future employer!
What homework will I get?
Pupils are expected to complete regular homework. This will include weekly learning, and a variety of activities including verb formations, practice in the use of grammatical structures, reading exercises, speaking presentations, extended pieces of writing, and online learning.
How will I be assessed?
The course is 100% final exam with each skill area (listening, speaking, reading and writing) worth 25% each. Skills are assessed at Foundation (grades 1-5) or Higher Tier (grades 4-9).
What jobs or further courses of study might this lead to?
There are many opportunities to travel or work with organisations abroad where some knowledge of Spanish is a clear advantage:聽,聽translator, journalist, sales executive, marketing executive, tour manager, editor to name but a few!
There is a huge range of combined degrees and further education courses involving Spanish; from accountancy to theatre studies with Spanish. Many universities even offer funding for students to continue or extend their Spanish knowledge by travelling or working abroad during the long vacations or during a year abroad as part of a degree course.
Are there any entry requirements for this course?
Pupils need to have studied Spanish in year 9 to follow this course.
If I need additional support, what can I access?
It is extremely important for pupils to have access to a bilingual dictionary and/or reference materials on the internet to assist them with language homework. Revision guides are also available and class teachers will inform you about support sessions.
GCSE French
What is GCSE French?
Knowledge of French is not just another GCSE grade 鈥� it is a concrete and demonstrable life skill, like being able to drive a car or touch-type, and it is a skill highly-valued by employers. French is spoken on five continents, in over 40 countries, including two G8 countries, it鈥檚 one of the six official languages of the UN, and it鈥檚 one of the most common languages found on the Internet. Studying French will not only develop your language skills, it will improve your social skills, expand your cultural knowledge, and allow you to experience a sense of achievement.
What skills will I develop?
GCSE French teaches you communication skills, adaptability and cultural awareness. Learning how to interact with speakers of another language means you are less likely to be stuck in one mode of thinking.聽 It can help you see things from a range of perspectives, develop your problem-solving skills, and make you more adaptable, resourceful and creative. Learning French, you will develop language-learning skills both for immediate use and to prepare you for further language study and use in school, higher education or employment.
What syllabus will I follow?
We follow the AQA syllabus 8652 for French. The objective of the AQA course is to enable pupils of all abilities to develop their confidence and language skills in a variety of contexts.
What will the course look like?
Assessment is set in the context of these three themes.
- Theme 1: People and lifestyle
- Theme 2: Popular culture
- Theme 3: Communication and the world around us
Pupils taking GCSE French are strongly advised in year 10 to take part in the French interaction day in June and the school immersion trip to France. This is an excellent way to improve language skills, develop cultural understanding and make international friends.
What homework will I get?
You will be expected to complete homework on a weekly basis. This will include learning vocabulary and verb formations, practice in the use of grammatical structures, reading exercises, speaking presentations, extended pieces of writing and online learning.
How will I be assessed?
The course is 100% final exam and each skill area (listening, speaking, reading and writing) will be worth 25%. Skills are assessed at Foundation (grades 1-5) or Higher Tier (grades 4-9).
What jobs or further courses of study might this lead to?
There are many opportunities to travel or work with organisations abroad where some knowledge of French is a clear advantage:聽,聽translator, journalist, sales executive, marketing executive, tour manager, editor to name but a few!
The range of combined degrees and further education courses involving French is limitless 鈥� from accountancy to theatre studies with French. Many universities even offer funding for students to continue or extend their French knowledge by travelling or working abroad during the long vacations
Are there any entry requirements for this course?
Yes, you must have studied French in Year 9 to follow this course.
If I need additional support, what can I access?
It is extremely important for pupils to have access to a bilingual dictionary and/or reference material on the internet to assist them with language homework. Revision guides are also available and class teachers will inform you about support sessions.
GCSE German
What is GCSE German?
Knowledge of German is not just another GCSE grade 鈥� it is a concrete and demonstrable life skill, like being able to drive a car or touch-type, and it is a skill highly-valued by employers. Germany remains the largest single export market for British goods outside of the USA, and Europe’s largest economy 鈥� with a GDP of more than 鈧�3.5 trillion 鈥� continues to defy the Eurozone downturn. With three German-speaking countries, it is also Europe鈥檚 second most-spoken language. With this in mind, it’s no surprise that UK companies want to hire employees who know their umlauts from their eszetts. Studying German will not only develop your language skills, but it will also improve your social skills, expand your cultural knowledge, and allow you to experience a sense of achievement.
What skills will I develop?
GCSE German teaches you communication skills, adaptability and cultural awareness. Learning how to interact with speakers of another language means you are less likely to be stuck in one mode of thinking.聽 It can help you see things from a range of perspectives, develop your problem-solving skills, and make you more adaptable, resourceful and creative. You should develop language-learning skills both for immediate use and to prepare you for further language study and use in school, higher education or employment.
What syllabus will I follow?
We follow the AQA syllabus 8662 for German. The objective of the AQA course is to enable pupils of all abilities to develop their confidence and language skills in a variety of contexts.
What will the course look like?
Assessment is set in the context of these three themes.
- Theme 1: People and lifestyle
- Theme 2: Popular culture
- Theme 3: Communication and the world around us
During your GCSE German course you are strongly advised to take part in the well-established and popular exchange we offer to Bad Hersfeld. This is an excellent way to improve language skills, develop cultural understanding and make international friends.
What homework will I get?
You will be expected to complete homework on a weekly basis. This will include learning vocabulary (using Quizlet) and verb formations, practice in the use of grammatical structures, reading exercises, speaking presentations, extended pieces of writing and online learning.
How will I be assessed?
The course is 100% final exam and each skill area (listening, speaking, reading and writing) will be worth 25%. Skills are assessed at Foundation (grades 1-5) or Higher Tier (grades 4-9). The use of dictionaries is not permitted in any exam.
What jobs or further courses of study might this lead to?
There are many opportunities to travel or work with organisations abroad where some knowledge of German is a clear advantage:聽,聽translator, journalist, sales executive, marketing executive, tour manager, editor to name but a few!
The range of combined degrees and further education courses involving German is limitless e.g. law, music, philosophy, history or English could all be combined with German. Many universities even offer funding for students to continue or extend their German knowledge by travelling or working abroad during the long vacations.
Are there any entry requirements for this course?
Yes, you must have studied German in Year 9 to follow this course.
If I need additional support, what can I access?
You should have access to a bilingual dictionary, either online or in a paper version, at home. Your class teacher will inform you about revision guides and about support sessions offered.
GCSE Mandarin
What is GCSE Mandarin Chinese?
Mandarin Chinese is the most widely spoken language in the world by number of native speakers and is increasingly important in global business, technology, education and international relations. Being able to speak and communicate in Mandarin is therefore a highly valuable skill for future employment, particularly when combined with other subject areas.
The course develops the four key language skills of listening, speaking, reading and writing, as well as translation skills. Studying Mandarin also improves memory, problem-solving and communication skills, gives a strong sense of achievement, and provides a practical and cultural advantage when travelling or working abroad.
What skills will I develop?
As well as developing your ability to communicate effectively in Mandarin, GCSE Mandarin Chinese builds strong communication skills, adaptability and cultural awareness. Learning a language with a different writing system and structure encourages flexible thinking and resilience.
Pupils will learn to see the world from different perspectives, develop analytical and problem-solving skills, and become more confident, resourceful and independent learners.
What syllabus will I follow?
We follow the AQA GCSE Mandarin Chinese syllabus (8673). The objective of the AQA course is to enable pupils of all abilities to develop confidence and competence in Mandarin across a range of real-life contexts.
What will the course look like?
Assessment is set in the context of these three themes:
- Theme 1:聽Identity and culture
- Theme 2:聽Local, national, international and global areas of interest
- Theme 3:聽Current and future study and employment
Pupils studying GCSE Mandarin Chinese may also have opportunities to take part in cultural enrichment activities or trips linked to Chinese language and culture. These experiences help improve language skills, deepen cultural understanding, and enhance future study or career prospects.
What homework will I get?
Pupils are expected to complete regular homework. This will include weekly vocabulary learning, character practice, grammar exercises, reading and listening tasks, speaking preparation, extended writing, translation practice, and online learning activities to support classroom work.
How will I be assessed?
The course is聽100% final exam, with each skill area worth聽25%:
- Listening
- Speaking
- Reading
- Writing
Exams are taken at聽Foundation Tier (grades 1鈥�5)听辞谤听Higher Tier (grades 4鈥�9).
What jobs or further courses of study might this lead to?
Mandarin Chinese opens up a wide range of career opportunities in an increasingly globalised world. Careers where Mandarin is particularly valuable include interpreter, translator, teacher, journalist, diplomat, marketing executive, international business manager, tour manager and roles within global technology and finance industries.
There is also a wide range of further education and university courses combining Mandarin with subjects such as business, economics, law, engineering, international relations and the arts. Many universities offer opportunities for funded study or work placements abroad, including year-abroad programmes.
Are there any entry requirements for this course?
Pupils are expected to have studied Mandarin Chinese in聽Year 9聽in order to follow this course successfully.
If I need additional support, what can I access?
It is extremely important for pupils to have access to a Mandarin-English dictionary and/or reliable online reference materials to support independent learning. Revision guides are available, and class teachers will provide information about additional support sessions, intervention lessons and resources to help pupils achieve their full potential.