Modern Foreign Languages Department
General aims of Modern Language
Learning at Montgomery High School
Teaching
and
As a department we fully support the whole school ethos “Mutual Respect,
Ambition and Learning”. We will therefore endeavour to offer equal
opportunities to all of our students where they feel respected, valued and
safe so that they will thrive and achieve their full potential by:
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Providing appropriately for all students of all ages and abilities,
eliminating discrimination on grounds of race, sex or physical
disability
Ensuring that pupils have a right to equality of access to what is
best in educational provision
Promoting mutual respect and good relationships between students
and staff and students themselves
Ensuring all students in our care progress and achieve regardless of
their ability, race or social background
Developing the skills and competencies
Setting challenging targets for students’ progress
Ensuring all students develop emotionally, socially and intellectually
Specific aims of Modern Foreign Languages Teaching and
Learning
We currently deliver the National Curriculum programmes of study to Key
Stage 3 (Y7 & Y8) students and follow the Edexcel syllabus in Key Stage 4
(Y9, Y10 & Y11)
We aim to:
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Develop the ability to understand and use the learnt foreign
language effectively for the purposes of practical communication.
Develop the ability to use the learnt language both imaginatively
and creatively and to understand it.
Develop an understanding of the grammar of the learnt language.
Offer insights into the culture and civilisation of the countries and
communities that speak the learnt language.
Encourage positive attitudes to foreign language learning and to
speakers of foreign languages and a positive approach to other
cultures and civilisations.
Develop students’ understanding of themselves and their own
culture.
Provide enjoyment and intellectual stimulation and challenge.
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Form a sound base of skills, language and attitude required for
further study, work and leisure.
Promote skills, which have a wider application such as information
technology, and learning skills (eg analysis, memorising, drawing
inference and making deductions)
Organisation
Key Stage 3
All students start the study of one language (French, German or Spanish)
in Year 7 and carry on with this language through to Y11.
The two top sets in each population will be offered a Second Language in
Y8 which they can opt to take in Y9 through to Y11.
We also offer provision for Mandarin Chinese and Spanish as additional
languages to students who express willingness to learn an extra language
 Y7: have 2 hours a week of their learnt language.
 Y8: have 3 hours a week on their learnt language (Top sets spend 1
hour of the 3 on their second learnt language)
Key Stage 4
We introduced a new initiative from September 2010, which saw us
embarking upon the teaching of the New GCSE Edexcel from Y9. Pupils
have more time and flexibility especially in completing Controlled
Assessment Coursework. Our KS4 SOW is therefore spread over 3 years
to offer more opportunities to improve results in the 60% component of
the GCSE course and also time to practise more for the Listening and
Reading exams components which constitute 40% of the GCSE course.
 Y9: have 3 hours a week of their learnt language (Top sets spend 1
hour of the 3 on their second learnt language).
 Y10 & y11: have 5 hours a fortnight on their learnt language and 5
hours a fortnight on their second language if they opted for one.
The study of at least one foreign language is, therefore, undertaken by all
students, and all students are entered for the Edexcel GCSE
examination in at least one language or the NVQ.
Teaching groups:
Year 7 students are taught in form groups till October half term when we
set them according to their ability using collated data (KS2 performance,
English base line assessment, CAT scores and teachers
recommendations).
Year 8 students are taught in ability banded sets and we encourage set
movements between Cycles, as necessary.
Year 9 students are taught in ability banded sets and we encourage set
movements between Cycles, as necessary.
Year 10 and Year 11 students are taught in ability banded sets
Staffing
The department is staffed by 9 well-qualified language specialists and also
benefits from the services of foreign language assistants on a yearly
basis. We also offer PGCE and GTP training as part of our partnership with
the University of Cumbria and the ITT North West Consortium.
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Mrs. Sihem Khalifa: Curriculum Area Leader with responsibility for
French and oversight of KS4 (KA)
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Mrs. Victoria Farren: Assistant Curriculum Area Leader
responsibility for Spanish and non-GCSE Provision (FN)
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Mrs. Victoria Giblin: International coordinator with responsibility for
German (GB)
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Miss Amy Boardwell: Teacher of French and Spanish (BL)
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Mrs Karen Bunker: Y7 Progress Manager, primary coordinator and
Teacher of French (BK)
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Miss Karen Redman: Teacher of Spanish and German (RN)
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Miss Helen Rowe: Y9 Progress Manager and Teacher of German
(RO)
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Miss Sarah Webb: Teacher of Spanish and French (WB)
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Mrs Joanne Singleton-De Carrenza: Teacher of French and Spanish
with
MFL Homework Policy
Rationale
Homework is an important and integral part of the curriculum. A good,
well-managed
homework programme, encourages the development of personal skills
and attitudes which students will need for successful independent
learning. It will also encourage enjoyment of learning and consolidate
knowledge and understanding introduced within the classroom. It will also
provide parents with an opportunity to take part in their children's
education. Homework is also important in raising student achievement
and standards.
Aims
The MFL department will set homework to help students:
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To consolidate and extend work covered in class and/or prepare for
new learning activities.
To access resources not available in the classroom.
To develop research skills, have an opportunity for independent
work, show progress and understanding.
To provide feedback in the evaluation of teaching.
To enhance their study skills e.g. planning, time management and
self-discipline.
To take ownership and responsibility for learning.
To engage parental co-operation and support.
To create channels for home and school dialogue.
Guidelines
The MFL department follows the whole school new initiative for homework
in Y7 and Y8. Students will follow a homework scheme where they
produce a project by the end of their designated Cycle. This project will
be checked through key time points and students will get written/verbal
feedback at these key checking points. When their project is completed,
teachers will set written and learning homework, as they deem necessary.
This will normally relate to previous learning and will prepare for future
learning.
In Y9, 10 and 11 written homework will be set once a fortnight and
written feedback will be given as shown above. Learning homework will
be set once a fortnight and will be assessed in lesson time.
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Homework will constitute meaningful and worthwhile work.
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Homework will be marked thoroughly by the class teacher and
constructive written feedback and wherever possible an NC level will
also be given. Teachers will also indicate what students need to do
to improve.
Teachers will discuss the outcomes of homework regularly with their
students.
Homework completed to the best efforts of the student should be
acknowledged and praised, within the classroom wherever possible
and/or within the school.
Homework will be adequately differentiated and appropriate to the
needs of individual students.
Homework will be set according to the school’s homework
timetable.
Teachers will ensure each student writes details of homework set in
their School Planner.
All written homework will be handed in. Those who fail to hand in
work will be chased up. The second late homework will be punished
by a break time or after school detention (or sanction of similar
weight) and organised by the teacher concerned. Any subsequent
failure to hand in completed work warrants a departmental
detention. However, within the bounds of fairness, we will treat
cases on an individual basis.
Suggested timing to spend on Homework
Year
Written or
Group comprehension
Homework
Y7
Follow published
guidelines for Y7/Y8
Homework Project
Y8
Follow published
guidelines for Y7/Y8
Homework Project
Y9
Once a fortnight
Vocabulary
Homework
Learning Suggested
time spent
Follow published
guidelines for Y7/Y8
Homework Project
Follow published
guidelines for Y7/Y8
Homework Project
Once a fortnight
20 /30 min
Y10
Once a fortnight
Once a fortnight
40/60 min
Y11
Once a fortnight
Once a fortnight
40/60 min
30 / 40min
40/60 min
Outcomes
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More skilled students who can cope with the demands of their
learning and progress.
Independent learning and thinking skills.
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Involvement of parents/carers in the teaching and learning process
that takes place in school.
Improved teaching and learning and increased interest in languages
Improved attainment and standards.
Improved attitudes to learning and exams.
Improved confidence in one’s progress regardless of ability.
Extra-curricular provision in MFL
The MFL Department continually looks at improving extra-curricular
activities to extend students’ interest in languages and the cultures of the
languages they are learning. The following clubs have been created to
cater for a variety of students at different abilities:
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Monday: German club for Y7 with Mrs Giblin in Room L8 From 3 to 4
pm
Monday: Mandarin Chinese course provided by the Confucius
Institute in L7 From 3 -5pm
Thursday: Media and creative writing club with Miss Boardwell in L9
From 3 to 4 pm
Provision for Gifted and Talented Students
Rationale
Montgomery High School aims to provide every individual in the school
with equality of opportunity and encouragement to fulfill their full
potential. At Montgomery Academy and High School, the MFL team
believes that our ethos will be best achieved by establishing a broad
educational programme for every student; appropriate for their ability and
individual needs. Many students have special abilities and some are very
gifted academically. Whole school identification for the Gifted and
Talented registers is carried out using academic data and through teacher
nomination.
Aims
It is our intention at Montgomery Academy and High School to provide
support to enable each student who has been identified as gifted or
talented to reach their full potential. This policy is designed to support our
Department in its development of effective provision for gifted and
talented students.
The aim of this policy is to identify and support learners who are
achieving or able to achieve significantly in advance of the average for
their year group.
The policy will cover such areas as:
 The identification of special ability in MFL
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The different roles associated with gifted and talented provision in
MFL
Monitoring and evaluation – Tracking students’ progress.
Definition of gifted and talented students in MFL
The MFL Department identifies Gifted and talented students in MFL as
those who achieve, or have the capacity to achieve, significantly above
average for a pupil in their year group. G & T students will:
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Have a strong desire to put language together by themselves.
Show creativity and imagination when using languages.
Have a natural feel for languages.
Pick up new language and structure quickly.
Make connections and classify words and structures to help them
learn more efficiently.
Seek solutions and ask further questions.
Have an insight into own learning style and preference.
Take risks and not be afraid of making mistakes.
The MFL Department recognizes that not all gifted and talented learners
are obvious achievers, many actually underachieve. Gifted and talented
underachievers in MFL will show the following characteristics:
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Low motivation.
Low self-esteem.
Poor organisation.
Short attention span.
Find inadequacy in others, in things, in systems in order to excuse
their behaviour.
Manipulate their environment to make themselves feel better.
Tend towards a superior attitude to those around them
Guidelines
The Gifted and Talented Coordinator in MFL will:
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Write and annually update the gifted and talented policy in MFL.
Compile and update the MFL’s gifted and talented register for each
year group.
Keep up to date with the current developments in gifted and
talented provision and inform colleagues regarding suitable web
sites, recent publications and resources available.
Support and challenge colleagues to meet the needs of G&T
students.
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Look for opportunities to widen the scope of learning activities
beyond the school and the classroom for G&T students.
Collect and record data.
Liaise regularly with parents and other staff who have direct
responsibility towards those students.
Review G & T performance, arrange meetings and discuss progress
or underachievement.
Set personalised targets for future progress and monitor
throughout.
Analyse assessment and end of cycle data to inform discussions
between gifted and talented students to review their performance
and progress towards their targeted levels and grades.
MFL Class Teachers will:
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Provide suitably challenging activities and questions to extend the
core learning tasks.
Encourage students to take risks, play with ideas and regard all
answers, whether right or wrong, as productive opportunities for
learning.
Consult with gifted and talented students on their preferred learning
styles and plan for these.
Provide rigorous and constructive feedback to students on their
work and progress.
The G & T Student will:
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Support and encourage other students.
Take part in a wide range of suitable activities.
Extend self and take responsibility towards own progress.
Monitoring and Evaluation: Tracking pupils’ progress
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Analysis of assessment data and end of cycle data will be used to
inform discussions between gifted and talented students to review
their performance and progress towards their targeted levels and
grades. This data will be collected and shared with the students and
all staff involved in teaching the students.
The gifted and talented coordinator will work collaboratively,
sharing and using information about students’ progress so that
identification of students’ underperformance is early and addressed
quickly.
Outcome
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More independent learners who take responsibility towards their
progress and take pride in their achievement.
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Students who will pursue studying languages beyond GCSE
More global citizens equipped with the demands of the 21st century
Students who are more aware of the demands of higher education
and work place
Resources
The MFL Team works extremely hard at reviewing resources at a regular
basis and constantly share good practice and ideas on how to improve the
teaching and learning experiences of our students.
The French Language Team Currently use Studio 1 and 2 textbooks and
audio resources in Y7 and Y8 and Métro 4 textbooks and audio resources
in Y 9, 10 and 11.
The German Language Team currently use Logo 1 and 2 textbooks and
audio resources in Y7 and 8 and Logo 3 and 4 textbooks and audio
resources in Y9, 10 and 11.
The Spanish Language Team currently use Listos 1 and 2 textbooks and
audio resources and in Y7 and 8 and Listos 3 and 4 textbooks and audio
resources in Y9, 10 and 11. Our dual linguists in Spanish use Mira Express
textbooks and audio resources.
All our students receive an invaluable vocabulary and useful structures
booklet in September to support them with their homework and
independent learning.
The MFL team also benefits from the Foreign Languages Assistants’ input,
which we feel is crucial to the learning of our students.