Modern Foreign Languages
We are very proud of our vibrant department, which offers languages from Upper Three to A Level, with many students opting to study two languages. Languages teach you adaptability and communications skills. Learning how to interact with speakers of other languages means you are less likely to be stuck in one mode of thinking. It can help you to see things from a range of perspectives - making you more adaptable, creative, and insightful. There are over 200,000,000 people over the age of 5 years old that speak more than one foreign language. Why not join them?
Girls in U3 study French and Spanish to give them a feel for each Language and understand some of the links between them. All students take at least one modern foreign language for GCSE but we encourage keen linguists to take two languages. We also offer all 3 languages at AS/A Level.
Beyond the curriculum, we offer trips abroad, plays in the foreign languages, theatre and cinema trips, cooking experiences, various competitions in and out of school, language clubs and native speaking assistants.
For those who are interested in pursuing other languages, there is the opportunity to join Mandarin club. For bilingual students, we are able to organise examinations in their mother tongue.
- Curriculum - A Level
- Curriculum - GCSE
- Curriculum - KS3
- Additional Languages
- Field Trips and Visits
- Reading Lists
- Website Links
Curriculum - A Level
Introduction
Why study a foreign language?
Studying a foreign language and the people who speak it will:
- give you skills and experiences that will expand your horizons for the rest of your life;
- give you an advantage over others in an increasingly globalised labour market and open up career opportunities in Europe and beyond;
- help you to understand the motives, politics and culture of countries that are vital to the future of the UK, especially in the EU;
- teach you to look at the world through the eyes of others;
- develop important and highly transportable skills of analysis, debate and independent thought.
Do not fall into the trap of thinking that studying a foreign language (or two!) is just for those who want to teach or translate. There is a vast array of university courses, with languages as your main focus or combined with other subjects such as a social science, many of which include a year abroad studying or working. Career opportunities abound in diverse fields, particularly in business, marketing, tourism, events management and with NGOs.
Just think how much more confident a communicator you would be – and how much more of an asset to your future employer - if you weren’t tongue-tied every time you left Heathrow!
6th Form Events
Modern Languages Cookery
Sixth Form Modern Languages Cookery Evening with the RGS – The Modern Languages Department hosted a Sixth Form cookery evening with the RGS to celebrate European Languages Day. Small teams worked together to cook 3 different dishes using Spanish, French and German recipes. The outcome was delicious and a lot of fun was had by everyone!
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Cinema & Theatre Trips
Sixth Form Cinema Trip – The Spanish Department had a great evening out with the Sixth Form Hispanists to watch Pedro Almodóvar’s film Madres Paralelas when it was showing at the Cinema in Woking.
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Spanish trip to watch La Casa de Bernarda Alba on stage in Spanish – Each year the Spanish Department take the Sixth Formers studying Spanish to watch a Spanish production of the A-level set text La Casa de Bernarda Alba on stage in London.
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Study Days at the British Film Institute – The Spanish Department regularly takes the L5 and the Sixth Formers studying Spanish to take part in Study Days. In May the L5 took part in an interactive study day entitled ‘Exploring identity and culture through short film for KS4 Spanish’ which was conducted mainly in Spanish. They used short films to explore the GCSE themes of identity and culture, to introduce students to new vocabulary and provide them with opportunities to practise their listening, speaking, and writing.
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Debating
French
Examination Board: AQA
Specification
Head of Department: Mrs Catherine Peel
Why study French?
Here are our top 10 reasons to study French:
- You will fall in love with the subject.
- English is not enough! It's really important that you learn to speak and understand other people no matter where they are from.
- You can travel to new places all around the world. French is the official language in 29 countries: Monaco, Gabon, Canada, Switzerland, Senegal are just a few of the many places you could visit!
- Over 200 million people speak French in the world, making it the 10th most spoken language worldwide.
- Speaking French really makes you stand out from the crowd, especially in a globalised European market.
- Learning a French can help you understand your own language and make it easier to learn others. Have you ever thought of the meaning of “Honi soit qui mal y pense” and “Dieu et mon droit”?
- You develop 4 key skills when learning French: listening, reading, speaking and writing.
- You'll have fun learning about a wide range of topics from shopping, to sport, to food and entertainment.
- Speaking more than one language increases your brain capacity and you have better memory too.
- It’s an impressive achievement to speak a foreign language and you'll have better options for your future!”
Be an entrepreneur or an agent provocateur, read Sartre in Montmartre or eat gâteau in a chateau. We offer entente cordiale and many a grand prix. There may be some déjà vu but you will be always bienvenue!
Course Content
Year 1: Aspects of society and Artistic Culture and the study of a film (La Haine by Mathieu Kassovitz)
Year 2: Aspects of political life and current issues in society and the study of a book (Un sac de billes by Joseph Joffo)
Assessment
AS Level:
Paper 1: Listening/Reading/Writing 1h 45mins
Paper 2: Writing 1h 30mins
Paper 3: Oral 30 mins (teacher examined)
A Level:
Paper 1: Listening/Reading/Writing 2h 30mins
Paper 2: Writing 2 hrs
Paper 3: Oral 30 mins (teacher examined)
German
Examination Board: AQA
Specification
Head of Department: Mrs Catherine Peel
Why study German?
- German is the most widely spoken language in all of Europe
- Germany has the third strongest economy in the world
- German is the language of inventors and innovators, poets and scientists; whatever your academic interest, Germans are at the forefront of research
- Because fewer students in the UK are studying German, choosing it at A-Level will make you stand out
Course Content
AS Level: Aspects of society and Artistic Culture and the study of a film (Das Leben der Anderen by Florian Henckel von Donnersmarck)
A Level: Aspects of political life and current issues in society and the study of a book (Der Vorleser by Bernhard Schlink)
Assessment
AS Level:
Paper 1: Listening/Reading/Writing 1h 45mins
Paper 2: Writing 1 hour 30mins
Paper 3: Oral 30 mins (teacher examined)
A Level:
Paper 1: Listening/Reading/Writing 2h 30mins
Paper: 2 Writing 2 hours
Paper 3: Oral 30 mins (teacher examined)
Spanish
Examination Board: AQA
Specification
Head of Department: Mrs Alicia Robinson
Why study Spanish?
If you have a talent for languages, you might want to join the 400 million Spanish speakers in the world as it is the second most widely-spoken language. It is also one of the most spoken languages in Europe.
A knowledge of Spanish and an understanding of Hispanic culture opens many doors. Just think how much more confident a communicator you would be as you head off for a holiday job in Tenerife, fly out for your gap year in Argentina or embark on your first job in Madrid.
Course Content
Year 1: Aspects of Hispanic society, Artistic Culture and the study of a film (Volver by Pedro Almodóvar)
Year 2: Aspects of political life and current issues in society and the study of a book (La Casa de Bernarda Alba by Federico García Lorca)
Assessment
AS Level:
Paper 1: Listening/Reading/Writing 1h 45mins
Paper 2: Writing 1h 30mins
Paper 3: Oral 30 mins (teacher examined)
A Level:
Paper 1: Listening/Reading/Writing 2h 30mins
Paper: 2 Writing 2 hrs
Paper 3: Oral 30 mins (teacher examined)
Curriculum - GCSE
Please click on the links below for full details of the GCSE Modern Foreign Languages syllabus.
GCSE MFL Topics List
Specifications:
The MFL has also participated in the regional section of the L5 Debating Competition, in French, German and Spanish. All the girls in the team this year were amazing and we are very proud of them.
Curriculum - KS3
- All girls study French and Spanish. For each language, there are 3 lessons of 30 minutes each a week.
- Every term, all girls spend some time focusing on listening and ICT activities. iPads and exercises from the Internet are regularly used to reinforce and practise grammar and vocabulary studied in class.
Homework is set to reinforce and develop the work covered in class. It may be set as a written exercise or as learning.
The weekly homework requirements are as follows:
- U3: 1 x 20 minutes .
- L4: 2 x 20-30 minutes
- U4: 2 x 30 minutes
Additional Languages
A girl who has a foreign language as their mother tongue may take a public examination at the recommended level, either GCSE, AS or A level, in the summer of L5 or later by agreement with the Director of Studies and the Head of Additional Languages. Each year we have a number of girls who sit their Chinese IGCSE (which can be sat in both Cantonese and Mandarin). Parents should note that if taken more than four years prior to the usual sitting of A Levels in U6th, then the exam may not be “counted” by some universities.
Contact: Mrs Alicia Robinson
Email: alicia.robinson@stcatherines.info
Field Trips and Visits
Senior School
L5 & U5 French trip to Antibes
The L5 and U5 will get the chance to explore the town of Antibes, on the south coast of France. The programme includes 10 hours of French tuition in small groups as well as a number of cultural activities. These include a guided walking tour of Antibes, visits to Cannes, Grasse and the Institute of Perfumerie, a trip to Nice and the Mamac, as well as interactive language activities such as visiting a market. There will be free time to visit cafes and shops. The girls will stay with host families in pairs as a way of practising their French in an informal context.
L5 & U5 German trip to Berlin
The L5 and U5 will get the chance to explore Berlin. The programme includes 10 hours of German tuition in small groups as well as a number of cultural activities. Activities include a visit to Checkpoint Charlie and the Wall Museum, Hohenschönhausen Memorial and/or Sachsenhausen, the Brandenburg Gate and Holocaust Memorial, the Reichstag Dome, the Berlin Mall, Mauerpark Flea Market as well as free time to visit cafes and shops. The girls will stay with host families in pairs as a way of practising their German in an informal context.
U4 & L5 German trip to Rhineland
The U4 and L5 will have the opportunity to visit the Rhineland, visiting sights such as Rudersheim, Koblenz, Schloss Stolzenfels, Marksburg, St Goar, the Sommerrodelbahn, the Lorely as well as trying German food, ice cream and doing some shopping. Travel will be by coach and accommodation in a hostel.
L5 & U5 Spanish trip to Valencia
The L5 and U5 will get the chance to explore the city of Valencia, on the east coast of Spain. The programme includes 10 hours of Spanish tuition in small groups as well as a number of cultural activities. These include a guided walking tour of the city centre, a harbour tour with water sports activities, a paella party night, salsa lesson, a visit to the food market and cooking lesson and a trip to the oceanográfico aquarium in Valencia. The girls will stay with host families in pairs as a way of practising their Spanish in an informal context.
L5 and U5 trip to Granada 2023
L5 and U5 trip to Antibes 2024
L5/U5 and L6/U6 trip to Berlin 2023
Sixth Form
Sixth form French trip to Antibes
A total immersion French language trip! The L6 and U6 French students spend the October half-term week in Antibes, living with French families, attending language classes and enjoying a range of cultural activities. Highlights have included trips to Nice, Cannes, Grasse and Monaco, and an afternoon spent with a charity in Antibes entertaining a large group of elderly people. At the end of the week everyone’s language skills are assessed and all the girls are given certificates with their CECRL level.
Sixth Form German trip to Berlin
The L6 and U6 German students spend a week in Berlin in February, living with German host families and enjoying a wide range of historical, cultural activities. All activities are guided and accompanied by German native speakers and language work is incorporated at all stages.
Sixth Form Spanish trip to Valencia
We are continuing to run our 6th form immersion trip to Valencia, Spain’s third largest city. Students get to practice their language intensively at the Taronja School and soak up the culture with their host family. Situated on the east coast, Valencia is Spain's third largest city with just over one million inhabitants. Vibrant, innovative and authentically Spanish, the city has plenty to offer and is also the birthplace of paella! Host families are located within a short walking distance of the school. Taronja School is fully accredited by Instituto Cervantes in recognition of academic excellence and all of the school’s teachers are experienced professionals with a degree in Spanish philology as a minimum. There are visits to “Oceanographic”, the Science and Fallas museums and the 3D cinema, a tour of the old town and one of Europe’s largest covered markets, including climbing the bell tower, a paella party, a coastal walk and a cookery class, not to mention popping out to the variety of tapas restaurants near the school at lunchtime.
Reading Lists
French
Middle school and Senior school girls are encouraged to borrow from the school library, where we have a new range of books from the français facile range. All girls take part in the Reading project and read books from the Culturethèque library each term.
There are a wide range of books in the school library, including:
Fiction:
- Colette / Le Blé en Herbe
- Deforges / La Bicyclette Bleue
- Fournier, Alain / Le Grand Meaulnes
- Maupassant / Boule de Suif
- Mauriac / Thérése Desqueyroux
- Pagnol / La Gloire de Mon Pére
- Sagan / Bonjour Tristesse
- Sartre / Les Mains Sales
- Simenon / Maigret
Non Fiction
- Mermet, Gérard / Francoscopie 2003 (Larousse)
Newspapers and Magazines
- Le Figaro
- Le Nouvel Observateur
- Paris-Match
- Phosphore
- Elle
Media
There is also a wide selection of French films available for 6th formers to borrow on DVD, and for all via Microsoft stream.
German
Reading books in German is an excellent way of getting to know German, Austrian and Swiss culture while improving your grasp of the language. There is a range of literature in St. Catherine’s library, including: Märchen by the Brüder Grimm, novels by the nineteenth-century writer Theodor Fontane, short stories by the twentieth-century writers Thomas Mann and Heinrich Böll and poetry readers that provide an introduction to a range of ‘Dichter.’ There are also a range of modern novellas and novels which give insight into German-speakers today.
We recommend all the books from the German section of the library. They provide an excellent opportunity to learn the language in an enjoyable way. Our easy readers are clearly labelled and should appeal to all beginners. ‘A’ readers are for beginners, whilst C and D readers are aimed at those with an extensive vocabulary.
We also have a number of German books, some of which are listed below.
Drama:
- Max Frisch, Biedermann und die Brandstifter | Nun singen sie wieder | Andorra
- Heinrich von Kleist, Der zerbrochene Krug
- Wolfgang Borchert, Draussen vor der Tür
- Bertoldt Brecht, Der gute Mensch von Sezuan | Mutter Courage
- Friedrich Durrenmatt: Der Besuch | Die Physiker
Novels:
- Judith Kerr, Als Hitler das rosa Kaninchen stahl
- Stefan Zweig, Brennendes Geheimnis
- Franz Kafka, Das Schloss
- Thomas Mann, Der Tod in Venedig | Buddenbrooks
- Theodor Storm, Der Schimmelreiter
- Christa Wolf, Der geteilte Himmel | Kassandra | Nachdenken über Christa T.
- Erich Kästner, Die Konferenz der Tiere
- Johann Wolfgang von Goethe, Die Leiden des jungen Werthers
- Astrid Lindgren, Pippi Langstrumpf
- Theodor Fontante, Effi Briest
- Hans Fallada, Erzählungen
Readers:
- Erich Kästner, Emil und die Detektive | First German reader: a beginner’s dual-language book
Spanish
Middle School & Senior School - Borrow from the school library and ask your teacher about the Spanish department story collection.
A Level students:
If you want to learn about Spanish OR South American literature, you could read the following books:
‘Culture/History:
- Ghosts of Spain
- The New Spaniards
- The Spanish Civil War A Very Short Introduction
- Forgotten Continent: A History of the New Latin America
- Slow Train to Guantanamo
- The Penguin History of Latin America
Literature
General:
- Penguin Cuentos en Espanol: Spanish short stories
- The Penguin Book of Spanish Verse
Specific Works:
- Federico García Lorca La casa de Bernarda Alba
- Gabriel García Márquez Crónica de una muerte anunciada
- Laura Esquivel Como agua para chocolate
- Ramón J. Sender Réquiem por un campesino español
- Carlos Ruiz Zafón La sombra del viento
- Isabel Allende La casa de los espíritus
- Gustavo Adolfo Bécquer Rimas
- Fernando Fernán-Gómez Las bicicletas son para el verano
- Luis de Castresana El otro árbol de Guernica
- Gabriel García Márquez El coronel no tiene quien le escriba
Film:
- El laberinto del fauno Guillermo del Toro (2006)
- • Ocho apellidos vascos Emilio Martínez-Lázaro (2014)
- • María, llena eres de gracia Joshua Marston (2004)
- • Volver Pedro Almodóvar (2006)
- • Abel Diego Luna (2010)
- • Las 13 rosas Emilio Martínez-Lázaro (2007)
Website Links
French
Recommended websites for all students
- This is Language (www.thisislanguage.com)
- Word Referece (www.wordreference.com)
- Linguascope (www.linguascope.com)
- Quizlet (quizlet.com)
- Language Gym (language-gym.com)
- BBC Bitesize for French (www.bbc.co.uk/bitesize/subjects/z9dqxnb)
- Languages Online (languagesonline.org.uk)
- CultureTheque (www.culturetheque.com/exploitation/GBR/accueil-portal.aspx)
In addition, for A Level students:
German
Recommended websites for all students:
- BBC Bitesize for German (www.bbc.co.uk/bitesize/subjects/z8j2tfr)
- Linguascope (www.linguascope.com)
- Wordreference (www.wordreference.com/ende)
- Quizlet (quizlet.com/en-gb)
- Languagesonline (www.languagesonline.org.uk)
- BBC German (www.bbc.co.uk/languages/german)
In addition, for A Level students:
Spanish
Recommended websites for all students:
- www.bbc.co.uk/schools/gcsebitesize/spanish/ (all higher level activities)
- www.linguascope.com (Log in: stcatsmfl password: student) any INTERMEDIATE activity. Watch the role play before completing the tasks.
- www.languagesonline.org.uk
- www.bbc.co.uk/languages/spanish/ (Complete the Spanish test, have a look at the REPORTAJES section – there are lots of good reading comprehensions there on a variety of topics, watch Mi Vida Loca.
- www.quizlet.com/en-gb - (great for quizzes)
- www.onoma.es (very good for conjugating verbs)
- www.wordreference.com (general language website)
In addition, for A Level students:
- www.studyspanish.com (good for grammar revision)
- www.rtve.es (news, tv)