Modern foreign languages
Exam board: AQA
Qualification type: GCSE
Course code: French – 8658, Spanish – 8698
Contact: Mrs Burton – cburton@retfordoaks-ac.org.uk
Modern foreign languages are widely chosen and have a proven track record of success at Retford Oaks. Two years of language study will catch the eye of anyone reading your job or university application and is valued by future employers.
What will be studied?
During the course, students will study three main themes. Each theme contains three or four subsection topics.
Theme 1: identity and culture
Topic 1: me, my family and friends
Topic 2: technology in everyday life
Topic 3: free-time activities
Theme 2: local, national, international and global areas of interest
Topic 1: home, town, neighbourhood and region
Topic 2: social issues
Topic 3: global issues
Topic 4: travel and tourism
Theme 3: current and future study and employment
Topic 1: my studies
Topic 2: life at school/college
Topic 3: education post-16
Topic 4: jobs, career choices and ambitions
Why study a language?
• Using languages at work can raise your salary by 20%.
• Learning a language helps your memory, creativity, listening skills and self-confidence.
• By taking a language you don’t just learn the language, you find out about other people, countries and cultures, making it a varied subject.
• Languages mean business – being able to speak a language will make you really stand out.
Assessment structure
Students undertake exams in the summer of year 11.
Paper 1 – Listening (25%)
Paper 2 – Speaking (25%)
Paper 3 – Reading (25%)
Paper 4 – Writing (25%)
Languages have supported:
• David Beckham to speak to Spanish journalists
• Paula Radcliffe to speak French when competing in Europe
• J K Rowling to speak to French publishers
• Tony Blair to work in a French bar during his gap year before university
