Core Purpose

Learning a foreign language provides an opening to other cultures.  A high-quality languages education fosters students’ curiosity and deepens their understanding of the world. The teaching enables students to express their ideas and thoughts in another language and to understand and respond to its speakers, both in speech and in writing. It also provides opportunities for them to communicate for practical purposes, learn new ways of thinking and read great literature in the original language. Language teaching provides the foundation for learning further languages, equipping pupils to study and work in other countries

British Values Coverage

Democracy

Learning a new language is a way to foster community and understanding between people of all political persuasions and nationalities. This can act both as a potent corrective force to any tendencies of narrow-mindedness we may be harbouring, and also be a form of political resistance. It is a concrete action that all of us can take to move towards a more just and open-minded mentality

The Rule of Law

The importance of laws, whether they are those that govern the class, the school, or the countries of the languages that we are teaching, is consistently reinforced. Students are taught the value and reasons behind laws – that they govern and protect us – the responsibilities that this involves and the consequences when laws are broken. We study law and order and delinquency in GCSE and A level units of work. We explain rules and laws when we visit target language countries

Individual Liberty

Within MFL lessons, students are actively encouraged to make choices, knowing that they are in a safe and supportive environment. We educate and provide boundaries for young people to make choices confidently and safely. Students are encouraged to know, understand and exercise their rights and personal freedoms and are advised on how to exercise these safely, especially on MFL trips. In lessons and in written and spoken controlled assessments, we encourage students to express their individual views whilst respecting the views and choices of others.

Mutual Respect for and Tolerance of those with Different Faiths and Beliefs

Part of our ethos in the MFL classroom is to promote the core values of respect, reflection, resilience and resourcefulness. We aspire to promote these values and increase the students’ knowledge of the importance of mutual respect – in school, in our local community, nationally and in the wider world.

Spiritual, Moral, Social and Cultural Coverage

Spiritual

The study of modern foreign languages encourages enjoyment of things deemed different and a respect for different ways of life.

Moral

At GCSE there is a unit of the rights and wrongs of smoking, drinking and alcohol in French and Spanish.

Social

Every lesson, students practise their oral skills and develop confidence in spoken language by working in pairs and small groups.

Cultural

The study of modern foreign languages encourages an appreciation of different cultures and ways of life. Students learn about different aspects of foreign cultures such as music, entertainment and food and are encouraged to be active citizens in our global community. With so many languages spoken within the school, this is capitalised on in the languages classroom.

CARES Coverage

Commitment

Students learn how to be independent learners and commit to carry on studying and improving their foreign language skills for the rest of their lives.

Aspiration

Students know that learning a foreign language will give them a better access and better chances to enter the job market.

Resilience

Learning a new language is never easy. Students will be tested on their resilience and will learn that one should never give up.

Excellence

Students can achieve excellence by practising and being the best they can be.

Self-management

Students will improve their knowledge by being independent learners.

Please click here to see the MFL Curriculum Coverage

Last updated September 2018