German

German is taught as a GCSE subject to able pupils in years 10 and 11 and at A-level. Exam results are excellent – at GCSE with all this years’ candidates gained A* grades. Over the last 5 years the average A*/A pass rate has been 75%. In the last 3 years all candidates have obtained A grades at A-level.

We are now following the AQA syllabus to both GCSE and A level, as this fosters the development of all four language skills – speaking, listening, reading and writing from GCSE right up to A level.

GCSE

As the groups are small, there is plenty of opportunity for the pupils to develop their oral skills and by the end of year 10 pupils are able to converse with some ease in on topics such as their school life, their holidays and their family and friends.

We use a new textbook produced by Nelson Thornes in collaboration with AQA, which encourages the use of up to date language, but there is also a strong emphasis on grammatical concepts, so that the pupils learn to speak the language accurately and with confidence. There is an on-line resource which provides plenty of listening practice and allows the pupils access to the resource at any time, so that the course can be tailored to the needs of the individual, allowing them to revise work on their own and gain in confidence in the language.

By year 11 pupils can use the past, present and future tenses and so are well prepared for the demands of the GCSE year. The GCSE examination consists of four sections, each worth 25%. Speaking and writing tasks are assessed regularly during the year and there are also terminal examinations speaking, reading and listening.

A Level

We also follow the AQA course to a Level. The groups are usually small and most of the lessons are conducted in the target language. We also use the Nelson Thornes book written in collaboration with AQA at A level and the on-line resource is a real bonus, as pupils can work either in the language laboratory or at home and so practise their language skills. The materials are up to date and challenging and there is a strong emphasis on grammatical accuracy. Materials are also taken from German television and newspapers, so that there is plenty of variety in the course and it is always up to date.

The A2 course allows pupils to choose two cultural topics and so they embark on independent research, which is supported in lessons and allows a more mature study of the language and its culture.

We have a contact with a Grammar School in Düsseldorf which we hope to foster this year.