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Redborne Upper School

Redborne Upper School

& Community College

Languages Faculty

Welcome to the Languages Faculty which consists of the French, German, Spanish and Latin departments. It is a friendly and supportive team committed to the teaching of languages in order to equip our young people with the skills and ideology needed to live and succeed in a multicultural society. In an increasingly competitive job market, our students will need to earn their place alongside highly skilled workers from abroad, who all have English as a second language. 


We aim to enthuse our students for languages through stimulating, innovative and challenging lessons delivered through a wide variety of teaching and learning styles. Emphasis is placed on the spoken language and building up students’ confidence to enable them to enjoy using the foreign language. We aim to develop a whole area approach to the improvement of communication, social and grammatical skills which are essential if our students are to leave Redborne with the confidence to manipulate the written and spoken word for their own pleasure and purpose in the future. Learning a language is an enriching experience that continues well after school.

The teachers in the Languages Faculty have experienced for themselves the benefits of language learning and foreign travel. We endeavour through our teaching to broaden our students’ horizons and raise their own expectations. We firmly believe that a greater understanding of other countries and cultures can breed tolerance, empathy, adaptability and consideration for others, as well as a willingness to overcome communication barriers.

Year 9
On arriving in Year 9, students will continue with their study of French and learn either German or Spanish as their second modern foreign language. If parents / carers have a strong preference with regard to the second language, then they are invited to indicate this on the transfer document from middle schools. The KS3 curriculum has been created to enable students to develop skills and linguistic competence within a range of common topic areas. Students are taught in mixed ability groups and assessed in the four language skills of listening, speaking, reading and writing, as well as given an insight into the cultures and civilisations of those countries where the language is spoken.


GCSE 
At Key Stage 4 students have the opportunity to continue with one or both languages through to GCSE. They can also take up Latin Language at this point, through to GCSE.

In Years 10 and 11 students are working towards their GCSE qualifications and these will be assessed in the four language skills of listening, reading, speaking and writing at the end of the course in Year 11. These four skills are tested in a variety of theme areas which are taught during the GCSE course and introduced in the final term of year 9.  Both the French and Spanish departments use the Edexcel examination board whilst the German department uses the AQA examination board. The Latin GCSE assesses students on their ability to comprehend and translate Latin, and on their knowledge of Latin literature and aspects of Roman civilisation. We use the Eduqas exam board.


A level
We are proud to be able to offer all three languages at A level.  French and Spanish use the Edexcel examination board whilst German uses AQA. Both specifications are designed to make language learning enjoyable and stimulating whilst rewarding advanced research and knowledge of the culture.  All three departments have rooms designated to independent study, where students can make use of the array of authentic resources in their own free periods.

Additional opportunities

The faculty offers a range of cultural experiences abroad designed to develop students’ linguistic skills, independence and social interaction.  

The French department runs an immersion trip to Rouen in France where students in years 10-13 stay with host families and participate in day trips to Giverny and Honfleur.  

Students in years 9-13 who study Spanish have the opportunity to stay with host families in Malaga, Spain and take part in cultural activities such as flamenco dancing and paella making. 

The Latin department takes students to Italy, to visit the historical sites of Pompeii, Herculaneum
and Rome.

Finally, the highly successful German Exchange visit takes place in Bavaria, southern Germany where students in years 9-12 have the opportunity to stay with a host family and welcome the same partner back to England later in the same year.

The Modern Foreign Languages Team

Miss N. Crossley Head of Faculty French, German
Mrs P. Shaw French Subject Leader French, Spanish
Mrs H. Bennett Spanish Subject Leader Spanish, French, German
Mrs H. Esler German Subject Leader German, French
Mrs H. Manley Latin Subject Leader Latin, English, Sociology
Mrs M. Crespi Teacher Spanish, French, German
Mrs C. Abery Teacher German, French
Mr J. Bastida Teacher Spanish, French
Miss L Prior Curriculum Support Assistant  

Contact Us

Flitwick Road, Ampthill,
Bedfordshire,
MK45 2NU

01525 404462