Modern Foreign Languages

Intent:

The Modern Foreign Languages (MFL) department at Sandhurst School fosters a love of languages and intercultural understanding. We believe that communication is a fundamental human skill, and proficiency in another language is increasingly important in our interconnected world.

Further information:

Our curriculum

Our curriculum is designed to:

Cultivate confident communicators: We equip students with the tools to express themselves clearly and confidently in French and Spanish. This includes developing all four key language skills: reading, writing, speaking, and listening.
Nurture a global perspective by exposing students to the rich cultures embedded within these languages. This includes exploring food, history, traditions, and current affairs.
Build confidence in using language for real-world purposes, such as travel, further education, and future careers.
Ignite a lifelong language journey: We provide a springboard for students' language acquisition, equipping them with the essential skills and knowledge to continue their linguistic exploration beyond Sandhurst. This ensures they are well-prepared for further study, regardless of their chosen path.

Building strong foundations for success

At Key Stage 3 (KS3), we lay the groundwork for success in GCSE languages and beyond. Through a variety of engaging activities, including games, simulations, and interactive tasks, students develop core grammatical knowledge and vocabulary. We emphasise spoken language acquisition, creating a safe and supportive environment where students can practice communication skills without fear of mistakes. We use games, competitions and prizes to help support this fun approach, which fosters a love of languages and equips students with the confidence and skills they need to thrive in their GCSE studies.

We are committed to ensuring that all students, regardless of prior experience, develop a positive attitude towards languages and the benefits they offer. We aim to inspire a lifelong love of learning that transcends the classroom, encouraging students to embrace opportunities to use their language skills in the wider world.

Curriculum time allocation

KS3 (Years 7, 8 and 9) - 4 hours per fortnight

KS4 (Years 10 and 11) - 5 hours per fortnight

Homework policy

MFL homework policy

KS4 exam information

Exam	Spanish All papers are offered at Foundation Tier and Higher Tier (you must take the same tier for all papers)
Board	Pearson Edexcel
Spec	1SP0
Paper 1	Speaking Foundation: 7-9 minutes (+15 minutes prep) Higher: 10-12 minutes (+15 minutes prep) 50 marks 25% of qualification Three tasks (in order) 1: Read aloud + short Q&A (12) 2: Role-play (10) 3: Picture-based discussion + conversation (28) No separate SPAG mark - accuracy is included in the main criteria
Paper 2	Listening Foundation: 45 minutes (incl. 5 minutes reading time) Higher: 1 hour (incl. 5 minutes reading time) 50 marks 25% of qualification Section A - Listening comprehension (in English) 40 marks Multiple choice, multiple response, short answers Instructions and answers in English Section B - Dictation (in Spanish) 10 marks Short passage dictated Tests spelling, accents and sounds - spelling links
Paper 3	Reading Foundation: 45 minutes Higher: 1 hour 50 marks 25% of qualification Section A - Reading comprehension (in English) 40 marks Multiple choice, multiple response, short answers Instructions and answers in English Section B - Translation into English 10 marks Short Spanish text → English
Paper 4	Writing Foundation: 1 hour 15 minutes Higher: 1 hour 20 minutes 50 marks 25% of qualification Foundation (4 tasks, 50 marks) Picture-based writing (8) Open response 1 (formal/transactional) (14) Open response 2 (informal) (18) Translation into Spanish (10) Higher (3 tasks, 50 marks) Open response (informal) (18) Open response (more extended/formal) (22) Translation into Spanish (10)

Exam	French All papers are offered at Foundation Tier and Higher Tier (you must take the same tier for all papers)
Board	AQA
Spec	8652
Paper 1	Listening Foundation: 35 minutes (+ reading/check time) Higher: 45 minutes (+ reading/check time) Marks: 40 (F) / 50 (H) Section A - Listening Comprehension (responses in English) Majority of marks Multiple choice and short answers Responses in English or non-verbal Section B - Dictation (responses in French) Foundation: approximately 20 words Higher: approximately 30 words Sentences played three times Tests spelling, accents, sound-spelling links
Paper 2	Speaking Foundation: 7-9 minutes Higher: 10-12 minutes 15 minutes supervised preparation Marks: 50 Three tasks Role-play (10) Reading aloud + short Q&A (15) Photo card discussion (25) No separate SPAG mark - accuracy is included within the main criteria
Paper 3	Reading Foundation: 45 minutes Higher: 1 hour 50 marks Section A - Reading comprehension (responses in English) Largest section Multiple choice, matching, short answers Section B - Translation into English 10 marks Foundation: about 35 words Higher: about 50 words Focus on conveying meaning accurately
Paper 4	Writing Foundation: 1 hour 10 minutes Higher: 1 hour 15 minutes 50 marks Foundation Tier (5 tasks, 50 marks) Photo description - five sentences (10) Short bullet-point writing - give bullets (10) Grammar task - 5 items (5) Translation into French - about 35 words (10) Longer writing - about 90 words, choose one of two (15) Higher Tier (3 tasks, 50 marks) Translation into French - about 50 words (10) Structured writing - about 90 words, choose one of two (15) Open-ended writing - about 150 words, choose one of two (25)

Department Contact

Miss A Guillen
aguillen@sandhurstschool.org.uk