Head of Department: Mr Dominic Mott dwm@sevenoaksschool.org
The Modern Languages Department
The department is one the largest Modern Languages departments in the country. 34 members of staff teach seven languages as part of the standard curriculum (four languages in the Lower and Middle Schools plus three more in the Sixth Form). In addition - subject to demand - another nine languages are offered in the Sixth Form. It is a busy place! We are passionate about fostering in our students a love for languages and culture. Many of our students decide to pursue their study of languages at top Universities.
The department is housed in a purpose-built block, comprising a suite of 15 designated language rooms, all equipped with data-projectors and multi-media equipment; a suite of 16 computers for students’ independent learning; and a 26 console language laboratory. Extensive use is made of satellite television and foreign language press as well as facilities for individual student research via the internet.
There are nine foreign language assistants for French, German, Russian, Spanish, Italian, Japanese and Mandarin. They hold weekly classes for small groups of Sixth Form pupils, as well as helping out with younger pupils.
Years 7 and 8
Pupils who join Sevenoaks in Year 7 study French as their first modern language. In Year 8 all students continue to learn French and also start learning a second modern language from a choice of either: German, Russian or Spanish. Since we place great emphasis on practising the foreign language in the country, all students are able to visit France on a day trip in Year 7, and take part in an week-long study trip in Year 8 to Normandy. Students of German have the opportunity to enjoy a two-day visit to a Christmas market in Monschau.
Year 9
In Year 9 pupils continue to study the two modern languages previously studied in Year 8. Those joining the school in Year 9 also study two languages; one they previously studied (in most cases French) and a new language from a choice of either: German, Russian or Spanish. These are beginners’ courses, although continuation courses may be offered in German and Spanish, subject to numbers. At the end of Year 9, students select which language(s) they will study for GCSE during Years 10 and 11.
Students have the opportunity to participate in either term-time or holiday exchanges to France with an equivalent class at the Institution des Chartreux in Lyon. Both of these exchange programmes are very well established and bring tremendous benefit, both linguistically and culturally, to the students.
Years 10 and 11
All Year 10 and 11 students have the option of studying one or two of their modern foreign languages. Some students take three languages to GCSE - two modern and one classical. A vast number continue to study their two modern languages for GCSE. Much use is made of the target language and activities are varied, whilst still ensuring that the basic grammar and structures of the language are clearly understood. Exchanges and/or study trips are organised in Year 10 to Spain, Germany and Russia. In Y11 a French ski and language study trip to the Alps as well as a cultural study visit to Paris are offered. (I)GCSE examinations are taken at the end of Y11 in all languages. Provision for native speakers of French, German, Spanish and Russian may also be available on request.
Sixth Form
All pupils studying the IB are required to study a foreign language, either at Higher or Standard Level. French, German, Russian, Spanish, Italian, Japanese and Mandarin are offered at the Higher and Standard Levels of the IB.
In some languages native speakers are given the option to study for the Language and Literature Course in their mother tongue. The study of the course leads to the delivery of a Bilingual Diploma. The course is regularly offered in French, German and Mandarin.
In addition, ‘Ab Initio’ (beginners) courses are available in Spanish, Russian, Japanese, Italian and Mandarin.
There is also provision - subject to demand - for private tuition in many other languages for either Standard or Higher Level in Arabic, Danish, Dutch, Finnish, Hindi, Modern Greek, Norwegian, Portuguese and Swedish.
There is a broad and rich exchange and cultural programme for modern languages in the Sixth Form.
Debating in foreign languages
Pupils at Sevenoaks enjoy debating in a foreign language. Stimulating internal and regional competitions against other schools are organised at school every year, and in recent years Sevenoaks has also taken part in the French and Spanish Regional as well as National Debating Competitions. Our debating pairs won the national debating titles in both French and Spanish in 2008, 2009 and 2010.
Theatre Productions
Major productions in French, German and Spanish are staged in the Performing Arts Centre, either by Sevenoaks pupils or by visiting companies. Recently, the German Department put on a production of ‘Faust’. In June 2008 the Spanish Department performed ‘Historia de una escalera’ by Antonio Buero Vallejo.
Talks
For the younger students there are joint projects with the Humanities Faculty and for the older students the Modern Languages Society regularly invites visiting speakers to give talks on the cultural/commercial/political aspects of the countries whose language is being studied.
This wide range of activities underlines the Department’s commitment to giving our pupils a real insight into the culture and institutions of a foreign country. We believe this to be an essential complement to a rigorous instruction of the language itself.
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