Modern Foreign Languages

The study of Modern Foreign Languages is a key skill in today’s world. The University of Birmingham School’s focus on Character Education marries perfectly with our Languages curriculum, founded on a celebration of diversity and curiosity in other cultures and traditions. Language learning is by its very nature a character-building subject, enabling students to cultivate a deeper understanding of their own identity and that of others. Languages open eyes and doors, enabling our students to enter the world as more eloquent, confident and open-minded global citizens.

At Key Stage 3, we equip our students with the skills they need to succeed at GCSE, A Level and beyond, including a balance of listening, speaking, reading, writing, translation and grammar in lessons. We use authentic texts so that students develop confidence in reading real-life materials, whilst enjoying contact with target-language culture. We encourage our students to use their newly learnt language for real-life contexts: Year 8 plan and perform a fashion show after learning to describe their favourite outfits and Year 7 take to the kitchen to make a crêpe recipe! Year 9 link their work on professions to their GCSE option choices and aspirations. We explore the diversity of the French-speaking world through a case study of Martinique thanks to our link with the Joseph Zobel Project based at the University of Birmingham. Through the study of key works, we discover francophone literature, film and art, in our belief that Modern Foreign Languages are a creative and empowering subject for all.