Students will embark on a journey of discovery of the German language. Students will initially learn how to give opinions by discussing their families and pets, before moving on to study the topic of school, where they will learn about the German school system.  The foreign language spelling bee is an excellent opportunity to practise and improve vocabulary, spelling and memory skills in German. Students build their knowledge of grammar so that they can engage in writing and speaking and advance their listening and reading skills.  The range of activities incorporated in lessons promotes curiosity and a love of language learning.  

In Year 8 students will cover the topics of my town, fashion and hobbies.  The work will engage students in contemporary issues and give them the opportunity to express their opinions on the topics. Students will start to look at authentic texts, giving them a greater insight into German society and culture.  Students will further their knowledge of grammar by integrating the future tense into their work and gain greater confidence in giving longer answers to written and spoken questions.  

The Year 9 scheme of work is designed to bridge the gap between KS3 and GCSE.  Students will use all the skills they have acquired in Years 7 and 8 to work on more challenging material and to extend their own work by incorporating a range of tenses and higher level vocabulary.  Students will look at the topics of shops and fashion, holidays and festivals to acquire the reading, listening, writing, speaking and translation skills necessary to tackle the GCSE course with confidence.  

What does studying German involve? 

Three main topic areas are covered at GCSE:  Identity and culture, Local, national, international and global areas of interest and current and future study and employment. 

How will I know if I will be good at it? 

There are four exams at the end of the GCSE German course which will assess your writing, speaking, listening and reading skills.  You will have developed these skills in KS3 so that you can access the course, but also having a genuine interest in other cultures and countries does help. 

What skills will I develop?

Studying Languages at GCSE is great as it allows you to focus on developing a range of skills and also rewards you for your reading, listening, writing and speaking skills too.  During your GCSE course you will learn how to communicate using a range of registers, work productively with others and challenge yourself.  In addition, you will also gain an awareness of other cultures and traditions. 

Where could this subject lead? 

Learning a language can take you down many different career routes, in many different countries!  Learning German gives you the opportunity to study and explore numerous other subjects too, for example, politics, art and literature and history.  Linguists are in demand due to the range of skills you develop so learning German really does prepare you for a world of opportunity!  

Over the course of Year 10 and 11, you will have the opportunity to extend your language skills and develop your cultural understand of German speaking countries. 

During the two years you will build up your written responses to tasks and develop your confidence in spoken German by practising role plays, describing photo cards and practising conversational German on a range of different topics.  You will also regularly practice translating from German into English and from English into German.  With reading you will also be introduced to poems, short stories and authentic factual texts and you will develop your listening skills to be able to understand German in a range of contexts and different situations.

Students will also have the chance to experience German culture first hand on a trip to Germany. In Year 9, pupils can visit the town of Aachen. Here they learn about the history of the city and explore the Christmas markets, whilst practising their German and sampling the food, of course! In Year 10 pupils will have the opportunity to take part in an exchange to Norderney, where they stay with a German family, go to a German school, and take part in a range of activities including a surfing lesson!