Aims of the Faculty

In the Modern Languages Faculty we aim to develop our pupils’ ability to use 1 or 2 modern foreign languages effectively.

We want to promote both communicative competence and accuracy. We hope to present modern languages in a stimulating way so that our pupils enjoy learning them.

Besides developing practical linguistic skills we aim to offer our pupils insights into the society and the civilization behind the languages we teach, and thereby to promote a sympathetic attitude towards other peoples and cultures.

Through the learning of a foreign language we aim to give our pupils an awareness of the nature of language acquisition and an understanding of the structure of language.

In the course of our work we expect to help pupils develop general learning skills such as memorizing, analysing and the drawing of inferences and to work independently.

We aim, finally, to accustom pupils to hard work, to help them realize their potential and to let them see the connection between effort and achievement.

          Why choose a modern language?

• In 1992 the European Union became a free trade area, a single market of 320 million consumers, bigger than the domestic markets of either Japan or the United States.
• Trading between countries is now simpler and the opportunities for business expansion much greater.
• Individuals are finding it easier to travel, live and work abroad, which means that the knowledge of a foreign language is becoming an essential skill in the business world in general as this gives the holder access to a much greater range of careers, here and abroad.
• Many British commercial and professional organisations are looking for staff with language skills and a knowledge of the culture and customs of the foreign countries with which they have dealings.
• Through the Erasrius scheme most UK universities now offer students of all disciplines the chance of a funded year abroad e.g. a physics student in the UK can study for one year in any EC country.
• Students of other disciplines e.g. medicine, English are finding that some university departments prefer students with post GCSE foreign languages
• The World has never seemed smaller and the opportunities offered by modern languages have never been better!