Modern Foreign Languages

At Hatherop Castle School, French is taught from Nursery through to Prep 8 by specialist language staff. In the lower years, the lessons are based on games rhymes, songs and hands-on crafting activities. The focus is on role play and oral responses.

As the children progress through the middle and upper school, more written work is introduced year on year. From Prep 6 onwards, the four skills of reading, writing, listening and speaking are firmly established and are given equal priority in preparation for Common Entrance examinations.

French lessons are interactive and the children are encouraged to use the target language as much as possible. The Interactive Whiteboard is constantly used as a teaching and learning aid across the year groups.

Every year, a trip to France is organised for the Prep 6 and 7 pupils in Normandy. Here they are totally immersed in the French language and culture for six days. The trip has proved very popular and enables the children to put their classroom French into a real context.