Modern Foreign Languages

The world we live in is global and intercultural, hence the need to learn foreign languages. Our languages curriculum has been developed to reflect the world students live in, using contexts familiar to them in their everyday lives and teaching them the vocabulary that they need to communicate with young people on topics that interest and stimulate them. Students are given insight into the everyday life of countries where the language is spoken, encouraging intercultural understanding.

At the same time, the curriculum also ensures that students learn the skills and strategies that they need to become independent language learners. The Modern Foreign Languages curriculum allows OBA students to become highly skilled, knowledgeable global citizens.  Peterborough as a City is diverse and welcomes people from a range of different countries and cultures.  Studying MFL as part of the curriculum helps students at OBA understand and appreciate some of the differences and similarities of the people living in their immediate community.

All students are welcome to study Modern Foreign Languages.  The subject content is relevant and important for all people and we deliver the curricula in a way that is fully inclusive.  We break down the language learning into manageable chunks and use real life examples to consistently apply and support students understanding of the world around them.  Our lessons are structured in such a way that there is ample opportunity to support students as well as stretch and challenge the most able students.  The lessons learned within our curricula are important for all students and we ensure that everyone is able to access and understand the key language to communicate independently.

The use of authentic texts from varied sources supports learning in all our lessons, highlights the need for students to read and support their understanding of the real world.  The more students read about the world in which they live from different points of view, the better able they are to comprehend the subjects we study.  

Recommended Reading:

The most powerful reading to improve understanding will come from 10 minutes per day reading any articles on the website https://www.1jour1actu.com/ where you will find a wide range of articles aimed at teenagers.

If you are interested in reading books in a foreign language, we would recommend getting bilingual books (books in English and also in the foreign language you are studying) of your own interests. You will be able to find them online easily to purchase them. Here are a few suggestions:

Bilingual Fairy Tales such as Cinderella, Little Red Riding Hood etc.

Classics Bilingual Literature such as The three Musketeers, Around the World in 80 days etc.

Modern Bilingual novels such as Harry Potter, Twilight etc. 

To really understand how languages work and how relevant they are to the world around us, we believe that it is important to take language learning outside the classroom thanks to trips.  We also use songs, poems, films, food to increase the students’ cultural awareness. Finally, now that we are emerging into a post Covid world there are increasing opportunities. We hope to be able to offer the following enrichment opportunities as part of extending the Modern Foreign Languages Curriculum:

  • Trip to Boulogne (France)
  • Spelling Bees
  • Language Leaders
  • Exchange with a French secondary school in Brittany

Curriculum Maps

Here you can browse the curriculum maps for each Key Stage. Use the tabs to select the subject and key stage you wish to view, and use the left & right arrows to browse through the slides.