Learning a foreign language provides an opening to other cultures. Fareham Academy's high-quality languages education fosters pupils’ curiosity and deepens their understanding of the world. Our Modern Foreign Languages curriculum enables pupils to express their ideas and thoughts in another language, and to understand and respond to its speakers, both orally and in writing. The National Curriculum for languages aims to ensure that all pupils: • understand and respond to spoken and written language from a variety of authentic sources • speak with increasing confidence, fluency and spontaneity, find ways of communicating what they want to say, including through discussion and asking questions, and continually improve the accuracy of their pronunciation and intonation • can write at varying length, for different purposes and audiences, using the variety of grammatical structures that they have learnt • discover and develop an appreciation of a range of writing in the language studied Grammar and vocabulary: • identify and use tenses or other structures which convey the present, past, and future • use and manipulate a variety of key grammatical structures and patterns • develop and use a wide-ranging and deepening vocabulary that goes beyond their immediate needs and interests, allowing them to give and justify opinions and take part in discussion about wider issues • use accurate grammar, spelling and punctuation Linguistic competence: • listen to a variety of forms of spoken language to obtain information and respond appropriately • transcribe words and short sentences that they hear with increasing accuracy • initiate and develop conversations, coping with unfamiliar language and unexpected responses, making use of important social conventions such as formal modes of address • express and develop ideas clearly and with increasing accuracy, both orally and in writing • speak coherently and confidently, with increasingly accurate pronunciation and intonation • read and show comprehension of original and adapted materials from a range of different sources, understanding the purpose, important ideas and details, and provide an accurate English translation of short, suitable material • read literary texts in the language [such as stories, songs, poems and letters], to stimulate ideas, develop creative expression and expand understanding of the language and culture Our Modern Foreign Languages curriculum enables students to explore a wide range of topics, from everyday life concepts, to music, TV, film and social media, society and environmental issues, the world of work and, of course, getting by as a tourist in French and Spanish-speaking countries. Students learn about Francophone and Hispanic culture through a range of interesting topics, which add to their understanding of the language and country. People with language skills and knowledge usually have an advantage over people without them. They stand out as talented and successful people, with broad and exciting horizons. Through studying a GCSE in a Modern Foreign Language, students should develop their ability and ambition to communicate with native speakers, both orally and in writing. The study of Modern Foreign Languages at GCSE should also broaden students’ horizons and encourage them to step beyond familiar cultural boundaries and develop new ways of seeing the world.