French

We aim to maintain a good level of enjoyment for the children in their French lessons which take place from Year 1 through to Year 8. We learn a foreign language primarily to speak it, and the accent is heavily on the speaking side in the early years. Games, songs, chants, rhythm, pictures all play an important part in the learning process. The other skills of listening, reading, and writing are gradually introduced in Year 5, when formal testing also begins to take place.

By Year 6, we're starting to think of preparation towards Common Entrance and Scholarship, and there is more emphasis on grammar, vocabulary, verbs and sentence construction. In Years 7 and 8 the 4 lessons of the week are devoted to each of the 4 skills - speaking, listening, reading, and writing - the one half hour prep focussing on the latter two.

At the start of Year 7 all pupils spend a week in a French chateau, where all instruction and learning, in the classroom, in the outdoors, and in the dining room, is in French.

Finally, did you know that the motto of the French navy is, "A l'eau, c'est l'heure"!? (To the water, now is the time!) Say it a few times and see if you get the joke. We have great fun with French and learn a good deal - the one follows the other.