Modern Languages
Academic > Departments > Modern Languages
The Department
The department is housed in an attractive detached Georgian building and is well equipped technically: there are nine classrooms all with a full range of audiovisual aids (computer, data projector, sound system, screen and OHP, as well as VCR, CD and DVD players), a department office with resources store, and two further satellite classrooms. In 2005 a new 25-booth digital language laboratory was created using state-of-the-art sony technology.
The Teachers
There are currently ten full-time and two part-time language teachers who teach French, Spanish, German, Mandarin, Italian and Russian. In addition, we have native-speaking language assistants for French, Spanish, and German. There are also Italian, Japanese and Russian tutors who come in regularly to give private lessons to boys interested in these languages. Lessons can often be arranged in other languages; for example, one boy took lessons in Norwegian last year.
Languages in the Curriculum
All boys entering the school in the Third Form continue with a language that they have studied prior to coming to Tonbridge (French, Mandarin or Spanish), and in addition take up a second language, currently German, Mandarin or Spanish. If they studied a second language at their previous school, they can of course continue with both languages. At the end of the Third Form, boys must opt to continue with at least one of their modern languages to GCSE, although many take two.
At the end of the Fourth Form the top two French sets take an early GCSE. Those pupils who have taken their French GCSE early are currently offered a one year Italian GCSE course, a Mandarin beginners' course or a continuation French course which leads to an AS Edexcel module at the end of the Fifth form.
In the Sixth Form, French AS and A levels are offered in 2 option blocks permitting most combinations with other subjects. There are usually four sets comprising 25 to 40 boys. Spanish (20 to 40 boys) and German (5 to 10) are the other languages currently offered at A level, and there are normally three to four Spanish sets and one German set. In addition, boys who speak other languages are encouraged to take a formal qualification in these languages (usually A Level) and private tuition for this can be arranged where required. Languages commonly taken include Italian, Russian, Chinese and Japanese. It is our intention to offer Chinese AS and A level in the Sixth Form from 2009, provided there are sufficient numbers.
The department is also currently running a private Italian GCSE class in the Upper Sixth for those who wish to take up a new linguistic challenge, while there is a Russian beginners' club on a Wednesday afternoon as part of the activities programme.
Visits and Exchanges
There are annual homestay trips to towns in France, Germany, and Spain. We also run a French GCSE revision and winter sports trip to Verbier in Switzerland which has proved extremely popular with parents and boys alike. In addition, thanks to a bequest by an Old Boy, most boys studying French in the Lower Sixth are awarded grants by the Dalston Foundation to help finance a homestay language course in Bordeaux or Nice over the Easter or summer holidays. Boys are also given advice as to how to arrange other language courses, exchanges, work experience and gap years. All A level candidates are encouraged to spend at least two weeks at some stage in the country whose language they choose to study. Finally, gap years often prove popular with linguists and each year several boys spend part of the year working or studying abroad, often in South America, and more recently, in China.