In our globalised society, speaking one or more languages has become a necessity to open yourself to the rest of the world. Many companies now actively seek employees with good language skills and even if you don’t plan to use your language skills at work, you will certainly need a foreign language at some point in your life!
At Dronfield Henry Fanshawe School, languages are taught in a fun, dynamic and engaging way. We believe that everyone has the ability to learn a language. Lessons include a variety of skills such as speaking, listening, reading and writing, with an emphasis on exam skills needed to pass public exams with a good grade.
At DHFS, we offer 2 languages in Y7 (French and Spanish) and all our students learn a language. In Y8 and 9 (from 2026), our keenest linguists will be offered the opportunity to study German to broaden their cultural and linguistic experience. Students then have the opportunity to study one or two languages at GCSE. At GCSE, we offer French, Spanish and German lessons but we also enter students who speak a foreign language at home to do a GCSE and gain a qualification. After GCSE, students car pursue their language studies in French, Spanish and German up to A-level.
Our Curriculum Vision
‘We want our learners to become competent and independent linguists and culturally aware global citizens’.
Our curriculum follows 3 ‘Big Ideas’, covering a broad range of topics and three pillars of language learning (vocabulary, phonics and grammar); offering our students opportunities to develop their competence, and become skilled linguists. Culture is an integral part of the curriculum, as we want our students to become culturally aware global citizens.
Students have 5 hours of languages a fortnight.
This is a spiral curriculum where topics are revisited regularly, with added challenge, content and skills over time.
At KS3, students are assessed on the three pillars in languages through summative listening, reading and writing assessments and three extended writing assessments.
At KS4, students are regularly assessed on a variety of skills and at the end of each module. The assessments are designed to mirror the GCSE exams and train our students to become experts in those skills. Furthermore, there will be regular trial exams throughout the tow year course including two speaking trials.
At KS5, as for KS4 regular assessments take place alongside trials to train students for their exams. By the end of Y13 students are able to speak and understand a foreign language proficiently.
Extra curricular activities
We have a film club showcasing films each week in French, Spanish and German on a rotation with English subtitles to immerse students in the language and the culture of the target language country.
Key Stage 3
At KS3, we offer 2 languages in Y7 (French and Spanish) and all our students learn a language. From September 2026, our keenest linguists in Y8 will be offered the opportunity to study German to broaden their cultural and linguistic experience. Students then have the opportunity to study one or two languages at GCSE.
Year 7
Year 7 is an introductory year in which students develop language skills such as phonics as well as learning new vocabulary and grammar. The content includes personal information; school; local area and holiday. Students will be introduced to the concept of genders, verbs, word order, adjectives the present and future tenses. In Year 7, students will follow this learning map:
Year 8
In Y8 students learn more complex grammar points to talk about their relationships and daily routine as well as the past tense. They start writing extended paragraphs using a range of tenses and conjunctions. They also develop a better understanding of the target language culture through constant exposure to trends and tradition of the target language country.
Students have 5 hours a fortnight of language studies. If they study two languages in Y8 (from 2026), they will do 3 hours of their first language and 2 hours of their second language which is then swapped around in Y9.
Year 9
Students who have studied two languages in Y8 (from September 2026) will carry on studying two in Y9. This means that out of the 5 hours allocated to languages they will spend 2 hours learning their first language and 3 hours learning their second language. The added time to the second language and the accelerated course will allow students to gain similar skills and cover similar content in their 1st and 2nd languages. This would give them the opportunity to choose which language they would like to carry on with at GCSE or do both languages.
In Y9 students learn more complex content and structures pushing their reflection to local and global issues. This aims at easing the transition between KS3 and KS4 and best prepare students for GCSE.
Year 9 Single Linguist
Year 9 Dual Linguist (1st language)
Year 9 Dual Linguist (2nd language)
Key Stage 4
Y10/11 French, German, Spanish
In Year 10&11, students build on their Key Stage 3 foundations and continue developing the skills and knowledge of their chosen language.
The themes of the AQA specification are engaging and allow our students to gain not only a strong knowledge of French, German or Spanish language but also a good understanding of other cultures. The topics are as follows:
At the end of Y10, students sit a trial exam in three skills: listening, reading, and writing, which reflects the format of the final exams at the end of the two-year course.
In Year 11, students will take two speaking trial exams as well as further Listening, reading, writing trials to ensure they are all fully ready for the final examination.
Key Stage 5
Year 12 Spanish
Students follow the Eduqas specification and start preparing for A level as a two-year course. Students build on the knowledge, understanding and skills gained at GCSE. There is a strong focus on language, culture and society throughout the course.
Students work on the following themes:
Eduqas A level Spanish specification, pg.8
Students also study a Spanish speaking film from the following prescribed list.
Eduqas A level Spanish specification, pg.13
Year 13 Spanish
Students follow the Eduqas specification. They work on the following themes.
Eduqas A level Spanish specification, pg.8
They also study a Spanish language literary work from the following prescribed list.
Eduqas A level Spanish specification, pg.13
Finally, students work on an Independent Research Project (IRP), on a topic of their choice related to the country or countries where Spanish is spoken.
Year 12 French
Students follow the AQA specification and start preparing for A level as a two-year course. Students build on the knowledge, understanding and skills gained at GCSE. There is a strong focus on language, culture and society throughout the course.
Students work on the following themes:
Students also study a film from the prescribed list below:
Year 13 French
The students keep on building on their skills and will become quite fluent in French. Below are the topics studied throughout Year 13:
Students will also be studying a book from the following prescribed list:
Finally, students work on an Independent Research Project (IRP), on a topic of their choice related to the country or countries where French is spoken.
Year 12 German
Students follow the AQA specification and start preparing for A level as a two-year course. Students build on the knowledge, understanding and skills gained at GCSE. There is a strong focus on language, culture and society throughout the course.
Students work on the following themes:
Students also study a film from the prescribed list below:
Websites to help students learn about MFL
We use languagenut in school and at home to strengthen students’ vocabulary knowledge and skills through games. We also celebrate the European Day of Languages on the 26 of September each year but we open this celebration to all world languages.
Teaching staff
- Miss N Boyden
- Miss C Capiez ( Assistant Curriculum Leader)
- Miss C Fernandez
- Ms C Grange
- Mrs V Greasley (Curriculum Leader)
- Miss L Staley
- Mr B Swales
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