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Imberhorne School


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About the case study

This case study shows how the flexibility of courses leading to national language units gives key stage 4 students access to a second modern foreign language in a vocational context and in less teaching time than would be necessary for GCSE.

The school

Imberhorne School, East Grinstead, is an 11-18 mixed comprehensive with 1,630 students on roll. It is a split-site school drawing from a suburban, residential and partly rural catchment area. The school is a specialist language college. Approximately 13 per cent of the students have special educational needs without statements. The philosophy of the school is summarised in its mission statement:

In order to address the needs of industry, commerce and society in the new global economy we will build on international systems of communication, modern languages and information technology, to develop a curriculum which values vocational and international culture and supports quality teaching and learning.

The modern foreign languages entitlement areas

All students study French and German from year 7, and some start Italian in year 9. At key stage 3, students are also offered tasters in a range of languages depending on staff expertise. These have included Japanese, Arabic, Spanish and Russian. At key stage 4, a wide range of languages, including French, German, Italian, Russian and Spanish is offered to GCSE.

Imberhorne School uses national language units to provide an innovative approach to the way students can gain a qualification in their second foreign language. The units are based on the national language standards and accredited according to NVQ criteria. In year 9 students follow the level 1 course in their second language and can continue to build on this in years 10 and 11 to gain the qualification at level 2.

Use of the national language units

At key stage 4, students who have chosen to continue with their second modern foreign language follow the national language unit courses in French or German in one 60-minute lesson per week. The course is flexible, covering listening, speaking, reading and writing, though students can gain certification even if they have not provided sufficient evidence in all four skills. Each national language unit is a separate qualification relating to a specific skill, so students can achieve units at different levels and in any combination of skills.

Students find the courses motivating and they are equipped with the same range of language skills they would have acquired if following a GCSE course. Courses meet the present key stage 4 programme of study for modern foreign languages, which will be non-statutory guidance from 2004.

The topic areas are set in vocational contexts, so that, for example, if students are studying tourism they will assume the part of tourism employees in their language activities. Students use ICT to support their learning, including making PowerPoint presentations, and creating websites as well as research and word processing. A number of visits to local businesses take place so that students can see the importance of languages in a work context. A good example of an appropriate learning activity was a student visit to a local sports centre with an inadequate website. The aim was to design a new website in the target language.

The national language unit course is sufficiently flexible that students involved in offsite work-related learning can provide evidence for certification in a language. Although the course requires a trained assessor and good organisation to gather and track the required assessment evidence, the school feels that the advantages in motivation and success outweigh these disadvantages. The school also takes part in the British Airways languages 'Flag award scheme' where students can opt to be assessed and receive the award.

The course provides progression routes to post-16 modern foreign language study, where many students follow a VCE in leisure and tourism or business and continue to study a language as part of the qualification.

Success of the course is measured by the numbers of students choosing to take the language route within the key stage 4 curriculum.

Also see

> Entitlement courses

> Statutory entitlement areas at key stage 4

> Using GCSEs in vocational subjects within the key stage 4 curriculum

> Developing a key stage 4 curriculum