German

In the Sixth Form, the German course aims at A Level to extend the four GCSE skills – reading, speaking, listening and writing; furthermore, students will have the opportunity to study at least one literary text, but the programme allows much freedom of choice for independent study. The A Level German course reflects the issues of the contemporary world, e.g. popular culture, healthy living, media and environmental issues.

The full AQA A Level course consists of four units: Unit 1 (2 hours): Listening, reading and writing; Unit 2 (15 minutes): Speaking; Unit 3 (2 hours 30 minutes): Listening, reading and writing, and writing on a cultural topic area; Unit 4 (15 minutes): Speaking. Over two years of study, the programme helps students to develop their general study skills, and, above all, aims at enabling them to communicate at a higher level in German. The course covers the following subjects: the media, popular culture, healthy living and lifestyle, the environment, family and relationships, the multicultural society and contemporary social issues. Two cultural topics will be studied in depth, and they could include the study of at least two of the following: a region or community; a period of 20th century history; the work of an author; the work of a dramatist or poet; the work of a director, architect, musician or painter.

All candidates are offered weekly speaking tutorials, on an individual basis or in very small groups, with the school’s native speaker assistant. Research of German language areas of the Internet is positively encouraged, with the multi-media language laboratory offering a variety of opportunities through the Internet and satellite television. Visits and exchanges are arranged as required, often on an individual basis to suit particular students, and the precise format of these may therefore vary.

Opportunities for university entrance in the current climate are excellent; the number of courses combining German and other disciplines is growing all the time. Virtually all the Department’s students proceed to university level studies in many different subjects; former students who have graduated have entered fields as diverse as teaching, merchant banking and the Royal Navy.

The course will suit those who have genuinely enjoyed their GCSE studies, who have acquired in the process sound fundamental grammar, and are willing to travel and to use their German in the countries where it is spoken.

Subjects on offer

A Level Subjects:
Art & Design
Biology
Business Studies
Chemistry
Classical Subjects
Economics
English Literature
French
Geography
German
History
Mathematics/Further Maths
Music
Music Technology
Philosophy & Ethics
Physics
Politics
Product Design
Spanish
Sport Studies
Theatre Studies

AS Level Subjects:
Electronics
ICT
Italian (GCSE/AS)