German
“ There are more native speakers of German than any other language in Europe. It is an official language in Germany, Austria, Switzerland, Luxembourg, and Liechtenstein. German is fun, intellectually challenging and its mastery will help an individual to stand out from the crowd! ”
Upon entering our school in Year 7, all girls study German for half a year. They may then opt to study it further up to A Level or IB. All girls are taught by our highly experienced team of German language specialists and conversation assistants, who place the learning emphasis on developing practical communication skills.
We introduce German, Austrian and Swiss culture by telling the girls about festivals, customs and traditions, encouraging creativity by making Karneval masks, Weihnachtsplätzchen (Christmas biscuits) and lots more.
Beyond the curriculum, every year we invite a theatre company to perform a play for students entirely in German. The comedy is great fun and the girls learn that they can understand more than they think! During German Club, girls take part in quizzes and learn about aspects of German-speaking culture including food, music and special celebrations. We also offer a very popular Film Club. Our learners also participate in the annual MFL speaking competition, GDST Languages Festival and the UK Linguistics Olympiad which they find inspiring and enjoyable.
We run a very successful exchange programme with a school in Münster, Germany, with whom we have a long-standing connection. Girls from Year 9 and above have the chance to attend the school, live with host families and become totally immersed in German culture.