At Uxbridge High School students study one of either French, German and Spanish – the three most widely spoken and useful modern European languages.
A study of a foreign language helps children to improve their own level of English literacy as they learn how language works and become more confident with grammar. They will also develop an appreciation for the cultures and opinions of the people around them, as well as gaining analytical and communicative skills.
A foreign language is compulsory until Year 9, after which students have the opportunity to continue to GCSE and A-Level.
A modern foreign language is compulsory until Year 9. Students learn how to read, write, speak and comprehend the foreign language and have access to a range of technology and teaching methods to ensure their good progress. Skills students develop at Key Stage 3 include a better knowledge of grammar and literacy in English, problem-solving abilities, verbal reasoning skills, team work, and logical processing.
The GCSE course offers a valuable qualification to those students who carry on with their language studies. Students learn increasingly about the life of young people around the world who speak French, German and Spanish as their mother-tongue through literature and other real world examples. In addition to this, they will hone their ability to communicate in a foreign language to a high degree, making them more confident and assured in their use of language. This, in turn, makes them much more confident of their ability to structure written and spoken work in English.
The German, French and Spanish A-levels are linear qualifications. This means that students will sit all of their exams at the end of the two–year course.
There is a focus on how the society of the country of study has been shaped how it continues to change. In the first year, aspects of the social context are studied, together with aspects of the artistic life. In the second year, further aspects of the social background are covered, alongside the political landscape, both in relation to the country of study itself and its place in Europe.
Uxbridge High School is one of the few schools in Hillingdon which still has Foreign Language Assistants; native speakers who practice with the students to improve their attainment, but also run fun clubs relating to their country of origin.
There are also plans for residential trips to Germany and France, Spain.