The Modern Languages Department is very proud of its achievements in the Preparatory School. All pupils in the school study French from Year 3 upwards. The Department offers lively teaching, covering all four skills (listening, speaking, reading and writing). We include regular computer based exercises. A particular emphasis is placed on ensuring pupils gain a good knowledge of how the language works. We are as proud of those pupils able to manipulate verbs and adjectives well as we are of those pupils who gain a good level of oral fluency. We have recently introduced a German Club for those in Years 5 and 6 who are keen to start a second modern language early.

In Year 7, pupils are given the opportunity to increase their knowledge of languages further by studying either Spanish or German, in addition to French, as part of their curriculum. As a result, by the end of their Prep School career most pupils will have a good, basic knowledge of two main European languages. They can continue with both languages if they wish in the Senior School.

We do not limit ourselves to the classroom but regularly offer opportunities to visit France and Spain. Other departments also offer trips abroad so that Prep School pupils have good opportunities to put into practice in the world outside what they learn in the Modern Languages classroom.