Mrs Raine’s Year 7 class have particularly enjoyed using puppets this year to support their language learning. The puppets have helped to build confidence when asking and answering questions, encouraging students to participate more actively in speaking activities. This approach has created a fun and engaging learning environment while helping students develop their communication skills.
Mrs Gill
Curriculum Leader for MFL
This term, our Year 9 students have been putting their creativity, teamwork and problem-solving skills to the test through an exciting board game design project.
Linking to our recent learning on fairy tales (Märchen in German), students based their games on well-known stories such as Rotkäppchen (Little Red Riding Hood), Aschenputtel (Cinderella) and Schneewittchen (Snow White). This gave them the opportunity not only to be creative, but also to reinforce key vocabulary and cultural knowledge from their lessons.
Working in small groups, students were challenged to design and create their own original board games from scratch. From developing unique themes and rules to designing eye-catching boards and pieces, they took full ownership of the entire creation process. The results have been incredibly impressive, with games ranging from strategy-based challenges to imaginative fairy tale adventures.
One of the highlights of the project was when students had the opportunity to play each other’s games. Each group was given a scorecard to evaluate the games they played, scoring them on creativity, educational value, fun factor and overall design. This encouraged thoughtful feedback and added an element of friendly competition, while also helping students reflect on what makes a successful game.
The classroom was filled with energy and enthusiasm as students explored the different games their peers had worked so hard to create. We were particularly impressed by the level of detail and originality shown, with many groups incorporating elements of their German learning into their designs, including vocabulary, characters and storylines inspired by the fairy tales studied in class.
This project has been a wonderful way to end the year, showcasing not only students’ creativity but also their resilience and teamwork. Well done to all of Year 9 for their hard work and imagination—we look forward to seeing what they create next!
Mrs Gill
Curriculum Leader for MFL
This half term, our Year 8 German students have been working on an exciting and creative project with Frau Gill inspired by the popular television programme Come Dine With Me.
To begin, students learnt and practised a range of German vocabulary linked to food, meals, cooking and expressing opinions. Through a variety of speaking, listening, reading and writing activities, students developed their confidence in using the language and applying new vocabulary in different contexts.
As part of the project, students listened to clips from a German version of Come Dine With Me. This gave them the opportunity to hear authentic German being spoken and helped them to identify key words and phrases they had been learning in lessons. They particularly enjoyed comparing the German programme with the UK version and spotting similarities and differences.
The highlight of the project was creating their own Come Dine With Me comic strips. Students worked hard to plan their stories, write dialogues in German and illustrate their characters and scenes. They included descriptions of meals, opinions from the guests and even some of the dramatic comments that make the television programme so entertaining! We even met Launische Linda!
The finished comic strips showcased not only the students’ growing German language skills but also their creativity, humour and imagination. It was fantastic to see students using their vocabulary independently and taking pride in presenting their work to such a high standard.
Well done to all of Frau Gill’s class for their enthusiasm, effort and excellent work throughout this project. We look forward to seeing more of their creativity in future language-learning activities.
Mrs Gill
Curriculum Leader for MFL
Last Christmas, I spent five days in Germany on a truly magical winter trip. It snowed the entire time we were there, which made everything feel like a real winter wonderland! The flight was around three hours, and arriving in the snow made it an unforgettable start to the holiday. On our first day, we took it easy after travelling and enjoyed a lovely light show in the evening.
The next day, we travelled into Munich, which was sehr schön (very beautiful). Just outside the train station, the buildings were incredibly impressive—the scale was huge and definitely one of the highlights of the trip. We also tried traditional German honey, which was delicious. Later, we ate at a restaurant with a stunning window view, and I really enjoyed exploring the city.
On the third day, we went souvenir shopping before riding a Ferris wheel, where we could see the Olympia Tower from above. We also visited a car museum that had been recommended to us, which was fascinating and great fun to explore.
We were lucky enough to celebrate New Year’s Eve in Germany. There was a spectacular firework display with our neighbours right outside the apartments where we were staying.
The final two days were more relaxed. We visited a Titanic museum, which was very interesting, and enjoyed a meal at a nearby Asian restaurant. On our last day, we explored a beautiful local church with stunning architecture, followed by a visit to a cosy café before heading to the airport.
Overall, it was an amazing trip, and I would love to visit Germany again in the future.
By Martha M
Year 7 students in Frau Gill’s German class have been learning all about how birthdays and celebrations are enjoyed in Germany. The topic has been a brilliant mix of language learning, cultural discovery and creative work.
Students began by learning how to say and write their own birthdays in German using the phrase „Ich habe am … Geburtstag.“ They also practised asking others about their birthdays with „Wann hast du Geburtstag?“ This gave everyone the chance to develop their speaking confidence while enjoying short conversations with their classmates — all in German!
Alongside the language work, students explored German birthday traditions, such as the Geburtstagskind (the special “birthday child”), the decorated Geburtstagstisch filled with gifts and treats and the homemade cakes topped with candles. They compared these customs with their own celebrations and discussed what makes each culture’s traditions unique.
To bring all their learning together, the class designed and created their own German birthday party invitations. These colourful, creative invitations included key vocabulary, dates written in German, and phrases such as „Du bist eingeladen!“ Students enjoyed showing off their artistic skills while using their new knowledge in a real‑life context.
The Year 7s have shown fantastic enthusiasm throughout the unit and have made great progress in both their language skills and cultural understanding. Wunderbar, Year 7!
Mrs Gill
Curriculum Leader for MFL
In early December, 43 students enjoyed a festive and exciting trip to Manchester’s famous Christmas Markets, accompanied by Frau Gill, Frau Bamford and Frau Ingram. The trip was a brilliant opportunity to experience the sights, sounds and flavours of a European‑style Christmas market right here in the UK.
After arriving in Manchester by coach, students explored several of the market areas spread throughout the city. We admired the beautifully decorated wooden stalls, twinkling lights and festive music that created a lively and cheerful atmosphere. There was plenty to see, from handmade crafts and Christmas decorations to winter clothing and unique gift ideas.
Food was a definite highlight of the day! Students enjoyed trying a wide range of seasonal treats, including Bratwurs, waffles topped with chocolate and strawberries, crêpes and sweet pastries. Many also warmed up with hot chocolate while taking in the festive surroundings.
In addition to the markets, students had time to see some of Manchester’s city‑centre landmarks, which looked especially festive at this time of year. The trip offered a great chance for students to socialise, practise independence, improve our German cultural knowledge and enjoy the run‑up to Christmas together.
The visit was thoroughly enjoyed by everyone and was a wonderful way to end the term. A big thank you to Frau Gill, Frau Bamford and Frau Ingram for organising and supervising a memorable and festive trip.
Mrs Gill
Curriculum Leader for MFL
In a world filled with instant messages and quick online chats, the simple act of writing a letter may seem old-fashioned but for students, having a pen pal can be a truly rewarding experience.
Since 2020, our international pen pal project has grown to include two partner schools in France; one in Germany and a school in Luxembourg, giving pupils a wonderful opportunity to connect across borders. Through exchanging letters, they not only develop their writing skills but also nurture a genuine curiosity about other countries, appreciating cultural differences along the way. They learn to practise patience and enjoy the excitement of receiving a reply. Our Year 9 French classes sent paper houses again this year (some needed two extensions!) and loved receiving beautifully crafted paper houses back from their French pen pals. These ongoing exchanges continue to build confidence, broaden horizons and remind students of the joy that comes from meaningful, handwritten communication.
Mrs Gill
Curriculum Leader for MFL
The fifth Annual Modern Foreign Languages Baking Competition took place on Thursday, 23rd October and was the usual delicious end to our first half-term. We would like to take this opportunity at the end of the Autumn Term to announce the final first place winners for each year group and to show you pictures of their cakes and bakes.
We could not make a decision for Year 11 as it was close so we have decided to award all 3 students first prize, which means that they will all receive a Commemorative Wooden Spoon! These will be awarded to all first-place winners in the last assembly of the Autumn Term.
Mrs Williams
MFL Department
Fifth Annual Modern Foreign Languages Bake-Off: A Sweet Success!
On Thursday, 23 October, the MFL Department hosted its fifth Annual Baking Competition, bringing a delicious close to the first half-term. As always, the creativity and effort from our students were truly impressive, with entries inspired by cuisines from every corner of the globe.
Year 11
This year’s Year 11 competition was incredibly close! We decided to award three First Prizes:
All three winners will receive a Commemorative Wooden Spoon—a prize worth waiting for! (As you can see from the photo, they’re something special.)
Year 10
Year 9
Year 8
Year 7
Special Mentions
A big shout-out to those who embraced the challenge of baking authentic desserts from their chosen countries:
Prizes & Highlights
First-place winners will receive engraved wooden spoons, while all other winners enjoyed a chocolatey surprise. The variety of cakes and bakes was incredible—Italy proved especially popular, and one entry even featured a Latin inscription of PGHS core values!
This competition continues to grow each year and we are amazed by the creativity, effort and sheer tastiness of the entries. Thank you and well done to everyone who baked and made Thursday lunchtime such a treat!
Mrs Williams
MFL Department
Celebrating the European Day of Languages!
On Friday 26th September 2025, our school celebrated the European Day of Languages. The event was a wonderful opportunity to promote language learning, cultural awareness and to have a bit of fun along the way where people in Europe celebrate all the languages across the world. We kicked off the week with assemblies with Mrs Gill and we learnt all about the importance of learning a language. Mrs Gill had some super Year 7 students reading out our language poem. Thank you to Kezia, Sofia, Olivia, Esther and Sarah for their fantastic help with the poem. Six students then showcased their amazing linguistic abilities by reading out the 6 school values in Ukrainian, Arabic, German, Russian and Hungarian – a huge thank you to Zoe, Emilia, Juliette, Isobel, Jenya and Juliette!
Throughout the day on Friday, students and staff embraced the diversity of all languages and cultures in a range of exciting activities:
Greetings in Different Languages The day began with a lively language exchange, as students and staff greeted each other in a variety of European languages. From French “Bonjour” to Swedish “Hej”.
Flag Badge Competition One of the highlights was our Flag Badge Competition. Staff members each wore a badge featuring a flag and represented a different country. Students were challenged to find out which country each member of staff was representing by asking questions about why they had chosen that country. This encouraged curiosity and interaction across year groups and staff teams. Winners will be announced next week!
European Languages Quiz Pupils also tested their knowledge with a quiz competition, where they answered fun and challenging questions about European languages, geography and culture. It was fantastic to see so much enthusiasm and teamwork on display! Please get all entries to Mrs Williams before the end of the week.
Poster Competition In the weeks leading up to the event, students submitted creative and colourful posters celebrating languages and cultures from across the world. The standard of work was incredibly high and our winners will be announced next week with certificates and prizes. The European Day of Languages was a huge success, thanks to the enthusiasm of our pupils and the support of our dedicated staff. It was a wonderful reminder of the richness of language and culture around us and the power of communication to bring people together. We look forward to celebrating again next year!
Mrs Gill
Curriculum Leader for MFL
