Next week kicks off our exciting Language and Literature Festival; a two-week celebration packed with engaging activities across all year groups.

• Year 7 Spelling Bee: We’re launching our national Spelling Bee competition, where students will compete to spell German words under pressure. In the past, our school has reached the national final at Cambridge University and we’re eager to see how far this year’s talented linguists will go. Join us at our lunchtime club on Wednesday with Mrs Ingram in room 26 to practise for the regional round. Who will be our next Spelling Bee Champion to take on local high schools?
• MFL Bake Off: Calling all bakers! We’re launching our MFL Bake Off which is open to all year groups. Can you create the best language-themed cake for our competition? Get your aprons ready!
• Letter Writing: We’ll begin writing letters to our French and German partner schools; an exciting opportunity for students to build international friendships and improve their language skills.
• Learning About History: We will also dive into German history, focusing on the Berlin Wall and the historical events that led to its construction. As a fun twist, we’ll be building our own classroom version of the Berlin Wall. Will any of us manage to escape over it? Stay tuned!

We look forward to seeing all our students get involved in these exciting activities over the coming weeks!

Mrs Gill

This week, we were thrilled to launch our annual German Film Society, welcoming a full classroom of enthusiastic KS3 pupils. Our first film screening was Ostwind (Windstorm), which captivated the audience with its heartwarming story.

Every Monday, we meet in Room 26 for film screenings, complete with popcorn! All students are invited to join, and you’re welcome to bring your own lunch or pick up an early lunch pass from Mrs. Gill during break time.

Our current film, Ostwind, tells the story of Mika, a young girl struggling in school. After being sent to her grandmother’s horse farm, she embarks on an inspiring adventure filled with challenges, friendship, and self-discovery.

Don’t miss out! Join us next Monday for the second part of Mika’s journey.

Mrs Gill

Last week, marked the end of the 189th Oktoberfest that is celebrated from mid-September through to the 5th October in München, Bayern, South Germany.  Oktoberfest is the world’s largest Volksfest, featuring a travelling carnival. It is held annually in Munich, Bavaria, running from mid- or late-September to around the first Sunday in October, with more than six million international and national visitors attending the event.  Next week, Year 8 will be learning all about the cultural aspects of this festival and we will make some Lebkuchenherzen out of paper.  Traditionally, these are gingerbread biscuits with colourful icing representing the blue and white colours of Bavaria and lots of nice messages piped on to them.  Mrs Gill’s classes will design their own Lebkuchenherzen! 

Mrs Gill

Cherlotte read the book in German.  She explains how there is help to aid her to translate the German into English.

“Café in Berlin is a book written to help beginners learn German while enjoying short and funny stories about a young man called Dino. In the book, Dino newly arrived in Berlin and started a new urban lifestyle. There, he encounters different problems, scenarios, and even romance. I really like this book because I learnt a lot of new vocabulary and got more familiar with German’s complicated word order, while having a laugh reading the stories. Also, the book has a German-English dictionary for every chapter, so it is very convenient to look up what the words mean. My German and comprehension skills had improved after reading the book. I would definitely recommend this book to beginners who want to improve their German but would also want some entertainment.”

Any other students who would like to borrow the book, please ask any of your MFL Teachers.

Mrs Gill

Curriculum Leader for MFL

We have had a tremendously successful year with our German partner school, Sickingen Gymnasium. This year, we exchanged letters and video calls, enriching our cultural and linguistic understanding. Frau Gill’s and Frau Raine’s Year 8 German classes received fantastic letters from our friends in Landstuhl, sharing their experiences and learning about German culture. In return, our students wrote amazing letters describing their Easter holidays and summer plans.

This exchange has not only improved our German language skills but also provided fascinating insights into the lives, town and culture of our German friends. We eagerly look forward to continuing this partnership in the 2024/2025 academic year, with several video calls already planned to further strengthen our connection.

Mrs Gill

Curriculum Leader for MFL

Board Games Frau Gill

In an exciting blend of creativity, culture and education, our school’s German language students have taken on a unique project at the end of this term and we have designed their own German board games. This initiative has not only enhanced their linguistic skills but also introduced them to the rich tradition of German board gaming.

Students were divided into small groups, each tasked with creating a board game that incorporated German vocabulary, phrases and cultural references. The project required them to brainstorm ideas, design game mechanics, create rules and produce game materials, all in German.

The resulting games were fabulous. Some groups developed strategy games set in historical German cities, where players navigated through challenges using their language skills. Others created word games that tested vocabulary and grammar in fun and competitive ways.

One standout creation was “Abenteuer im Schwarzwald” (Adventures in the Black Forest), a game where players embarked on a journey through the famous German forest, encountering mythical creatures and solving language puzzles to advance. Another notable game, “Deutsche Städte-Rallye” (German City Rally), had players racing to visit and learn about different German cities, collecting trivia and language points along the way.

To finish the project, a game lesson was organised where each group presented their game and we set up stations around the room and moved from one game station to another, trying out the games.  Not only did it reinforce their German language skills in a practical and enjoyable context, but it also fostered collaboration, creativity and a deeper appreciation for German culture.

This project has shown that learning a language can be so much more than memorising vocabulary and grammar rules. It can be a vibrant, interactive experience that brings students together and makes learning genuinely fun.

Mrs Gill

Curriculum Leader for MFL

This year, we have continued to exchange letters, cards and videos with our partner schools. In September, we set the bar high by making a video on friendship for our new pen pals. This then inspired the Year 10 students in France to produce a brilliant video about cinema which included detailed film reviews. This year, students from both sides of the Channel have surpassed themselves. The homemade cards have become so creative, they now require special packaging!

Here are the thoughts from two PGHS linguists:

“Bonjour! As students of GCSE French, we keep in regular correspondence with our pen pals from France. Recently, we received a very well thought out video from them on the topic of cinema. We were very impressed by their efforts as they used lots of difficult English vocabulary that we would struggle to say in French. There were lots of comedic moments, unintentional or otherwise, but their responses were very detailed and their pronunciation was excellent.

As a school, we are very lucky to have regular contact with our French friends. Through our pen pals, we gain an insight into the lives of young people living in France: their daily lives, cultures and traditions. This opportunity allows us to bond and connect with students in France whilst also helping us to develop our French skills by putting them into use in real life.”  Holly W and Nusaibah B

Mrs Gill

Curriculum Leader for MFL

This week, we have welcomed back Louise who was in Year 11 last year. She wanted to come back to talk about her experience studying French A level. She was able to speak to the Year 9 and Year 10 classes. Year 8 also had the opportunity to practise, asking all the questions that we studied this year.

“It has been lovely to come back to the school and speak to students about college. The corridors seem surprisingly small compared to Newman! It has been a good opportunity to speak about learning a language at A level. I also enjoyed chatting with the teachers and reconnecting with Madame Raine.” Louise

Mrs Gill

Curriculum Leader for the C.A.T. Faculty