The aim of the curriculum is to offer students an understanding of some of the major world faiths and world views whilst allowing students to reflect on their own beliefs and views. Students should understand the lens in which they view the world and where this sits in relation to others. Students are also undertaking a curriculum, that not only helps them to understand key religious and non-religious beliefs, but also to tackle some challenging philosophical and ethical questions which helps to embed challenge within the curriculum. It is important that students understand the impact of the religious and philosophical ideas throughout history, helping to comprehend how society has been shaped by such beliefs. Students are also asked to develop subject specific skills. Assessments are formatted so that students can practice the skill of evaluation which requires them to engage with both sides of an argument and form their own judgement. Other subject skills they will practice include:

• Explaining
• Summarising
• Comparing and contrasting
• Justifying
• Analysis of religious/ non-religious texts

The curriculum focuses on just some of the major world faiths and views to ensure that a suitable amount of depth can be gone into, avoiding superficial understandings of a broader range of worldviews. Themes have also been revisited across the three-year curriculum plan to ensure that depth can be built on across the time of study. Opportunities have been taken to also create cross curricular links with subjects like history, English literature, art and geography. The aim here is that students can understand how the worldviews and philosophical ideas they are studying have impacted and influenced society; illustrating the relevance of the subject.

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The Languages department at Wallingford School aims to provide all students with the knowledge and skills they need to become able linguists and lifelong language learners. During MFL lessons we teach students to develop the four skills of listening, speaking, reading and writing as well as a sound knowledge of vocabulary, grammar and phonics rules which ensures they make strong progress and become increasingly more confident about using the language in both spoken and written forms.

From Sept 2025 all students entering the school start with either Spanish or German in Year 7 and they will all pick up French as a second language in Year 8 and study two languages in Year 8 and 9. We offer all students the chance to travel to France in Year 8. A great many students continue with one language at GCSE and we have an increasing number of dual linguists. Both French and German are offered at A-level.

We welcome students who come to the school already proficient in a foreign language and we are happy to facilitate an early GCSE where appropriate. 

We are fortunate to have a French and German Foreign Language Assistant on the MFL team and they offer individual conversation practice to all our A-Level linguists. 

Outside the classroom we offer a variety of competitions and events, such as Speed Language Learning for European Day of Languages, Duolingo language learning competitions and the Oxford German Network Sixth Form Kneipenquiz at Radley College. We also have close links to Oxford University and regularly take part in events such as the Year 9 Languages afternoon at Queen’s College, the year 12 Literature Masterclass and A-level Study Day at the Department of Education.

We believe that using the target language in real-life scenarios is essential and to this end we offer students the opportunity to travel to France and Germany on Exchanges with our partner schools in Grenoble (year 10 and year 12) and Bad Wurzach (year 9, 10 and 12). Over time we will be developing a similar Exchange to Spain. These visits also broaden our students’ cultural awareness and help them to develop tolerance, resilience and independence.

Tap headings to expand.

The Languages department at Wallingford School aims to provide all students with the knowledge and skills they need to become able linguists and lifelong language learners. During MFL lessons we teach students to develop the four skills of listening, speaking, reading and writing as well as a sound knowledge of vocabulary, grammar and phonics rules which ensures they make strong progress and become increasingly more confident about using the language in both spoken and written forms.

From Sept 2025 all students entering the school start with either Spanish or German in Year 7 and they will all pick up French as a second language in Year 8 and study two languages in Year 8 and 9. We offer all students the chance to travel to France in Year 8. A great many students continue with one language at GCSE and we have an increasing number of dual linguists. Both French and German are offered at A-level.

We welcome students who come to the school already proficient in a foreign language and we are happy to facilitate an early GCSE where appropriate. 

We are fortunate to have a French and German Foreign Language Assistant on the MFL team and they offer individual conversation practice to all our A-Level linguists. 

Outside the classroom we offer a variety of competitions and events, such as Speed Language Learning for European Day of Languages, Duolingo language learning competitions and the Oxford German Network Sixth Form Kneipenquiz at Radley College. We also have close links to Oxford University and regularly take part in events such as the Year 9 Languages afternoon at Queen’s College, the year 12 Literature Masterclass and A-level Study Day at the Department of Education.

We believe that using the target language in real-life scenarios is essential and to this end we offer students the opportunity to travel to France and Germany on Exchanges with our partner schools in Grenoble (year 10 and year 12) and Bad Wurzach (year 9, 10 and 12). Over time we will be developing a similar Exchange to Spain. These visits also broaden our students’ cultural awareness and help them to develop tolerance, resilience and independence.

Tap headings to expand.

The Languages department at Wallingford School aims to provide all students with the knowledge and skills they need to become able linguists and lifelong language learners. During MFL lessons we teach students to develop the four skills of listening, speaking, reading and writing as well as a sound knowledge of vocabulary, grammar and phonics rules which ensures they make strong progress and become increasingly more confident about using the language in both spoken and written forms.

From Sept 2025 all students entering the school start with either Spanish or German in Year 7 and they will all pick up French as a second language in Year 8 and study two languages in Year 8 and 9. We offer all students the chance to travel to France in Year 8. A great many students continue with one language at GCSE and we have an increasing number of dual linguists. Both French and German are offered at A-level.

We welcome students who come to the school already proficient in a foreign language and we are happy to facilitate an early GCSE where appropriate. 

We are fortunate to have a French and German Foreign Language Assistant on the MFL team and they offer individual conversation practice to all our A-Level linguists. 

Outside the classroom we offer a variety of competitions and events, such as Speed Language Learning for European Day of Languages, Duolingo language learning competitions and the Oxford German Network Sixth Form Kneipenquiz at Radley College. We also have close links to Oxford University and regularly take part in events such as the Year 9 Languages afternoon at Queen’s College, the year 12 Literature Masterclass and A-level Study Day at the Department of Education.

We believe that using the target language in real-life scenarios is essential and to this end we offer students the opportunity to travel to France and Germany on Exchanges with our partner schools in Grenoble (year 10 and year 12) and Bad Wurzach (year 9, 10 and 12). Over time we will be developing a similar Exchange to Spain. These visits also broaden our students’ cultural awareness and help them to develop tolerance, resilience and independence.