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Inspection report 2010
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Japanese
What will your child study?
In the Middle School pupils study the Edexcel GCSE course which we believe is exciting and contemporary while also being rigorous and challenging and providing an excellent basis for further studies. The GCSE is evenly balanced between all four skills. In Year 10 there is a written listening exam and an oral exam accounting for 50% of the GCSE result with the remaining 50% gained in two written exams (Reading and Writing) in Year 11.
We begin the GCSE Japanese course as an optional subject in Year 9 and pupils decide during this year if they wish to continue with the subject to GCSE. Typically half of the Year 9 class opt to take Japanese for GCSE.
In Year 9 we focus on listening and reading around the theme of Me, My Family, My Friends, My School and My Town integrated into My Daily Routine. Both syllabic scripts are mastered and a start is made on learning Chinese characters.
In Year 10 we focus on the GCSE topic areas for Listening and Speaking: pupils produce increasingly longer and more complex presentations and take part in conversations on these topics. Work on mastering Chinese characters continues.
In Year 11 we focus on the GCSE topic areas for Reading and Writing: pupils convert their spoken presentations into written essays and further increase their knowledge of Chinese characters to allow more extensive reading both for detail and for gist.
How will they be assessed?
Pupils will be assessed during the three years through marked homework and end of topic GCSE standard tests.
