French
French is offered to all pupils as an option from Year 7. We have a very experienced and enthusiastic staff here in school, who are all French specialists. We use a variety of teaching methods and our main textbook is Encore Tricolore. We combine a solid appreciation of grammatical structures with more varied techniques such as the use of the interactive whiteboard and opportunities for ICT, games and an emphasis on communication skills. We are also fortunate to have a French assistant who contributes to an appreciation of both the language and the culture. The girls have regular speaking practice and the Sixth Form have individual timetabled lessons each week to enhance their oral skills.
As a department, we value the importance of trips. We have a long-standing link with the college St Andrin Colmar in Alsace . Pupils regularly visit Colmar, experiencing French life at first hand. Our year eights regularly go to Chateau de Grande Romaine, near Paris in July. This is an activity-based holiday where the girls enjoy a visit to Paris , a French market, do outdoor activities in the grounds of the Chateau and the highlight for many is a day in Euro Disney. Our Sixth Form linguists also take part in visits to France . Some have done work experience in France for a week and this new venture has proved very successful. Trips to enhance the girls understanding of set texts or themes in their A level studies have been run successfully too. Last year, they included a short trip to Paris to see Rhinoceros a French play by Ionesco, as well as a theatre trip to the Oxford playhouse to see Les Mains Sales by Jean-Paul Sartre.
French is offered to all pupils as an option from year 7. We have a healthy take-up rate of the subject overall and have some excellent linguists. Many scientists continue studying French in the Sixth Form, while many girls choose to study two foreign languages and continue these at university. We have had many successes with girls going to Oxford and Cambridge as well as other top universities. Best marks in the country were achieved by some our year eleven pupils in four consecutive years- 2004, 2005, 2006 and 2007.
Alumni Careers Seminar
Year 11 get a taste of Sixth Form life
Short Story competition - winners announced
Westholme's top mathematician, Lesley Foster
BDSSA Cross Country Trophy Winners
Junior BDSSA Swimming Champions
Year of the Dragon comes roaring in at Westholme!
