For students studying French at Northgate High School this project has taken language learning outside the classroom. The initiative, which sees local businesses commission real projects for pupils to work on and deliver, was developed to enable pupils to have the opportunity to use their language skills in real life situations. After close consultation with pupils, teachers developed the scheme and worked with local businesses to incorporate a series of cross curricular projects into the MFL curriculum.

Since the project was first started in 2007, pupils have had the opportunity to work as waiters in a French café for staff and visitors, record French radio jingles for a local radio station and create a French story-telling resource for Norwich castle museum, amongst a variety of other exciting activities. This stimulating project encourages learners to develop their language skills in a creative and independent way. Pupils are highly motivated by the approach and are keen to participate in the activities.

The project currently involves pupils in Years 7 and 9 and teachers at Northgate High have plans to expand the scheme across the whole of Key Stage 3. The project has also attracted a great deal of attention from other schools and teachers interested in implementing the model for their students.

Launch, create, deliver, celebrate is the recipient of the French Embassy Language Prize.

Language(s): French

Northgate High School is an 11-16 comprehensive school and sixth form with approximately 900 pupils. It has a specialism in Humanities (Art, Drama and Literacy).