Frequently Asked Questions about French and German at GCS

Are the Native Speakers following a National Curriculum?
No, you have chosen an International Baccalaureate Curriculum for your child.

After attending GCS for several years, will my child be able to go back to a mainstream school in France/Germany without any problems?
That depends entirely on your child. Academically s/he will have covered similar work to other children in France or Germany, language wise there might be gaps and your child will need additional support in those areas. Remember in mainstream French or German schools they would have had most of their education in that language, whereas your children will have most of their education in English at GCS.

As a Native Speaker of French or German, does my child automatically join that language in GCS or is it possible for my child to learn a new language?
Your child can choose the language they want to learn at our school (subject to availability of places in the class) and will continue to study the chosen language during her/his time at GCS.

Are the Native Speakers and Non-Native Speakers taught in separate classes?
This depends entirely on the abilities of the individual children. E.g. some Native Speakers are not as advanced in reading or writing skills as Non-Native Speakers and therefore they may be taught as one group.

Our family only speaks English at home, how will this affect my child’s progress in French or German?
While your child is very young this may not affect their progress. However, as they progress through the school it is unlikely that if you are not speaking in French or German at home, or have him or her immersed in French or German speaking activities outside school, your child will ever reach Native Speaker standard.

How many language groups are there per grade?
This depends on the number of classes in each grade and the abilities of the children, plus their language choices.

What is the maximum number of students in one language class?
The same as in any other class.

Can students switch language groups during the year?
The teachers will decide if a child needs to change groups during the course of the year to a group which better suits their educational needs.

Can students switch languages during the year in PYP?
No, this is discouraged. In case there is a pending family move to a German/French speaking country and the child needs to prepare for this unexpected relocation, on a case by case basis and if there is a space in the appropriate group, this may be granted after written representation by the parents.

Can students switch languages during the year in MYP?
No, because graduation from the MYP requires extensive, sustained study of a language.

Will my child join language classes although s/he still needs English support?
This depends on the individual child and is the teacher’s decision.

Are there any textbooks used?
We work with a variety of resources, including textbooks, but we never rely on only one book.

How are the students assessed?
In line with our school assessment policy, using a variety of methods, such as oral and written tests, presentations, dramatic re-enactments, essays, class participation and student observation. Information about assessment can be found in the Parent and Student Handbook.

Are all the teachers Native Speakers?
All the teachers have Native Speaker standard in the languages they teach.

Will there be additional language classes provided at school, such as Mother Tongue Classes or Extracurricular Language Clubs (after school)?
Yes, we do offer a Mother Tongue Maintenance Programme – which depends entirely on the interest and support of our parents. You will find more information about Mother Tongue Maintenance on our website. Extracurricular Language Clubs are offered by teachers and tutors, organised by the school (ECAs) and by Libra (paid activities).