At Queen Victoria School, all pupils learn two foreign languages, French and German, in S1 and S2, whereafter they have a choice between either, both or none.
For those who are interested there is a locally generated French Wiki.
All children at Queen Victoria School experience the benefits of a modern language, regardless of their background or ability, because it is firmly believed by all those delivering a modern language and by the management of the School, that the study of a language other than English will:
- build on the competences already developed in children’s first language.
- help young people make an effective contribution to society, because modern language-learning relies for success, on personal and interpersonal skills, self-confidence and an understanding of other people and other people’s cultures.
- encourage learners to develop qualities of enterprise and imagination.
- aid learners in acquiring the ability to change and adapt.
- develop pupils’ ability to accept responsibility for aspects of their own learning and to evaluate what they have learnt.
- develop the learning and thinking skills, such as creative thinking, decision-making, reasoning and problem-solving, the skills needed to acquire new knowledge in the form of a new language.
“Today’s children [are living] in a world where they will encounter different nationalities, different cultures and different languages, often in their daily lives…
Scotland should be a multi-cultural, culturally-aware country capable of communicating in this ever-shrinking world. This vision can be more effectively achieved if language skills and abilities are improved.”
Jack McConnell, Foreword, Citizens of a Multilingual World
