German & Spanish

With the increasingly global nature of our world, there has never been a more important time to become a linguist – and the more languages the better. 

In addition to learning or improving French all the way through Primary school, children expand their modern foreign language journey at GES  from Year 5. In Years 5 and 6, children learn half a year each of German and Spanish, ready for when they progress to Secondary and select one of these as their second Modern Foreign Language, alongside French.

The lessons are delivered by our Secondary specialists and are a stimulating, challenging and fun introduction to the two languages. The children learn to connect their language knowledge and are encouraged to draw links between languages.

Challenged right from the beginning as they get to grips with a wide range of vocabulary topics, as well as the foundations of grammar in the two languages, students will also particularly focus on pronunciation as well as the development of oral and written skills.

For students who already speak German, we have a German Masterclass for Key Stage 2 pupils as part of our Wednesday Afternoon programme.

Why German and Spanish?

As the most commonly spoken of the official languages in Switzerland, knowledge of German is a vital asset. German is the second most commonly used scientific language in the world and it is the language with the most native speakers in the European Union. It opens up a world of opportunities for anyone mastering it.

Spanish opens the door to exploring 21 countries and territories across the world and the fascinating history and diverse cultures that accompany them. With over 400 million native speakers, plus an additional 60 million who speak Spanish as a second language, you will always be in good company with Spanish skills.