Languages Key to Success

The second meeting of this Comenius was held during April (25-30) in Lancaster-England. Teachers from the three schools involved in the project met there in order to share the results of the different surveys we had previously agreed to carry out among our students.

We also had the opportunity of seeing the importance the acquisition of a foreign language is given at Ripley St. Thomas High School., where students have the chance to study five different modern languages (French, German, Spanish Russian, Japanese). Giving students the opportunity of learning a foreign language has become one of the priorities of the school and in this way in 1996 the school was designated an excellence for the study of modern languages and granted Language school status. This interest in foreign languages has led some teachers to get deeply involved in several Comenius projects, firmly believing that travelling and mixing with students from other countries is the best way to improve their students’ knowledge of modern languages.

Ripley St Thomas Church of England High School is a large secondary school with approximately 2600 students aged 11 to 18. The school is structured into four Houses. Within those Houses students  are placed in a form with a form tutor who keeps each  pupil’s progress under regular review.  At the same time, as a church school the spiritual dimension plays an important role in the school’s everyday life.

Placed in Lancaster, England, the school sees the acquisition of a foreign language as an essential skill  for young people. In 1996 the school was granted Language College status and it also got an excellence for the study of modern languages. Students are offered a wide curriculum  including different vocational subjects such as Applied Business studies, Child Development,  Health and social Care and Rural and Agriculture  Science. The importance given to  modern languages can be seen in the great variety of foreign languages studied at the school ( French, German, Spanish , Russian, Japanese ).