German at CRGS

German is offered as an option to all students at CRGS from Year 8 through to A Level. We aim to develop the students’ ability to use German for practical communication purposes, by giving them a firm grounding in German grammar and syntax and offering them plenty of opportunities to perfect their spoken and written language. They will also gain an understanding of the culture and history of German-speaking countries. We have interactive whiteboards in all languages rooms, enabling us to bring varied media into the classroom and offer different teaching styles.

Trips and Exchanges

There are numerous opportunities for students to practice their German outside the classroom. In Year 8 we offer a Christmas Markets trip to Cologne and Aachen, where students are able to put their new knowledge to good use. In Years 9 and 10 we offer the German Exchange with a Gymnasium (German Grammar School) in Weinheim, a small town near Heidelberg. Students spend a week living with their partner’s family, attending school and going on trips to local places of interest. Sixth Formers are also welcome to take part in the Christmas Markets trip and the exchange. Furthermore we organize trips to cultural events in London to complement their studies. They are also encouraged and helped to organize their own trips. In the past, A Level students have done work experience placements in Germany.

Examination courses

At GCSE we offer the Edexcel course, which develops the four skills of reading, listening, writing and speaking through the study of various topics such as Travel, Education and Entertainment. The new GCSE exam consists of a final examination of reading and listening skills, and two controlled internal assessments of both writing and speaking skills.

At A Level our students follow the OCR course, which introduces them to current affairs issues, the history and culture of German-speaking countries. They take two examinations at the end of their AS year, an oral exam and a combined examination of their listening, reading and writing skills. The A2 component is examined in the same way.

Beyond German at CRGS

Many students taking A level German choose to continue their study of the language at university, either in combination with another language or with another subject, for example Business Studies, Economics, Law or Politics. Even without continuing beyond A Level, knowledge of German has proven invaluable to many former students. As Germany is a major trading partner of Britain, knowledge of the language is a tremendous asset in business, science and technology.