German in decline? Not at Cardiff High!

Here is a response from Trevor Wood, who, having attended the CILT Cymru's national conference and heard that German was under threat in many schools, had a more positive picture to report from his own school:


" I am sorry to hear that German seems to be in decline - not, thankfully in Cardiff High.

It depends how you organise KS3. We have half the children start with French, half with German - they can pick up the alternative language in Year 9. In both languages we have 2 stong sets in year 10 (about 50 pupils in each language) and in Year 11. This also provides good support in the Sixth Form - the German Sixth Form has been 20+ for a number of years now.

With Cilt Cymru's help we have promoted the usefulness and enjoyment of languages learning in our parents' evenings and open evenings.

We have German visitors from Stuttgart in school on Monday 7th July. The German exchange is in its 25th year, with 32 pupils involved in September to receive visitors and to go to Münster in October. There was a recent visit to Berlin for the Sixth form pupils, and hopefully a similar visit to another major German city in the new school year.

All in all, things could be worse. I am attaching a few photos of the exchange.

Best wishes, Trevor Wood "

Vor der Schule in Münster	Kölner Dom