Clifton College Website

German

Head of German
Mr Owen Lewis MA
Teachers
Mr Jonathan Thomson-Glover BA Mr Bobby Trivic BA Dr Chris Waller MA PhD FIL FRSA
Teaching Assistant
Nina Herzberg

German is one of the world's major languages, spoken by approximately 110 million people in over 40 countries. German is an official language in Germany, Austria, Liechtenstein, Switzerland, Luxembourg, Belgium and the European Union.

German enjoys a long tradition of success at Clifton College. The German department prides itself on its academic results, on the wide variety of German language trips and activities on offer and on the individual level of attention given to students who opt to study this great European language.

Teaching

In the Third Form pupils have two opinions. They have the opportunity to continue with studies begun in their Pre School or can begin the study of German ‘ab initio’ with little or no prior knowledge.

We use a new course - Na Klar! - which we supplement with a variety of other Listening and Reading materials as well as ICT resources to reinforce and extend learning.

The Year 10 and 11 courses broaden and deepen the students’ understanding of German and provide them with a very solid foundation in German grammar. The students enjoy the added benefit of individual or small group oral sessions with our German Assistant. We pride ourselves on our GCSE results. The A-C pass rate in 2006 was 100%.

In the sixth form German is on offer at various levels and in various places in the timetable. There are A2 and AS classes on offer in the main sectors and also in sector E providing the opportunity for an 'extra' AS. 'Ab initio' GCSE classes are also an option and these succeed in getting students up a level where they can achieve the A* grade in one year. The staff-to-student ratios are extremely generous. During their courses students will have contact with all three teachers of German and in addition will have weekly oral session with the German Assistant. The opportunity to interact with the ten or more visiting German students is also very beneficial.

The 2006 AS/A2 A/B pass rate was 100%.

Oxbridge Success for Clifton College Germanists

We are particularly proud of the achievements of our Germanists Sophie Brown, Iona Turnbull and Sophie Reece-Trapp who all received places to study German at Oxbridge in the last four years.

Language Trips and Activities

In addition to German film and theatre visits, the German department organises a variety of trips and activities to support those studying German and to promote an understanding of German culture within Clifton College. In 2006 there was a trip to the Rheinland. The 2007 language trip was to Berlin. There are also annual trips to Dyffryn.

German Festivals and Events

This year our events programme includes:

• our annual Fasching party and 2007 on Rosenmontag
• the Year 9 German Zoo Trip
• a Sixth Form Beer Tasting Evening and Dinner (in German)
• a Sixth form German dinner and theatre trip with Badminton School.
• deutsches Frühstück - a regular ‘working’ breakfast for deserving Germanists!
• a German lunch for sixth formers, visiting German students and staff

© 2006-9 Clifton College