All students of English in Years 10 and 11 at Hind Leys experience this core subject in mixed-ability classes.  They are prepared for the AQA English and English Literature Spec A courses.  Currently all Year 10 students are entered for English Literature and this frees up Year 11 for the English Language course.  Both courses feature preparation for a mixture of controlled assessments and exams.

Speaking and Listening are encouraged and assessed, students enjoy the opportunity to write creatively on many occasions.

We offer Media Studies as an option; its growing popularity has resulted in an increased number of classes, students from the High Schools recognising the importance and relevance of this subject in their daily lives.  Media Studies encourages youngsters to be aware, not only of the world of communication around them and how it functions, but also the pressures placed on them by the Media.

We are proud of our examination results - our students have performed very well in recent years - and this is reflected in the quality and variety of assignments.

English Language and Literature and Media Studies are enormously popular options for students seeking lively and stimulating subjects at AS and A Level.  We now offer four groups in Year 12 for these subjects.

There are opportunities, also, for trips out and visiting speakers – in recent years, we have taken groups to London, Stratford, Birmingham and France as part of their preparations for their coursework and examination. 

Modern Foreign Languages at Hind Leys are popular and successful subjects.  We offer French, German and Spanish (taught from beginners level) at GCSE and all three at A Level. We encourage most students to continue their study of a language at GCSE. We aim to build students’ knowledge and confidence so that they are able to communicate in everyday situations. Students enjoy their lessons and at the same time develop an understanding of another culture and the wider world.

Keeping in touch with current trends and issues in the world is a priority and Hind Leys employs French, German and Spanish Assistants so that staff and students from all year groups can benefit from the opportunity to communicate with native speakers.  We encourage as much speaking and listening as possible.

As a department we run a variety of trips. Last year both French and German students visited Christmas markets and had the opportunity to try out their language skills. Last July Year 11 and 12 students spent four days in Paris, and in the past German students have visited Berlin. There are plans for a trip to Barcelona and Paris this year. Post 16 students also have the opportunity to attend university open days.

We are proud of the fact that students wish to improve their competence in a language and choose to study at A Level. A language at this level enables students to keep their options open and gives them better employment prospects. Nuffield studies show that 5 years after leaving Post 16, those people who have an A Level in a Modern Foreign Language (even if they do not use their language in their work) earn 20-30% more than those people who do not.

Language graduates have highly attractive employment prospects and our students can go on to achieve Honours degrees in a language or are able to combine a language with a diverse range of subjects such as Law, Business, Economics, ICT, Engineering, Sciences, Teaching, Humanities, Politics, Accountancy, Product Design and Media. It is a well-established fact that linguists have less problems finding jobs than other graduates. Universities also encourage students to learn new and more diverse languages such as Mandarin and Arabic as the language learning skill acquired at school can easily be applied to other languages. Languages open up opportunities and provide key skills which stay with students for the rest of their lives.