Entry begins at age 5, the optimum age for beginning MFL.

About 40% of the curriculum is taught in French for most pupils. However, younger classes only have one third of their lessons in French due to a shortage of teachers. Maths is taught in French; art is usually taught in French, apart from the first year when it is taught in English.

The school began a bilingual programme 11-12 years ago on the advice of Denis Cunningham (Vice Principal of Victorian School of Languages). Parents place a high value on the programme. The French community wanted a teaching programme with no separate pedagogy for the different languages.

The school runs a sophisticated reading programme in which all texts are levelled. Literacy and testing are matched over the two languages. Many Canadian resources are used, e.g. the series ‘Editions de la chévalière’.

Children make very swift progress through grades. Although only 45 minutes per day are spent reading language, it is absorbed through maths with the focus of targeted speaking in plenary.

It is very difficult to find integrated resources for some subjects including sociology, science and technology and so teachers need time to develop tailored resources. Unfortunately they are not fully supported by the Australian government.

For successful transition, pupils move on to Methodist Ladies’ College. More than half go to the independent sector and a few enter Ruyton. Some fast track and take year 12 French a year early.

 

Ruyton is an independent school which enjoys a good reputation. The fees are between $AUD15–20,000 per year. Of the 680 pupils, 462 study languages. These are not compulsory after year 7, but are encouraged: Chinese and French are taught.

Chinese is taught from years 7-12. The teaching depends upon how long students have been speaking Chinese, rather than ability:

- If students have spoken it for over seven years they are taught it as their first language;
for those who have spoken Chinese between 7 months and 7 years, they are taught it as a second language.
- The remaining students are taught as beginners.
- The rules are set by the VCAA (Victorian Curriculum Assessment Authority). Under the complex setting rules, Chinese students are disadvantaged.

French is taught from kindergarten to year 6, as an immersion subject for 7.5 hours per week. Students study French language, integrated studies and music.

In year 11, there are large exam classes of 30 students in both languages.

Students are encouraged to view their language skills in a global dimension: they are treated to a trip to China every two years, and visits to Bourges and La Rochelle every 2 years. They benefit from an email link with Monaco.

There is a high use of ICT, with one dedicated ICT lesson per week and use of the Internet to access work and email marking. Bayard Presse materials are used, along with Au Point for year 11.

Displays of work by year 6 pupils show that they study the Great War through poetry and documentation, producing their own creative work to a standard as high as that of many UK year 12 students.

 

Bayswater South has 314 pupils.

Bilingual immersion teaching in German was developed as a response to the number of families with German links in the community: one third have a German background. Sponsorship for the scheme is provided by Miele and Siemens and the scheme was developed by Brigitte Schmelze.

The school offers an impressive package of literacy, science through German, languages other than English (LOTE), German and innovation in excellence. The programme runs from prep to grade 6 though transition to secondary school German is not automatic.

Seven hours of the curriculum are taught in German each week, including art and science. The school benefits from four bilingual LOTE teachers.

Bayswater enjoys great success in integrated science – with a python studied in German and chickens kept in school for their eggs! There is a special science centre which is very well organised. For science, the school has a link with the University of New South Wales.

The school has won a regional competition for poetry in German (Goethe Institut). An exchange programme is run with families in Germany with visits there every two years.

Resources and materials are produced by the department and two assistants develop computer resources, translations and posters. The school has to rely on secondary trained teachers, with thorough primary training.

Unfortunately the school has difficulty with transition as secondary schools regard the gap between those who have had immersion training and those who have not is too big.

 

A college of 2200 students, this is one of the most prestigious schools in Victoria and is the largest independent girls’ school in Australia.

Languages taught: Indonesian, German, Immersion French, Japanese and Chinese.

The school is divided into 4 sections: