All pupils should have the skills, self-esteem and motivation to consider themselves capable of communicating in another language and taking their place in the global community. Speaking another language is a valuable asset in an increasingly competitive world. The school’s international dimension has been continually awarded International School Status by the British Council since 2003.

King Ethelbert School has partner schools in France, Belgium, South Africa, Italy, Finland and Germany. Furthermore, pupils work with an orphanage and AIDS charity in Goa, India as part of their Business Enterprise work. Pupils undertake global classroom projects in a number of subject areas and has successfully received funding from the British Council and the European Economic Development Fund in furtherance of its international work.   Click here to follow our work through the KES Int Blog.

The teaching of languages offered builds on the development of listening, speaking, reading and writing skills through a wide range of multimedia and varied teaching approaches.

French and Spanish are taught in KS3 and KS4 where the AQA syllabus A is studied. Pupils are taught in their form groups, and in KS4 can choose to undertake their chosen language as a GCSE subject. In addition, pupils in year 9 undertake a world languages project which involves learning basic communication skills in a wider variety of languages such as Japanese, Chinese, Greek, Italian and German. Other languages offered at a basic level include Afrikaans and Xhosa in order to communicate with our partner school in South Africa.

The school has, over recent years, developed a programme which currently includes established Year 7 trips to Paris as part of the year 7 pastoral programme and led by the head of year, Barcelona in Year 8, and Rome in Year 9. The PE department also offer outdoor activities abroad in the Ardeche or on Ski trips. Pupils have also represented the school at the annual Euroscola conference at the European Parliament in Strasbourg.

A lively international club operates, with sessions involving visiting speakers, flamenco dancing and French cheese tasting, to name but a few activities!