About
Welcome
Welcome to Nottingham High School’s Modern Foreign Languages website, the main purpose of which is to keep pupils, parents and visitors informed of the latest developments, news and events. In addition, we aim to showcase pupils’ achievement, promote the use of the latest Information and Communication Technologies and encourage the sharing of resources. If you would like to be informed of any new additions to this website, you can subscribe to receive automatic email notifications.
Contributing to this website
As well as to inform, a principal objective of this website is to showcase pupils’ work and achievements. Positive and motivating comments by peers, parents and visitors to this website are therefore encouraged, as they are proven to be greatly beneficial to our pupils in terms of acquiring confidence in speaking the foreign language and remaining engaged in the pursuit of language learning.
Comments are moderated.
Commenting guidance for pupils
Whilst we encourage commenting and participation, it is very important for us to protect your privacy. For this reason, when you submit your comment, always remember to leave only your first name and the first letter of your surname. For example, if your name is John Smith, your comment should be signed John S. This way your peers, parents and teachers know who you are, but nobody else does.
Remember: never leave your surname.
Our Languages
Our core languages are French, German and Spanish, which are taught by a team of nine specialist language teachers, supported by three language assistants and a languages resources assistant. A selection of major world languages is also available for self access to keen linguists in our two new Digital Language Suites.
To learn more about French, German and Spanish, our core languages, please visit their dedicated section in this website, which is accessible through the navigation bar at the top of this page.
Our Teachers
Mr Allerton teaches French and Spanish to A Level. He came to the profession relatively late, having travelled extensively around the world. He has also taught English in Spain, France, Ecuador and Poland and enjoys taking trips abroad.
Mr Brown teaches French and German and joined the school in 2009 after completing a PGCE from the University of Bristol. He obtained a BA (Hons) from the University of Oxford in 2008 before deciding to move straight into the teaching profession. He is a keen musician, the violin being his speciality.
Mrs Griffin has been at the High School for 11 years and enjoys teaching German up to A Level and Spanish to the Lower School. Mrs Griffin has some very good friends abroad and hopes, through running the German Exchange, to give our pupils the opportunity to experience this too.
Mr Holding has taught French and German at the High School for over 25 years and still enjoys trying to make learning a foreign language relevant to our pupils and he enjoys organising school trips to France. Mr Holding is Head of Year 8 and Head of General Studies.
Mr Knifton has taught French and a variety of other subjects at the High School for over 35 years and is also currently responsible for Learning Support within the Modern Languages department.
Mrs Krüger has been our German Language Assistant for over 8 years. Having studied Applied Linguistics at the University of Mainz, she moved to Britain and spent several years in Adult Education and then teaching in secondary education.
Mrs Moorhouse joined the school in 2009 to become our Languages Resources Assistant after completing a degree in French Studies at the University of Nottingham. Mrs Moorhouse is in charge of maintaining and organising our languages resources, as well as overseeing the operation of our two new Digital Language Suites.
Mr Picardo is Head of Modern Foreign Languages and Head of Spanish and has taught Spanish and German at the High School since 2007, having previously been Head of Spanish at Guildford High School. He holds a BA (Hons) degree in Modern Foreign Languages and an MA in Information Communications Technology and Education.
Mr Rosas is our Spanish Language Assistant. Originally from Bolivia, Mr Rosas moved to Great Britain and has since been involved in adult education as a private tutor before coming to work at the High School.
Miss Rigby is Head of French and teaches French and Spanish to A Level. She joined the school after teaching at Sharnbrook Upper School in Bedfordshire for 9 years. She was heavily involved in teacher training and qualified as an Advanced Skills Teacher during her time there. Prior to becoming a teacher, she obtained a BA (Hons) from the University of Oxford and lived in France for two years teaching English.
Mr Whitehead has been teaching German and French at the High School since 1993. He leads the school’s Community Action Group and organises frequent visits and exchanges to Germany, among which is a very successful Year 8 trip to the Rhineland. Mr Whitehead is Head of German.
Mr Winter has taught French at the High School for 26 years. Mr Winter has recently started teaching Year 7 Spanish and has also taught English and ICT in the past. He enjoys participating in extra-curricular activities: running the U15 Rugby team, helping with Duke of Edinburgh Award expeditions and trips to France and Greece. Mr Winter is House Master at Cooper’s House and ICT Co-ordinator.
