By Mme Helm (Head of MFL)

Our Assembly Hall came alive for European Day of Languages assemblies on Friday 25th September for Years 10 and 11, and Monday 28th September for Years 7 to 9. Officially marked on 26th September, this year’s theme, “Languages unite!”, celebrated the ways languages bring people together across cultures.

What do “hand shoes”, a “naked snail” and an “apple of the earth” have in common? Through quizzes, wordplay and surprising translations, students discovered that the German expressions mean gloves and a slug, while the French expression means a potato. They also explored “false friends”: words that look familiar but mean something quite different. The French pain means bread, while the German Gift means poison. Jokes and expressions about rainy weather offered further reminders that translating word for word does not always capture the meaning.

Alongside the fun, the assemblies asked why we learn languages when our phones can translate. Students considered the human connections that language learning makes possible: sharing a joke, joining a conversation, understanding someone else’s perspective and feeling part of a community. These moments can mean more than finding the right words on a screen.

At the heart of the assemblies was a celebration of the languages spoken within our school community. Students who use another language at home were encouraged to value that knowledge, whether they speak it confidently or know just a few words to use with relatives.

The wider programme included a lunchtime music language quiz, along with quizzes and competition opportunities linked to International Translation Day. Staff language badges gave students another reason to be curious, encouraging them to ask teachers which languages they speak, how they learnt them and where those languages have taken them.

We hope the activities inspire students to enjoy discovering unfamiliar words, value the languages around them and keep exploring beyond the classroom.