Arabic is the language of the Qur’an and the fifth most spoken in the world. Learning it helps Muslim children connect more deeply with their faith heritage and offers pathways for careers overseas.
"And We never sent a messenger except with the language of his people in order that he might make (the message) clear for them."
The Noble Qur’an [14: 4]
We follow the national curriculum for Arabic which is designed to help students progress and develop a passion for the language, through culturally engaging content. Authentic situations and stimuli enable students to experience the Arabic language in context and learn about the culture of countries where Arabic is spoken. Our assessments allow for spontaneity and test grammar as well as providing plenty of opportunities for students to apply their knowledge independently, creatively and in authentic situations.
In 2024, 71% of students attained between grades 9-5 in Arabic. You can see our school performance figures for 2024 GCSE exams here.
In Year 7, students develop their Arabic language skills across listening, reading, speaking, and writing, while also building their cultural awareness. Throughout the year, they cover a wide range of topics, including:
In grammar, students focus on key concepts such as prepositions, pronouns, adjectives, adverbs of time, and the use of simple verbs in the past, present, and future tenses. They also learn the imperative mood, the genitive article, the differentiation between feminine and masculine nouns, and how to achieve gender agreement between nouns and adjectives.
In Year 8, students continue to strengthen their Arabic language skills and cultural understanding by exploring more advanced topics, including:
Their grammar studies expand to include adjectives, adverbs of time, verb tenses, negation, conjugation of simple verbs with various pronouns, simple connectives, plural formation from singular nouns, and the use of comparative and superlative adjectives.
In Year 9, students begin preparing for GCSE exams. The course is designed as a three-year programme. This structure allows them to gradually adapt to the style of exam questions, with a particular emphasis on developing strong speaking skills.
In Year 9, students continue developing their Arabic language skills across listening, reading, speaking, and writing, while further enhancing their cultural awareness. Throughout the year, they explore a wide range of topics, including:
Additionally, students revise key topics studied in previous years, such as nationality, family, food and drink, and weather. In grammar, students strengthen their understanding of: Verb conjugation Pronouns and adjectives Past, present, and future tenses of commonly used verbs Connectives and the negation of verbs
In Year 10, students build on their prior knowledge of Arabic and expand their vocabulary in preparation for the GCSE Arabic examination in the following year. The focus intensifies on topics aligned with the GCSE curriculum while also broadening their language skills. Students practice constructing both nominal and verbal sentences, observe the correct use of masculine and feminine forms in nouns and pronouns, and master the application of verb tenses.
In Year 11, students are fully prepared for their GCSE Arabic examination. Building on their progress from Year 10, there is a particular emphasis on:
Composing coherent, grammatically accurate paragraphs in Arabic Students are also encouraged to maintain continuous effort in improving their handwriting, ensuring clarity and presentation for the written examination.
