Russian

Course summary

Russian is the largest native language in Europe, with around 144 million speakers in Russia, Ukraine, Belarus and many other Eastern European countries. It is the fifth most spoken language in the world and is used all over ethnically diverse Russia and the former Soviet Union as a lingua franca and language of business. Russian is not just a highly rewarding language to study; it is also a gateway to some of the most influential thinkers, writers and artists of the 19th and 20th centuries. Competence in the Russian language enables you to read Chekhov’s short stories, Akhmatova’s poetry and – eventually – the ‘thick novels’ of Dostoevsky and Tolstoy. Contemporary Russian culture is equally fascinating, and much can be learnt about post-Soviet politics and everyday life from the films of Balabanov, Serebrennikov and Zvyagintsev. Russian is taught as an optional subject from the Lower Shell (Year 10). The Edexcel GCSE Russian course aims to provide pupils with a solid grounding in vocabulary, grammar and Russian culture. The examination tests all four skills (listening comprehension, reading comprehension, speaking and writing), and they are weighted evenly, all being worth 25% of the total mark. The qualification is graded from 9 to 1. The Edexcel A Level is designed to familiarise pupils with social, political and cultural themes relating to the Russian language, its culture and communities. It covers such topics as youth culture, education, the world of work, the media, mass culture and festivals. Pupils also analyse contemporary Russian films and later explore historical topics such as urban change in Russia and the collapse of the USSR. We also undertake close analysis of a literary text, enabling pupils to put their advanced reading ability to use and to develop their comprehension skills.