An academy in Edmonton has been ranked as one of the best schools for modern foreign languages for the third consecutive year.

Nightingale Academy is in the top one per cent of schools nationally for its modern foreign language results.

Seventy five per cent of the school’s students have English as an Additional Language.

And, the school’s diversity is seen as its strength.

Many students are qualified interpreters who practice their skills when helping the school and community.

In 2017 83 percent of Year 11 students achieved A* to C grades in languages.

A record 92 percent achieved A* to C in Spanish, with 56 percent awarded A or A*, and 100 percent an A* to D.

Avni Aliaj, head of modern foreign and community languages, said: “Languages are a preferred GCSE option at Nightingale and the overwhelming majority of students study a language at Key Stage 4, whether that be French, Spanish or Turkish.

“One of the main factors of our success is the fact that we regard students’ English as Additional Language status as an asset, rather than a disadvantage.

“Most of our students are natural linguists, already fluent in two or more languages.

“They have already created a language learning system in their heads, which gives them an advantage when tackling yet another language.

“English as Additional Language students understand complex linguistic concepts and develop fluency faster than their monolingual peers.

“Our job as language teachers is to simply recognise and unlock this potential.

“Of course, this wouldn’t have been possible without consistently high-quality teaching from a strong team of passionate linguists, high expectations for all learners and the use of an array of dynamic teaching strategies and resources.”

Students regularly take part in Erasmus and other international projects with schools across Europe.

Some are chosen to spend one week in target language countries like France, Spain, Turkey or Poland three or four times a year.

Since 2013 over 400 Nightingale Academy students and staff have travelled to European countries as part of these projects.

Mr Aliaj, added: “These visits are unique opportunities to take language learning well and truly out of the classroom and to use it in real-life situations.

“Most of the students from my Year 11 class, for example, who spent one week in Spain last year as part of our current Erasmus+ project achieved either A or A* in their Spanish GCSE.

“By the end of their stay, some of them became as confident and at ease with the use of Spanish that they volunteered to be interviewed by local TV reporters in Spanish, which was certainly one of the proudest moments of my teaching career.”