Christene Barton

I have always been passionate about both learning and speaking other languages, particularly French.

For the past 20 years I have had the pleasure of being employed as a teacher of modern languages at Poole Grammar School, teaching predominantly GCSE and A level with some Key stage 3 classes.

I have always found teaching so rewarding and have tried to pass on my love of learning languages to my students. With the exam classes I was dedicated to the boys achieving the best grade they were capable of, whilst trying to deliver enjoyable but fast-paced lessons.

I completed my final year at PGS in July 2022 and the results of my students reflected their hard work and mine too, as 50% of my GCSE class gained the top grade - level 9, 70% gained a level 7-9 with 100% pass rate.

My excellent A level students who were a real pleasure to teach, all went on to study languages at university - 70% of the students in this class gained the top grade - an  A*, with 2 students gaining an A and 1 a grade B. There are a few testimonials from the students in these classes.

Having studied French to degree level and gaining an Institute of Linguists Honours degree, I also completed a postgraduate in translation French-English when my children were young and then gained a PGCE qualification and became a teacher of modern languages. I am a fluent French speaker with a good level of competency in both Italian and German.

I have 2 children and a husband, David and as a family we loved spending the long summer holidays in our house in the Poitou-Charente region of la Belle France. We have owned our house in France for over 25 years and I can honestly say that it really does feel like home every time we are there. I really relish being immersed in the French culture, particularly the culinary sort and I have many French friends in the Charente who I enjoy spending time with when there.

I am absolutely of the belief that each student is an individual with different learning skills, but when a student wants to succeed, whether self-motivated or motivated by the teacher, then anything is possible. I am really looking forward to helping students on a 1-1, to individually achieve their potential and ultimately gain the grade they deserve at GCSE or A level.

I am also passionate about developing the linguistic talents of adults and so offer a weekly conversation group class where adults feel comfortable and confident to express themselves in French, in a fun but meaningful way, progressing at their own pace each week.