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French

Intent

Highwood aims to encourage pupils to learn French as it is a language that is spoken widely across the world and aids their transition to secondary school.  Throughout our curriculum children are given opportunities to learn about French culture and through learning the language further improve their life chances as a global citizen.

Our aim is that our pupils will leave Year 6 able to understand, speak, read and write key phrases in French, and most importantly with the sense that speaking a foreign language can be enjoyable as well beneficial.

Implementation

The MFL curriculum at Highwood Primary School is designed to develop not only our children’s language skills, but also their love of learning a language. It is based upon the 2014 Primary National Curriculum in England, which provides a broad framework and outlines the knowledge and skills taught in each Key Stage. We are currently using the LCP New Generation Primary French scheme of work to deliver our French lessons. We also use other teaching resources such as BBC Being French materials to complement and broaden children’s learning. These ensure children acquire a bank of vocabulary organised around topics. They ensure development is progressive as they build on previous knowledge from units already studied. All children in KS2 receive French teaching through regularly taught lessons. When possible, French is integrated across the curriculum in various situations. For example, current vocabulary is displayed in classrooms, French ambassadors update the date in each classroom, use of bilingual dictionaries is encouraged, teaching of geographical and historical contexts are included in lessons, and, when possible, whole school events are organised to promote French speaking throughout the school (French café).

Before teaching each unit teachers will:

  • Assess children’s prior knowledge and skills and use this to ensure their planning builds upon this.
  • Use the Progression of skills to ensure a sequential teaching of topics.
  • Plan opportunities for practical communication that develop their skills.
  • Plan for an appropriate balance of spoken and written language.

During each unit teachers will:

  • Broaden children’s vocabulary and develop their ability to understand new words as well as basic grammar.
  • Provide opportunities to read, write and adapt simple phrases.
  • Give children an opportunity to apply key features and patterns of the language and understand how these differ from or are similar to English.
  • Give children an opportunity to compare and make links with other languages spoken at home.
  • Allow children to appreciate stories, songs, poems and rhymes
  • Give children an opportunity to access authentic resources (newspapers, French websites, books…)
  • Provide pupils with opportunities for engaging in conversations; ask and answer questions; express opinions and respond to those of others

Throughout each unit pupils will:

  • Assess their understanding of and ability to communicate ideas, facts and feelings in speech and writing.
  • Reflect on the skills they have learnt and appreciate the extent of their learning at the end of each unit.

At the end of each unit teachers will:

  • Assess pupils’ understanding of practical communication.

Impact

What will this look like?

Through pupil voice we will see:

  • Pupils explain the value of learning another language.
  • Pupils discuss key vocabulary learnt.
  • Pupils explain similarities to other languages as well as English.
  • Appreciation of French culture and how it is different to British Culture.

Through learning walks we will see:

  • Pupils are confident and willing to participate in lessons.
  • Pupils having an opportunity of using a wide range of new vocabulary.
  • Teachers speaking in French frequently throughout the lesson.
  • Opportunities to read French and explain what it means using cognates.
  • Children write sentences and phrases in French on a regular basis.

In the pupil’s learning we will see:

  • Speak with increasing confidence, fluency and spontaneity, finding ways of communicating what they want to say and continually improving the accuracy of their pronunciation and intonation.
  • Be able to read and respond to simple written text in another language.
  • Write sentences and phrases in French.