Modern Foreign Languages  

Subject Statement

“At Grinling Gibbons Primary School, we believe that learning a language broadens horizons and helps children develop confidence, resilience and cultural understanding. Our French curriculum is designed to inspire pupils to become curious and enthusiastic language learners who are willing to take risks, embrace challenges and communicate with confidence. We celebrate the rich linguistic and cultural diversity within our school community and encourage pupils to develop an appreciation of France and the wider Francophone world. Through learning French, children gain valuable communication skills, cultural capital and the confidence to succeed in their future language-learning journey.”

Intent

At Grinling Gibbons Primary School, we aspire for every child to leave Key Stage 2 as a confident, curious and capable language learner with a genuine appreciation of different languages, cultures and communities.

As part of the Phoenix Federation, we recognise and celebrate the rich linguistic diversity of our school community. Many of our children speak English as an additional language and bring a wealth of cultural and linguistic experiences to school. We value these experiences and seek to foster a culture where all languages and cultures are recognised, respected and celebrated.

French has been carefully selected as our modern foreign language because it reflects both the international significance of the language and the diverse backgrounds represented within our community. Many of our pupils and families have connections to French-speaking countries, including Côte d’Ivoire (Ivory Coast), Cameroon and other parts of the Francophone world. Through learning French, pupils develop an appreciation of the cultures, traditions and communities connected to the language while gaining a broader understanding of the wider world.

Our ambitious curriculum develops secure foundations in listening, speaking, reading and writing. Through carefully sequenced learning, pupils develop their understanding of phonics, pronunciation, vocabulary and grammar, enabling them to communicate with increasing confidence and accuracy.

We want pupils to become enthusiastic and resilient language learners who are willing to take risks, embrace challenges and understand that making mistakes is an important part of successful learning. Through language learning, pupils gain valuable cultural capital and develop the confidence and communication skills needed to thrive in an increasingly diverse and interconnected world.

Implementation

French is taught weekly throughout Key Stage 2 using the Language Angels Scheme of Learning. The curriculum is carefully sequenced to ensure knowledge and skills build progressively from Year 3 to Year 6, enabling pupils to become increasingly confident, fluent and independent language learners.

Our curriculum is built around three key strands:

Phonics and Pronunciation

Pupils learn to recognise, reproduce and apply key French sounds and phonetic patterns. This enables them to read unfamiliar words with increasing accuracy and develop confidence when speaking.

Vocabulary Development

High-frequency and relevant vocabulary is introduced systematically and revisited regularly. Through retrieval practice, pupils learn to recall vocabulary from memory and apply it successfully in new contexts.

Grammar and Sentence Structure

Pupils develop an understanding of how French works. They learn grammatical concepts such as gender, articles, adjective agreement, verb forms and sentence structure, enabling them to move from single-word responses to increasingly complex phrases and sentences.

Across each unit, pupils develop skills in:

• Listening and responding to spoken French.
• Speaking with increasing confidence, fluency and accuracy.
• Reading and understanding words, phrases and short texts.
• Writing words, phrases and sentences for a range of purposes.
• Applying vocabulary and grammar in meaningful contexts.
• Developing pronunciation and intonation through exposure to native-speaker audio.

Lessons include songs, games, role-play, partner discussion, questioning, reading activities and independent writing opportunities. Teachers make meaningful cross-curricular links wherever possible.

Retrieval is central to our curriculum design. Previously taught vocabulary, phonics and grammar are regularly revisited to strengthen long-term memory and build secure foundations for future learning.

Assessment for learning is embedded throughout lessons. Teachers use questioning, observation, pupil discussion, written outcomes and end-of-unit assessments to identify misconceptions and inform future teaching.

Learning about France and the wider Francophone world is woven throughout the curriculum, helping pupils develop intercultural understanding and an appreciation of the rich diversity represented within our school community and beyond.

We maintain high expectations for all learners and provide appropriate scaffolding, modelling and opportunities for rehearsal so that every child can participate with confidence and experience success.

Impact

By the end of Key Stage 2, pupils demonstrate growing confidence, enthusiasm and fluency as language learners. They have secure foundations in French and are able to apply their knowledge with increasing independence.

Pupils are able to:

• Listen attentively to spoken French and demonstrate understanding.
• Participate in conversations, asking and answering questions confidently.
• Express opinions and communicate ideas using familiar vocabulary and structures.
• Speak with increasingly accurate pronunciation and intonation.
• Read and understand familiar vocabulary, phrases and short texts.
• Recall and apply previously taught vocabulary and grammar in new contexts.
• Write words, phrases and increasingly complex sentences from memory.
• Recognise patterns in language and make links to prior learning.
• Demonstrate knowledge and appreciation of France and the wider Francophone world.

Most importantly, pupils leave Grinling Gibbons as aspirational, brave, determined, compassionate and enlightened learners who understand that successful language learning requires communication, resilience, practice and a willingness to take risks. They are well prepared for the next stage of their education and equipped to continue their language-learning journey successfully in Key Stage 3 and beyond.