Modern Foreign Languages - French 2023-2024
Curriculum Statement of Intent
Adderley’s French scheme of work aims to instil a love of language learning and an awareness of other cultures. We want pupils to develop the confidence to communicate in French for practical purposes, using both written and spoken French. Through our scheme of work, we aim to give pupils a foundation for language learning that encourages and enables them to apply their skills to learning further languages, developing a strong understanding of the English language, facilitating future study andopening opportunities to study and work in other countries in the future.
Our French scheme of work supports pupils to meet the national curriculum end of Key stage 2 attainment targets and aims to introduce a new language in a way which is comfortable and fun, in Key Stage 1.
As a school we value the ability to communicate in a language other than our own. We also recognise the opoortunities that can arise when an individual can travel and explore the world and thus aim to secure, for our pupils, a sound and solid grasp of a language other than English and a passion and enthusiasm for exploration, travel and the associated art and culture than accompanies such adventures!
Implementation
Here at Adderley CE Primary School we are lucky to have our own specialist French teacher, Madame Belfield. Every child from year 1 enjoys a lesson in French each week. The main emphasis is on speaking and listening skills in KS1 but, as children progress in their leanring and become better skilled and more proficient, they also complete reading and writing tasks during lessons. As children progress through the school, their conversational skills develop and they become increasingly capable of communicating for practical purposes using and applying a growing bank of vocabulary in a range of different contexts.
Our French scheme of work is designed with six strands that run throughout.
These are:
• Speaking and pronunciation
• Listening
• Reading and writing
• Grammar
• Intercultural understanding
• Language detective skills
Our units cover each of the National curriculum attainment targets as well as each of the strands. Our understanding of Progression of skills and knowledge ensures the skills and knowledge that are taught within each year group and how these skills develop to ensure that attainment targets are securely met by the end of Key Stage 2.
Through our French scheme, our pupils are given opportunities to communicate for practical purposes around familiar subjects and routines. The scheme provides balanced opportunities for communication in both spoken and written French, although in Year 3 the focus is on developing oral skills, before incorporating written French in Year 4 and beyond.The scheme is a spiral curriculum, with key skills and vocabulary revisited repeatedly with increasing complexity, allowing pupils to revise and build on their previous learning. Cross-curricular links are included throughout our French units, allowing children to make connections and apply their language skills to other areas of their learning.
Madame Belfield introduces the children to French life and culture via a variety of different topics including food, celebrations and French Art and Music. Sessions are made as interactive as possible with lots of games and singing. Children in Key Stage One are given a ‘flavour’ of what is to come in Key Stage Two as French language is embedded through daily routines by their classroom teacher.
Impact
The impact of our curriculum is monitored continuously through both formative and summative assessment; each lesson teachers assessing pupils against the learning objectives, ensuring that they build a picture of a pupil's learning through each unit.
Our key aim being that out chidlren leave school equipped with a range of language-learning skills to enable them to study French, or any other language, with confidence at Key Stage 3.
Mrs N. Rawsthorne - MFL Subject Lead
Our MFL Curriculum, coverage of the National Curriculum, skills and knowledge, and detailed progression document outling the steps in learning our pupils make to build their knowledge and skills in MFL are detailed in the downloadable documents listed at the bottom of this page.