Foreign Languages - French

Curriculum Design

Curriculum Area: Foreign Languages

Subject Leader: Tracey Isherwood

Intent

Our Foreign Languages curriculum aims to ensure we offer a relevant, broad, vibrant and ambitious foreign languages curriculum that will inspire and excite our pupils using a wide variety of topics and themes. At Brookfield Community Primary School, we believe that learning a foreign language is a necessary part of being a member of a multi-cultural society and provides an opening to other cultures.

The national curriculum for Foreign Languages aims to ensure that all pupils should be taught to:

• listen attentively to spoken language and show understanding by joining in and responding
• explore the patterns and sounds of language through songs and rhymes and link the spelling, sound and meaning of words
• engage in conversations; ask and answer questions; express opinions and respond to those of others; seek clarification and help*
• speak in sentences, using familiar vocabulary, phrases and basic language structures
• develop accurate pronunciation and intonation so that others understand when they are reading aloud or using familiar words and phrases*
• present ideas and information orally to a range of audiences*
• read carefully and show understanding of words, phrases and simple writing
• appreciate stories, songs, poems and rhymes in the language
• broaden their vocabulary and develop their ability to understand new words that are introduced into familiar written material, including through using a dictionary
• write phrases from memory, and adapt these to create new sentences, to express ideas clearly
• describe people, places, things and actions orally* and in writing
• understand basic grammar appropriate to the language being studied, including (where relevant): feminine, masculine and neuter forms and the conjugation of high-frequency verbs; key features and patterns of the language; how to apply these, for instance, to build sentences; and how these differ from or are similar to English

We aim to motivate and inspire children through a curriculum that stimulates, engages and challenges all learners. Our curriculum aims to develop children’s curiosity and deepen their understanding of the world. Our teaching will enable children to express their ideas and thoughts using another language and to understand and respond to its speakers, both in speech and in writing.

Foreign Languages at Brookfield is designed to inspire curiosity and a love of languages that pupils will strengthen and develop ensuring effective progression across all year groups. Specific vocabulary for each unit is taught and built upon and effective questioning to communicate ideas is encouraged.

Our School Mission Statement of ‘Many hearts make a school’ and our Learning Powers, are at the heart of our curriculum and all that we do at Brookfield Community Primary School.

Implementation

In Foreign Languages, we implement an inclusive curriculum that meets the needs of all pupils including those with special educational needs and the more able.

The curriculum is progressive and based on the needs of our children.

French is taught in KS2 for 30 minutes per week. We teach French throughout KS2 from the objectives specified in the 2014 national curriculum. We use ‘Language Angels’ to support planning, progression and execution of the national curriculum objectives and will adapt this to suit the context of our school.

At the beginning of each unit, children share their prior knowledge, which informs planning and teaching. A series of stimulating lessons are planned, with clear knowledge and skills -based learning objectives and subject-specific vocabulary. End of unit assessment tasks are used to demonstrate progress, knowledge and understanding.

Our curriculum is delivered through highly effective ‘quality first teaching’ as described in the Teaching and Learning Policy. Enrichment opportunities, including inspirational visitors and exciting educational visits, provide our children with rich experiences and enhance teaching, learning and knowledge.

Impact

Our well-planned Foreign Languages curriculum ensures that children are given essential knowledge and skills.

All pupils’ learning is progressive, developmental and stimulating. Teaching ensures that children develop learning powers enabling each one to be the best they can be.