MFL: French

At Newborough CofE Primary School, we want children to develop the confidence and curiosity to communicate in another language. Through learning French, pupils develop their speaking, listening, reading and writing skills while discovering more about the language, culture and traditions of French-speaking communities.

Our French curriculum encourages children to notice patterns and make connections between languages, developing their understanding of how language works and strengthening their communication skills. We aim to create enthusiastic and confident language learners who are willing to have a go, learn from mistakes and develop positive attitudes towards learning languages that will prepare them for further study at secondary school.

What do we teach?

French is taught throughout Key Stage 2, with learning carefully sequenced so that children build their vocabulary, pronunciation and understanding of language progressively from Year 3 to Year 6.

Children learn to listen and respond to spoken French, take part in conversations, develop accurate pronunciation, read and understand increasingly complex language, and communicate ideas in writing. They build a growing bank of vocabulary and learn how words and sentences are structured, including developing an understanding of key grammatical patterns.

Lessons provide frequent opportunities to hear and use French through conversation, songs, stories, games, role-play, reading and writing. Previously learned vocabulary and sentence structures are regularly revisited so that children can retrieve, combine and apply their knowledge with increasing independence.

Alongside language learning, children develop their understanding and appreciation of French-speaking cultures and communities, helping them to recognise both similarities and differences between their own experiences and those of others.

For further information about the French taught in each year group, please see our French Curriculum Overview below.

How do we support every learner?

We want every child to feel confident participating in French, including pupils with SEND and those who may find aspects of language learning more challenging. New vocabulary and sentence structures are introduced in manageable steps, with regular opportunities for repetition, rehearsal and retrieval to help children develop confidence and retain their learning.

Teachers use clear modelling of pronunciation, visual prompts, gestures, word banks, sentence models and bilingual resources to support understanding and communication. Children have opportunities to rehearse language orally with a partner or group before using it independently, reducing barriers while maintaining ambitious expectations. Previously learned language is regularly revisited, enabling pupils to build securely on what they already know.

What does French look like at Newborough?

Supporting Documents

• French Planning Overview download_for_offline
  download_for_offlineFrench Planning Overview
• KS2 National Languages Curriculum download_for_offline
  download_for_offlineKS2 National Languages Curriculum
• Modern Foreign Languages Policy 2023-24 download_for_offline
  download_for_offlineModern Foreign Languages Policy 2023-24