Intent

At Westerhope Primary School, we believe learning a language is the right of all pupils. The ability to understand and communicate in another language is a lifelong skill for education, employment, and leisure. Through our chosen language of French, pupils learn to appreciate the language at hand but also different countries, cultures, communities, and people. We intend to spark an interest in French throughout Key Stage 2 and build a solid foundation for further exploration in Key Stage 3. Our aim is that by the end of our their primary education, children at Westerhope have acquired an understanding of both spoken and written French, the confidence to speak in French with others, and know how important other languages can be in their future.

Implementation

We teach French to all Key Stage 2 children. We have a bespoke curriculum which ensures full coverage of the National Curriculum and allows learners to develop their knowledge, skills and understanding across the four modalities (speaking, listening, reading and writing). In lower Key Stage 2, significant time is spent on building fluency with basic and common words and phrases, with a particular focus on phonics (reading and speaking). As we know “Only by mastering the basics can pupils engage fully in the process of language learning.” (Ofsted 2021).

As children move through Key Stage 2, their understanding of phonics, grammar and vocabulary (the three pillars) is built upon sequentially as you can see in the Long Term Plan below. French is taught by three teachers across school, each who have a passion for the subject. Curriculum and content knowledge is supported by the Language Angels scheme of work which supplements teachers’ planning.