KenmontFrench
French at Kenmont
Intent
It is our intent at Kenmont Primary School to provide all of our children (many who speak additional languages at home) with a high-quality education, which develops their love of learning about other languages and cultures. From the Early Years onwards, any opportunities for positive learning experiences of additional languages, through song, rhymes, poems and/or word games, are encouraged, particularly when these may enable learners from a variety of backgrounds to share their cultural and/or linguistic heritage with their peers in the classroom.
The teaching of a modern foreign language (MFL) to every child in KS2 is a statutory requirement. At Kenmont Primary School, we have chosen French. The four key language learning skills; listening, speaking, reading and writing, alongside all necessary grammar is covered in an age-appropriate way across KS2. We aim to give our pupils the foundational knowledge to support confident communication in French as well as a wider curiosity about the peoples and cultures of French speaking countries.
Implementation
Our French curriculum in KS2 is based on a primary scheme of work that was created by Dr Marie-Odile and Rachel Hawkes. It is designed to enable our children to:
- develop linguistic and communicative competence
- extend their knowledge of how language works
- explore similarities and differences between French, English as well as other languages our pupils have.
From Year 3, pupils have weekly French lessons (30 minutes) taught by their class teacher. In addition, they re-visit and deepen their learning for a few minutes every day with structured language tasks that practise retrieval, improve retention and embed learning in long-term memory. Further opportunities to recycle key vocabulary (e.g. numbers) and develop children’s confidence are often built into classroom routines including greetings, providing instructions, stating lunch preferences, registration, rewards and praise on a more regular basis, even just for a few minutes in the school day e.g. when children are lining up. Our children also learn key cultural and country-specific knowledge about France and Francophone countries.
Impact
The French curriculum aims to enable children to express their ideas and thoughts in another language and to understand and respond to its speakers, both in speech and in writing. We measure the impact of our curriculum through the following methods:
- observing children speaking and listening in lessons
- termly assessment of phonics, grammar and vocabulary.
By the end of KS2, our pupils:
- will become aware that the structure differs from one language to another.
- be able to demonstrate the four key skills of speaking, listening, reading and writing in French.
- will have developed an understanding of the French culture throughout the world.
will be well prepared to continue and develop their language skills in KS3.
Progression of Skills and Knowledge
French progression of skills and knowledge document details how our curriculum builds pupils knowledge and skills over their time at the school.
French Skills and Knowledge Progression