INTENT

We aim to familiarise children with a new language, enrich their understanding of language and encourage them to become lifelong language learners. Children learn French in KS2 allowing them study and immerse themselves in one language studying it in-depth. Children will gain confidence in speaking, reading, writing and listening to French through engaging lessons, where language is modelled. We aim develop a genuine interest and positive curiosity about foreign languages, finding them enjoyable and stimulating. Learning a second language offers pupils the opportunity to explore relationships between language and identity, develop a deeper understanding of other cultures and the world around them with a better awareness of self, others and cultural differences. The intention is that they will be working towards becoming life-long language learners.

IMPLEMENTATION

At Fernvale, pupils learn French from Year 3 onwards. Each class in Key Stage 2 has a weekly lesson taught by the class teacher. 

We teach French to all children in Key stage 2 (Years 3-6).  We believe that language skills as well as an awareness and understanding of other cultures broaden our outlook and helps us appreciate the similarities and differences between ourselves and others.  French is taught following the Language Angels scheme of learning.  Lessons focus initially on speaking and listening skills and progress to children writing some basic words and phrases.  Introducing children to foreign languages at primary school encourages an interest and helps to develop a strong foundation in learning language, which they take with them as they move onto secondary school.

Language Angels was chosen as it provides interesting and well-resourced lessons that progressively enable children to acquire, use and apply a growing bank of vocabulary, language skills and grammatical knowledge organised around age-appropriate topics and themes. Children develop building blocks of language into more complex, fluent and authentic language, with different levels of challenge to stretch pupils and ensure they learn effectively. 

Language Angels are categorised by ‘Teaching Type’ to make it easier for teachers to offer the appropriate level of challenge and stretch for the classes they are teaching. Units progress from Early Language units in Year 3, through intermediate units to progressive and creative curriculum units, which are the most challenging units and taught in Year 6. Children will be taught how to listen and read longer pieces of text gradually in the foreign language and they will have ample opportunities to speak, listen to, read and write the language being taught, both with and without scaffolds, frames and varying levels of support.

Units, where possible and appropriate, are linked to class topics and cross curricular themes. Children will build on previous knowledge gradually as their foreign language lessons continue to recycle, revise and consolidate previously learnt language whilst building on all four language skills: listening, 
speaking, reading and writing. Knowledge and awareness of required and appropriate grammar concepts will be taught throughout all units at all levels of challenge. 
Grammar is integrated and taught discreetly throughout all appropriate units. 

IMPACT

As a result of the effective curriculum, our children will develop a genuine interest and positive curiosity about foreign languages. Children will have a growing bank of vocabulary and a better understanding of grammatical knowledge and linguistic structures, enabling them to continue studying languages beyond KS2. 
Pupils will continuously build on their previous knowledge as they progress in their foreign language learning journey through the primary phase. Previous language will be recycled, revised, recalled and consolidated whenever possible and appropriate.

Pupils will be aware of their own learning goals and progression as each unit offers a pupil-friendly overview so that all pupils can review their own learning at the start and end of each unit. They will know and will be able to articulate if they have or have not met their learning objectives and can keep their unit learning intention sheets and unit core vocabulary sheets as a record of what they have learnt from unit to unit and from year to year.

The language skills learned in French lessons provide pupils with a strong foundation for learning further languages in the future.