Modern Foreign Languages | rushtonprimaryschool

Modern Foreign Languages: French

French Subject Leader: Sarah Appleyard

At Rushton Primary School, we use the Language Angels scheme of work and resources to ensure we offer a relevant, broad and vibrant foreign language. Our French Curriculum intends to inspire and excite our pupils using a wide variety of topics and themes. We have adopted their Primary foreign language intent, implementation and impact statement, adapted to meet the needs of the school. All pupils will be expected to achieve their full potential by encouraging high expectations and excellent standards in their foreign language learning - the ultimate aim being that pupils will feel willing and able to continue studying languages beyond key stage 2.

The intent is that all content will be continuously updated and reviewed annually, creating a dynamic programme of study that will be clearly outlined in both long-term and short-term planning. This will ensure that the foreign language knowledge of our pupils progresses within each academic year and is extended year upon year throughout the primary phase and, in so doing, will always be relevant and in line with meeting requirements of the national curriculum.

The four key language learning skills; listening, speaking, reading and writing will be taught and all necessary grammar will be covered in an age-appropriate way across the primary phase. This will enable pupils to use and apply their learning in a variety of contexts, laying down solid foundations for future language learning and also helping the children improve overall attainment in other subject areas.

We want all pupils to develop a genuine interest and positive curiosity about French, finding it enjoyable and stimulating. Learning a second language at school will also offer 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.

At the end of Key Stage 2

Language Angels caters for ‘The Three Pillars of Language Learning’ ensuring substantial progress in MFL is made by the end of primary school. The Three Pillars include phonics, vocabulary and grammar.

By the end of the key stage, pupils will have had five years (Year 2 included) of solid teaching of phonemes, that they will be able to recognise and recall accurately. Pupils will have core vocabulary that they learn and revisit throughout KS2, which is the ‘non-negotiable’ vocabulary. Pupils will also learn age-appropriate language over the key stage, linking to the topics they learn. Pupils will learn the appropriate grammar for the units covered, across all three teaching types.

Pupils will be able to ‘gist listen’ to longer texts, even when listening to language that may not have been covered yet. They will learn to recall on previously learnt language and incorporate it with new language. Pupils will become confident at applying knowledge learnt in phonics to work out what new vocabulary means. Pupils will be able to use their grammar knowledge to support them in writing an accurate piece of writing.

Pedagogy: How the Curriculum is Taught

Our MFL curriculum is taught using the following key components:

Early Language - Early Language units are entry level units and are most appropriate for our Year 3 pupils or pupils with little or no previous foreign language learning.
Intermediate - Intermediate units increase the level of challenge by increasing the amount and complexity (including foreign language grammar concepts) of the foreign language presented to pupils. Intermediate units are suitable for Year 4-5 pupils or pupils with embedded basic knowledge of the foreign language
Progressive - Progressive units are the most challenging units we use and are suitable for Year 6 pupils or pupils with a good understanding of the basics of the language they are learning

Grouping units into these Teaching Type categories ensures that the language taught is appropriate to the level of the class and introduced when the children are ready. 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 with and without scaffolds, frames and varying levels of support.

Assessment

We use a multi-faceted approach to assessment within French.

Pre-unit quizzes to ascertain existing knowledge.
Retrieval practice of key knowledge from previous lessons and units of study.
Assessment for learning is used within each lesson through skilful use of questioning and live feedback.
Pupil voice to support the evidence that pupils know and remember more over time.
Written outcomes.

Cultural Capital

Enrichment is an essential part of our MFL curriculum which provides pupils with discrete time to deepen their learning. They provide opportunities for new experiences as well as nurturing and developing a thirst for learning.

We use a multi-faceted approach to enrichment within MFL:

French café
Culture Celebration day

Career Professional Development

We develop strong subject knowledge amongst all staff which is achieved through comprehensive middle leadership development, a focus on developing all teachers’ subject knowledge and pedagogy. All staff benefit from implementing the high-quality planning resources provided by the Trust which is amended to meet the needs of all pupils.

Below is a summary of the CPD activities bespoke to MFL:

Sharing knowledge from trust-wide meetings
Bespoke training videos
1:1 discussions with staff about lessons