French Curriculum

Policy statement

The learning of a foreign language provides a valuable educational, social and cultural experience for West Hampstead pupils. They develop communication and literacy skills that lay the foundation for future language learning. Pupils develop linguistic competence, extend their knowledge of how language works and explore similarities and differences between French and English.

Raising awareness of the multilingual and multicultural world helps to introduce an international dimension to pupils’ learning, giving them an insight into their own culture and those of others.

The learning of a foreign language provides many opportunities for cross-curricular links and for the reinforcement of knowledge, skills and understanding developed in other subjects.

Our Intent

Our intent is to provide all of our children with a high-quality education in Modern Foreign Languages (MFL), which develops their love of learning about other languages and cultures. Our current MFL taught is French, however we strive to provide children with opportunities to experience a range of other languages. It is our intention to ensure that by the end of our children’s primary education pupils' will have acquired an understanding of both spoken and written French, the importance of other languages in their future and the confidence to speak in French with others.

Our Aims and Objectives

Our aims and objectives are:

to enable children to be able to communicate in the target language.
to foster an interest in learning other languages.
to introduce young children to another language in a way that is enjoyable.
to stimulate and encourage children’s curiosity about language.
to encourage children to be aware that language has structure and that the structure differs from one language to another.
to help children to develop awareness of cultural differences in other countries.
to develop children’s speaking and listening skills.

The children will be taught how to:

ask and answer questions.
use correct pronunciation and grammar.
speak, understand, read and write words, phrases and sentences.
understand basic grammar.
work in pairs and groups and communicate in French.
learn about life in other cultures

Our Implementation

At West Hampstead Primary School, the focus language for KS2 MFL is French.

French is taught in line with the 'Framework for Languages' covering the three strands - Oracy, Literacy and Intercultural Understanding.
All KS2 children have language lessons organised within their curriculum across the academic year to ensure coverage.
Lessons incorporate an oracy, literacy and intercultural understanding focus as students progress through the school.