St John Fisher Catholic Primary School

French: Curriculum Statement

Intent

At St John Fisher Catholic Primary School, we offer a Catholic Education to all of our children and understand the importance of being able to articulate one’s thoughts not only in the mother tongue but also in other languages. We are very fortunate that many of our pupils arrive, being able to speak and understand other languages. We wish to capitalize on this currency and celebrate our multilingual children.  We believe that it has never been more important to equip our pupils to be world citizens as well as to support their transition to secondary school. We believe that the learning of a foreign language provides a valuable educational, social and cultural experience for our pupils.  Our provision fosters children's curiosity and deepens their understanding of the world. We encourage children to express their opinions, ideas and feelings, to engage in conversations, ask and answer questions and show their understanding through verbal and written responses. Exploring the patterns and sounds of language through songs, poems, games and rhymes, linking the spelling, sound and meaning of words.  This supports learning in a fun way and teaching provides an awareness of other cultures, literature, music and art.

Implementation

All Key Stage 2 children have access to a very high-quality foreign languages curriculum based around The Language Angels scheme of work, but enriched with a range of other resources and media.  This will progressively develop pupils’ skills in foreign languages, through 45 minute weekly lessons, taught by a specialist French language teacher. 

Children will progressively acquire, use and apply a growing bank of vocabulary, language skills and grammatical knowledge organised around age-appropriate topics and themes, learning how to scaffold sentences, then paragraphs.  Teaching continuity enables the teacher to know each child’s stage in their foreign language learning journey and ensure lessons offer appropriate levels of support and challenge.  The Language Angels programme offers resources which can be accessed by all teachers and year 3-6 pupils can also use the home school site to support their learning.  

Where possible and appropriate, topics will be linked to current events or build awareness of and across curricular themes. Children recycle, revise and consolidate previously learnt vocabulary whilst building on all four language skills: listening, speaking, reading and writing. The teacher works from a curriculum and grammar progression map to ensure all children are progressing their foreign language learning skills and are taught the appropriate grammar at the right time in their learning journey.  Grammar and phonics are integrated and taught throughout the curriculum so pupils are able to create their responses to authentic foreign language questions by the end of the primary phase.  The curriculum map shows how the level of learning and progression of each pupil is increased.  Pupil learning and progression will be assessed at regular intervals.  The teacher aims to assess each language skill throughout each scholastic year to be able to provide reference points against which learning and progression in each skill can be demonstrated.

In addition to our weekly lessons:-

• We benefit from a strong relationship and regular collaboration with local secondary school, Sacred Heart Language College.  Older pupils visit us for a programme of pupil led lessons with year 5-6 which have been inspiring and memorable for all pupils involved. 
• A variety of other rich experiences have been provided, which in recent years have included a visit by a French theatre company, a whole school French day at the end of the summer term, participating in an online exhibition project by l’Institut Français and competing in a French Pop Video competition. 
• Celebrations of French national feast days and cultural events.
• Lunchtime French games club is offered as a targeted intervention to provide a rich experience and also build up skills in all areas of learning. 
• Pupils have a question of the week to practice with their class, outside of lesson time to reinforce weekly target language.
• Decolonising the curriculum through studying African poets and learning about France and the French speaking world. 
• Spanish club for children from Reception-3 (paid for by parents before school).

Impact

Children are proud of the languages they speak and enjoy French lessons.  They understand the importance of learning languages and will leave St John Fisher Catholic Primary School being able to engage in conversations in French, write and present short pieces of work, and understand the basic grammar structures.  Children will be aware of the country’s rich culture and history and learn about other French speaking countries around the world.  Our children will learn skills that help with future language learning and enhance their understanding of the English language.  We truly hope that each pupil will go on to learn many other languages.

Our French teacher and leader is Madame Kane.