French

INTENT: What do we want to achieve through our Languages Curriculum?

Learning a foreign language is one of the most rewarding and enjoyable activities. We want our children to develop an enthusiasm for language learning and an open minded and receptive attitude to other languages and cultures, comparing them to their own. Our aim is to expand their horizons to other countries, cultures, and people; helping our children grow into curious, confident, and reflective language learners who have a growth mindset and a detective-like approach to unfamiliar language. Furthermore, we want to develop teamwork and peer support in the classroom, whilst enhancing and reinforce our children’s literacy skills when acquiring new French vocabulary and grammar.

Our children will:

• develop an enthusiasm for language learning and an open minded and receptive attitude to other languages and cultures.
• expand their horizons to other countries, cultures, and people.
• grow into curious, confident, and reflective language learners who have a growth mindset and a detective-like approach to unfamiliar language.
• develop teamwork and peer support in the classroom.
• reinforce their  literacy skills when acquiring new French vocabulary and grammar.
• have a solid basis for successful further language study beyond Key Stage 2.

IMPLEMENTATION: How do we teach our Languages Curriculum?

• French will be taught as a 1 hour lesson per class by highly qualified teachers with subject expertise at Key Stage 2 and secondary level.
• The lessons are carefully planned and sequenced so that prior learning is considered and opportunities for revision of language, phonics and grammar are built in.
• Learning is reviewed through informal and formal assessment as well as pupil self-assessment and lessons are adapted / content is revised as necessary.

• A clear lesson routine of a story or a song which provides authentic cultural input; a Q&A session; followed by the lesson objective. This ensures a regular revisit of vocabulary and in turn, children grow in confidence.

• Each half term some French cultural input will take place in addition to the vocabulary and grammar input.

• Cultural challenges: The children regularly take part in cultural challenges e.g. ‘the Croque Monsieur challenge’ or the ‘Francophone Monopoly Challenge’ and their work is celebrated and shared in the classroom, in school newsletters and on the Cogenhoe Primary School page on our website.

Lessons will focus on the three main strands of language learning:

1. Phonics – the key components of the sound-writing relationship
2. Vocabulary – a set of the most frequently used words
3. Grammar – the essential building blocks required to create  simple sentences independently

IMPACT: How do we know that our Languages Curriculum is taught effectively?

Progress of our pupils is carefully monitored through:

• Informal assessment: The class teacher regularly assesses informally in class through questioning, use of mini whiteboards and set tasks. Lesson content is adapted accordingly and next steps in learning are targeted.
• Summative assessment: The children complete a ‘checkpoint’ task at the end of each topic and next steps in learning are targeted and lessons adapted as necessary. In the summer term, all pupils in all stages complete a summative assessment in the key skills of speaking, listening, reading and writing.
• Child-led assessment: at the end of each term, children complete self-assessment bubbles which ask them to traffic light their learning in terms of (1) being confident & accurate, (2) accurate and (3) requiring further support. Lesson content is adapted and revised as necessary.
• Pupils’ participation in lessons is noted
• Pupils’ work is celebrated and shared, and rewards given
• Parents regularly give positive feedback about their child’s learning experience of languages
• We are constantly working to raise the profile of languages within Cogenhoe Primary through displays, posters, celebratory assemblies and communications to parents. Whole school and parental engagement will improve through home learning tasks that provide opportunities for wider learning.