Intent of French Teaching and Learning

At Lawford C of E Primary School, our focus for teaching Modern Foreign Languages is French. This is taught across Key Stage 2 and is supported by our scheme, Rigolo. We aim to instil a lifelong curiosity for language learning and open doors to understanding, appreciating, and engaging with diverse cultures. We seek to provide students with the foundation to become confident, proficient, and culturally aware French language speakers.

           We aim to inspire students to be curious and enthusiastic about learning French, and languages as a whole. We are committed to equipping students with the skills and confidence to communicate effectively in French so that they can become proficient in listening, speaking, reading, and writing in the language. We aim to equip our students with valuable language skills that will open doors to future opportunities, whether in further language study, future travels, or global business.

           We believe language is a window to culture. Our curriculum emphasises the importance of integrating cultural awareness into language learning, enabling students to appreciate the rich and diverse cultures of French-speaking countries. We celebrate other cultures through languages at other points of the year, such as on European Languages Day.

We practise the practical application of the French language in real-world contexts, through drama and role-play activities, allowing students to communicate effectively in various situations and settings.

We intend to create opportunities for students to connect their French language learning to the spelling of English words of French origin, all the time embedding their understanding of language patterns and the ability of language to travel and evolve. We are committed to continuously reviewing and enhancing our French curriculum to ensure all children are empowered to make progress and enjoy language learning.

Implementation of French:

At Lawford Primary School, the implementation of French language teaching and learning is guided by a commitment to instil a lifelong curiosity for language learning and open doors to understanding, appreciating and engaging with diverse cultures.

• Our French curriculum is thoughtfully structured to introduce language concepts progressively, allowing students to build a solid understanding of French vocabulary, pronunciation and grammar throughout Key Stage 2.
• We use the Rigolo scheme for French language teaching and learning. We supplement this with other resources for effective teaching and learning.
• We create interactive and immersive learning experiences, where students actively engage in speaking, listening, reading and writing in French. We create a natural and enjoyable language-learning environment through learning activities, ranging from role-play to games.
• We use French stories, songs, films, and multimedia in order to expose students to genuine language usage and cultural nuances, enhancing their understanding and appreciation.
• We celebrate languages throughout the year and discuss languages in other aspects of the curriculum where this is appropriate. We celebrate days of note such as French themed days and ‘European Day of Languages’, where classes are given activities and given opportunities to showcase their new learning with each other. We encourage students to practice French outside the classroom through homework assignments and interactive online platforms
• We use technology to enhance language learning; using language apps, digital resources and interactive websites that make learning French enjoyable and accessible both in and outside of the classroom.
• We employ formative and summative assessments to inform teaching strategies and provide an overview of our children’s progress.
• We implement personalisation strategies to meet individual learning needs. This includes providing additional support for those who require it and offering extension activities for those ready to explore concepts in more depth.
• We regularly evaluate the effectiveness of our curriculum and teaching methods, making the adjustments needed to ensure we are delivering the highest quality of Modern Foreign Languages education to our pupils.