Intent

Learning a language is an important skill, which develops key strategies and problem solving, which can support learning in many other key curriculum areas.

Our children will learn to speak and write in French, while also celebrating the cultural diversity of the countries where French is widely spoken. This may include the Caribbean on islands such as St. Marten, Canada, Cote D'Ivoire or European countries like Luxembourg and Monaco.

As linguists, our children will develop the skills required for remembering and using a new language, focusing on pronunciation and dialect.  By opening the doors to language learning at Greenacres, we are providing our children the opportunity to further develop their interest in the wider world.

The national curriculum for languages aims to ensure that all pupils:

• understand and respond to spoken and written language from a variety of authentic sources
• speak with increasing confidence, fluency and spontaneity, finding ways of communicating what they want to say, including through discussion and asking questions, and continually improving the accuracy of their pronunciation and intonation
• can write at varying length, for different purposes and audiences, using the variety of grammatical structures that they have learnt
• discover and develop an appreciation of a range of writing in the language studied

In addition to this, at Greenacres, we want to give children the opportunity to experience French Culture by looking at stories, music, food and art.  

Implementation

To support the planning and teaching of French and to give children access to native French speakers,  we have purchased Primary Languages Network. 

Each session is supported by a French native speaker and offers an opportunity for children and staff to develop  fluency in French through stories, games, vocabulary practice, reading and writing.

Each year group has a scheme of work, provided by PLN.  This is delivered in Key stage 2 through a discrete French lesson each week.  On occasions, these sessions may be blocked so the children have chance to complete a more extended piece of work.

Where possible, we will also have a languages day each year.  This will allow children to practice their skills, whilst learning more about the cultural aspects of countries who have French as their native language.  Covid has impacted being able to offer these opportunities across the school, but will will be restarting such days as soon as we are able to.

Impact

We expect all children in Key Stage Two to have access to French lessons.  We aim for them to meet the age related expectations for Languages by the end of year 6.  French will be assessed in the following ways:

• Self-assessment of activities and learning in class lessons.
• Peer assessment and review.
• Verbal and written feedback.
• Assessment for learning carried out by the class teacher.

At the end of each year, teachers will use assessments to decide if a child is on track to meet age related expectations using the National Curriculum programme of study and scheme of work objectives.  This will be reported to parents through the annual written report, which is sent home at the end of the Summer Term each year.