We are aspiring French speakers!

At Southville Primary School, we aspire to be French speakers. Our modern foreign
languages curriculum will provide a firm foundation for future language learning, equipping
pupils with the essential skills and positive attitude to learn languages for pleasure and to
study and work in Britain and other countries. Learning a foreign language is a liberation
from insularity and provides an opening to other cultures and the wider world. It is also a
window onto our own language, encouraging children to reflect on the vocabulary,
grammar and historical development of English and other languages they may speak.

We will do this by:

• Teaching French regularly to all children in Key Stage 2
• Delivering fun and engaging lessons
• Immersing children in the target language by giving instructions, praise and
  incidental phrases in French
• Ensuring that children have varied opportunities to listen, speak, read and write for
  different purposes
• Celebrating the range and variety of languages spoken by members of our school
  community
• Using real French story books and traditional songs in the classroom

Implementation

We are fortunate to have a specialist teacher who plans and delivers all lessons to KS2 classes weekly. The programme of study is progressive, building on prior learning and moving from word to sentence level. It teaches vocabulary systematically and links spelling and sounds using the resources from BBC bitesize, Culturéteque, High-five French and Lcfclubs.

Our children practice four key skills in lessons: speaking, listening, reading and writing. Children enjoy the chance to have meaningful conversations in French, based on their learning in class.

We provide practical, meaningful contexts to motivate children to communicate in French and have contact with native speakers both in and outside lessons. These include:

• Exchanging video letters with our French partner school
• Serving or eating at a crêpe café with real food
• School visits by teaching assistants from Bordeaux
• An annual French or Francophone cultural day with a French theatre group or music/art specialist
• French class performances to parents
• Performing French Christmas songs to parents
• Celebrating French traditions
• Making and playing French games