Languages

Learning a foreign language, such as French, is an opportunity to broaden pupils’ knowledge of the world outside of their own and provide an opening to other cultures. At Godstone Primary and Nursery School, we aim to foster the curiosity of all pupils and deepen their understanding through the provision of a high-quality languages’ education. Language teaching will support with the foundations for learning further languages, whilst also equipping pupils to study and work in other countries. 

 

Intent

• To instil a love of language learning and an awareness of other cultures.
• To develop the confidence of pupils to communicate in French for practical purposes, using both written (reading and writing) and spoken (speaking and listening) French.
• To provide the pupils with a foundation for language learning that encourages and enables them to apply their skills to learning further languages, facilitating future study and opening opportunities to study and work in other countries in the future.
• To foster pupils’ curiosity and deepen their understanding of the world.
• To ensure that pupils are accurately assessed in French.

Implementation

• Kapow scheme of work has three knowledge strands (phonics, vocabulary and grammar) running throughout each unit, with knowledge building cumulatively; these knowledge strands are then applied within the skill strands (language comprehension and language production), also running throughout each unit.
• Kapow scheme of work provides the planning of progressive lessons from Years 3 to 6 which class teachers use to allow for high-quality teaching. Each year group has six units, with the exception of Year 6 who have five units. Lessons are taught weekly, building on previously taught skills. Key subject-specific vocabulary is clearly detailed on each lesson plan for teachers to use within lessons, as well as on the knowledge organisers for children to use.
• French lessons incorporate a range of teaching strategies from independent tasks, paired and group work including role-play, language games and language detective work. This enables the four key skills of reading, writing, speaking and listening to be practised across every unit.
• Using a spiral curriculum allows the key skills and vocabulary to be repeatedly revisited with increasing complexity, allowing pupils to revise and build on their previous learning.
• Summative end of unit questions to assess pupil’s retention of key knowledge and skills taught throughout each unit.
• Appropriate and timely CPD for Key Stage Two staff, including French subject lead.

Impact

• Enjoyment in learning the French language and learning about the French culture.
• Bettered ability to understand and communicate in French through speaking, listening, reading and writing.
• The spiral curriculum allows for the revisiting of skills and vocabulary, thus enabling the pupils to continually consolidate and build on previous learning.
• For all pupils to make good and sustained progress and attainment in French.
• Clear and accurate assessment for French across Key Stage Two.
• Appropriate and timely CPD improves teachers’ subject knowledge.
• To better engage in purposeful dialogue in practical situations (e.g., ordering in a café, following directions) and express an opinion.
• Improvement in pupil’s use and understanding of subject-specific vocabulary in French.