Modern Foreign Languages

Beinvenue à la page en Français!

(Welcome to the French page!)

French Co-ordinator: Miss Hovey

French Governor: Mrs Wilson

Intent

St Botolph’s intends to use the Language Angels scheme of work and resources to ensure we offer a relevant, broad, vibrant, and ambitious foreign languages curriculum that will inspire and excite our pupils using a wide variety of topics and themes. All pupils will be expected to achieve their full potential by encouraging high expectations and excellent standards in their foreign language learning - the ultimate aim being that pupils will feel willing and able to continue studying languages beyond key stage 2.

The intent is that all content will be continuously updated and reviewed annually, creating a dynamic programme of study that will be clearly outlined in both long-term and short-term planning. This will ensure that the French knowledge of our pupils progresses within each academic year and is extended year upon year throughout the primary phase and, in so doing, will always be relevant and in line with meeting or exceeding national DfE requirements.

The four key language learning skills; listening, speaking, reading and writing will be taught and all necessary grammar will be covered in an age-appropriate way across KS2. This will enable pupils to use and apply their learning in a variety of contexts, laying down solid foundations for future language learning.

Throughout the teaching of French and the introduction of ‘whole school’ teaching sessions, including KS1, it is intended that all pupils will develop a genuine interest and positive curiosity about foreign languages, finding them enjoyable and stimulating. Learning a second language will also offer pupils the opportunity to explore relationships between language and identity, develop a deeper understanding of other cultures and the world around them with a better awareness of self, others and cultural differences. We will also help strengthen their sense of identity through learning about French culture and comparing it with their own. The intention is that they will be working towards becoming life-long language learners.

Please see the below policy documents for more information.

Whole School Teaching

During the year, there will be 3 different 'Whole School' teaching sessions. These are designed to embed the French culture into our school, create and discuss cultural links and to excite and encourage the love of learning a second language.

The first session is:

Term 2 – Le Bleuet de France. This Bleuet de France in the symbol of memory for, and in solidarity with, veterans, victims of war, widows and orphans, similar to the British Commonwealth remembrance poppy.

In France, the symbol is a blue cornflower. The cornflower – like the poppy – continued to grow in land devastated by the thousands of shells which were launched daily by the entrenched armies of the Western Front. These flowers were often the only visible evidence of life, and the only sign of colour in the mud of the trenches.