Intent

Brushwood offers a relevant, broad and ambitious French curriculum that will inspire and excite our pupils using a wide variety of topics and themes. The aim is that pupils will feel inspired, willing and able to continue studying languages beyond key stage 2. 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 the junior phase. This will enable pupils to use and apply their learning in a variety of contexts, laying down solid foundations for future language learning and also helping the children improve overall attainment in other subject areas. In addition, the children will be taught how to look up and research vocabulary they are unsure of and will have a bank of reference materials to help them with their spoken and written tasks. This bank of reference materials will help pupils recall and build on previous knowledge throughout their primary school language learning journey. The intent is that all pupils will develop a genuine interest and positive curiosity about foreign languages, finding them enjoyable and stimulating. Learning another 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. The intention is that they will be working towards becoming life-long language learners.

Implementation

All classes have access to a high-quality French curriculum. This progressively develops skills in foreign languages through regularly taught and well-planned weekly lessons in Key Stage 2 which will be taught by class teachers led by a language specialist teacher. Teachers know where every child is at any point in their language journey. Pupils progressively acquire, use and apply a growing bank of vocabulary, language skills and grammatical knowledge organised around age-appropriate topics and themes - building blocks of language into more complex, fluent and authentic language. The planning of different levels of challenge and which units to teach at each stage of the academic year is addressed dynamically and reviewed as units are updated and added to the scheme. Lessons offering appropriate levels of challenge and stretch are taught at all times to ensure pupils learn effectively, continuously building their knowledge of and enthusiasm for the French they are learning.

• Early Language units are most appropriate for Year 3 pupils or pupils with little or no previous foreign language learning.
•  Intermediate units progress in challenge by increasing the amount and complexity (including grammar concepts) of the French language presented to pupils. Intermediate units are suitable for Year 4-5 pupils or pupils with embedded basic knowledge of French.
• Progressive and Creative Curriculum units are the most challenging units and are suitable for Year 6 pupils or pupils with a good understanding of the basics of French. Children will be taught how to listen and read longer pieces of text gradually in French and they will have ample opportunities to speak, listen, read and write the language being taught with and without scaffolds, frames and varying levels of support. Units are progressive with subsequent lessons within each unit building on the language and knowledge taught in previous lessons. As pupils progress though the lessons they build their knowledge and develop the complexity of the language they use.

Impact

As well as each subsequent lesson within a unit being progressive, the organisation of units also directs, drives and guarantees progressive learning and challenge. Units increase in level of challenge, stretch and linguistic and grammatical complexity as pupils move from Early Learning units through Intermediate units and into the most challenging Progressive units. Units in each subsequent level require more knowledge and application of skills than the previous one. Activities contain progressively more text (both in English and in French) and lessons increase in content as the children become more confident and ambitious with the French they are learning. Pupils continuously build on their previous knowledge as they progress in French through the primary phase. Previous language will be recycled, revised, recalled and consolidated whenever possible and appropriate. Learning is reviewed at the start and end of each unit to enable pupils to develop an accurate understanding of their own learning goals. Pupils use self-assessment grids to ensure they are also aware of their progress and teachers use this information to plan next steps accordingly.

Autumn Term:

Year 3 - I'm learning French - introducing who I am and where I live; Nursery rhymes

Year 4 - Superheroes: I am, I have, I can; My family

Year 5 - Presenting oneself; What is the date? 

Year 6 - World War II; Healthy eating - exploring healthy lifestyles.

Spring Term:

Year 3 - Animals; Colours and numbers.

Year 4 - In the classroom; Seasons

Year 5 - Clothes; The weather 

Year 6 - Me in the World; Regular and Irregular Verbs

Summer Term:

Year 3 - Little Red Riding Hood - parts of the body; Ice cream.

Year 4 - My Home; Goldilocks and the 3 bears.

Year 5 - Café - ordering food and drink. Olympics - sports.

Year 6 - School subjects and opinions. Telling the time - weekend activities.

French in Action