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Modern Foreign Languages

Purpose of Study 

Learning a foreign language is a liberation from insularity and provides an essential opening to other cultures. A high-quality languages education should foster pupils’ curiosity and deepen their understanding of the world. The teaching should enable pupils to express their ideas and thoughts in another language and to understand and respond to its speakers, both in speech and in writing. It should also provide opportunities for them to communicate for practical purposes, learn new ways of thinking and read great literature in the original language. 

The learning of a foreign language can provide a valuable educational, social and cultural experience for pupils – providing them with: 

  • Opportunities to communicate for practical purposes in the wider world. 
  • A foundation for further learning of languages beyond KS2, equipping pupils to study and work in other countries. 
  • An essential opening to other cultures and a widening of experiences and aspiration. 
  • A new perspective on the world, encouraging them to understand their own cultures and those of others. 

Key Stage 1 

At KS1, when the teaching of foreign languages is non-statutory, any opportunities for positive learning experiences of additional languages, through song, rhymes, poems and/or word games, are encouraged, particularly when these may enable learners from a variety of backgrounds to share their cultural and/or linguistic heritage with their peers in the classroom. Early exposure to other languages is likely to stimulate curiosity and interest in the wider world.

Key Stage 2  

The statutory phase of language learning comprises the 4 years of KS2 Welwyn St Mary’s are committed to fulfil the aims and deliver the learning outcomes of the National Curriculum Languages programmes of study for key stage 2.  In brief, these are to ensure that all pupils at KS2: 

  • develop their interest in the language and culture of other countries. 
  • develop their practical communication skills by understanding and responding to both spoken and written language. 
  • make substantial progress in one language  
  • understand basic grammar appropriate to the language studied. 
  • have a solid foundation for further language study at KS3, where possible in the same language that will be studied at KS3.
     

At Welwyn St Mary’s, children in KS2 learn French.

 

Curriculum Intent

We teach our children French to generate a fascination for words and how language works, a wider curiosity about the peoples and cultures of French-speaking countries and the foundational knowledge to support confident communication in French. 

Essential Knowledge 

We teach three core strands of essential knowledge:   

  1. Phonics – the key components of the sound-writing relationship 
  1. Vocabulary – a set of the most frequently used words 
  1. Grammar – the essential building blocks required to create simple sentences independently (including gender of nouns, singular and plural forms, adjectives (place and agreement), and the conjugation of key verbs) 

Our French curriculum is designed to enable our children to: 

  • Develop linguistic and communicative competence 
  • Extend their knowledge of how language works 
  • Explore similarities and differences between French, any heritage languages our children have, and English 

The teaching of a foreign language to every child in KS2 is a statutory requirement, as set out in the National Curriculum Programmes of Study (2014).

In line with the NC PoS, our children learn to: 

  • Listen and show understanding by joining in and responding 
  • Link the sound, spelling and meaning of words 
  • Read aloud with accurate pronunciation  
  • Read and show understanding of phrases and simple texts 
  • Speak in sentences 
  • Describe people, places, things in speech and writing 
  • Ask and answer questions 
  • Express opinions 
  • Write phrases from memory 
  • Adapt phrases to create new sentences 
  • Use a dictionary  

Our children also learn key cultural and country-specific knowledge. For example, by the end of KS2, our children: 

  • can name and locate on a map countries where French is spoken 
  • know the key geographical features of France and Haiti, including continent, surrounding seas and oceans, main mountains and rivers, capital city 
  • know the name and some detail about at least one festival or tradition from France and Haiti  
  • know at least one typical food from France and Haiti 

Curriculum provision 

Our KS2 children have a weekly French lesson of between 30-50 minutes.  Further opportunities to recycle key vocabulary (e.g. numbers) and develop children’s confidence are often built into classroom routines including greetings, providing instructions, stating lunch preferences, registration, rewards and praise on a more regular basis, even just for a few minutes in the school day e.g. when children are lining up. 

Assessment

Children are continuously assessed on the knowledge they are taught in lessons, whenever they are called upon to understand and/or produce language, without reference to resources.  Periodically they complete achievement tests in phonics, vocabulary and grammar covering all modalities (i.e. listening, speaking, reading and writing), which assess the specific knowledge they have been taught.  Their progress and attainment is categorised in the following way, using our school tracking system: 

  • [=]  ARE  Age Related Expectations
    A child has learnt and retained the majority of phonics, vocabulary and grammar knowledge taught this term 
  • [+] GDS Greater Depth Standard 

A child has learnt and retained all of the phonics, vocabulary and grammar knowledge expected this term, and has shown additional capacity for extending his/her knowledge. 

  • [-] WTS Working Towards Standard
    A child has learnt and retained less phonics, vocabulary and grammar knowledge than expected this term 

Equal Opportunities and SEN 

All children irrespective of ability or special educational need, should be taught a foreign language. Every child has the statutory right to a broad and balanced curriculum.  

A child with SEN should be actively encouraged to participate fully in MFL lessons with the necessary support and appropriate differentiation.  

Teaching modern foreign languages is a vital way to directly address pupil perceptions and potential stereotypes. It allows us to actively promote positive attitudes and values towards cultural and or religious diversity and to directly tackle any form of cultural and negative stereotyping. 

PREVENT Duty (April 2019) 

Section 58. All publicly-funded schools in England are required by law to teach a broad and balanced curriculum which promotes the spiritual, moral, cultural, mental and physical development of pupils and prepares them for the opportunities, responsibilities and experiences of life. They must also promote community cohesion. 

Role of the Subject Leader 

The subject leader will: 

  • ensure staff are fully aware of statutory requirements and their associated responsibilities in terms of policy and practice
  • support staff in terms of access to SOW and resources
  • monitor the quality of teaching and learning
  • draw upon advice, support and expertise where necessary and in order to improve provision
  • liaise to organise training and support to develop teacher subject knowledge and expertise. 

This policy will be reviewed when necessary and in the light of any changes or developments in terms of statutory requirements.