FRENCH
Our Approach
At St Philomena’s, we believe that learning another language develops confidence in communication and encourages curiosity about the wider world. Our French curriculum is designed not only to teach pupils a language, but to develop enthusiastic and capable language learners who appreciate the richness of other languages and cultures.
Our Curriculum
Although the statutory National Curriculum for Languages begins at Key Stage 2, our pupils encounter French from EYFS. We have deliberately chosen to begin earlier so that children develop familiarity and confidence with another language before more formal study begins.
In EYFS and Key Stage 1, learning is predominantly oral and vocabulary-rich. Songs, rhymes, stories, games, repetition and simple conversation enable pupils to develop their listening skills, pronunciation and recall while building a secure bank of familiar vocabulary. This provides the foundation for the structured study of French in Key Stage 2.
From Key Stage 2, pupils follow a progressive curriculum in which knowledge is carefully sequenced, revisited and extended. Pupils develop the essential foundations of phonics, vocabulary and grammar and learn to apply this knowledge with increasing confidence through listening, speaking, reading and writing.
Beyond the French Lesson
French is enriched through the wider life of the school, with opportunities to revisit language through songs, assemblies, celebrations and appropriate links across the curriculum. Pupils also encounter aspects of French and Francophone life and culture, developing their understanding of the wider world and respect for cultures beyond their own.
What We Want Pupils to Achieve
By the end of Year 6, we want pupils to communicate with increasing confidence and accuracy, understand familiar spoken and written French and use their growing knowledge to construct language for themselves. Above all, we want pupils to leave St Philomena’s with secure foundations, intellectual curiosity and a genuine enthusiasm for languages, well prepared for the next stage of their education.
Our French Policy and curriculum documents provide further information about curriculum content, progression and expectations from EYFS to Year 6.
