Our French Curriculum
Intent – Why Do We Teach What We Teach?
The school uses the 2014 National Curriculum and EYFS Curriculum for directing the teaching of Languages. We intend to deliver a languages curriculum, based around the Language Angels scheme for teaching French, which fosters children’s curiosity and deepens their understanding of the world. In Lower KS2, children acquire basic skills and understanding of French with a strong emphasis placed on developing their Speaking and Listening skills. These will be embedded and further developed in Upper KS2, alongside Reading and Writing, gradually progressing onto more complex language concepts and greater learner autonomy. It is intended that when children leave New Close School, they will have a natural curiosity and confidence to explore other countries, cultures and languages, accepting that, in a multilingual society it is a valuable skill to be able to communicate effectively with others in another language. They will be engaged and prepared to continue language learning at Secondary School.
Implementation - How Do We Teach What We Teach?
The school will implement a clear and comprehensive progression of skills as outlined in the National Curriculum. Children will access key knowledge, language and meanings in order to understand and readily apply to their work in Languages and across the wider curriculum. Where applicable links to Languages will be made to develop effective learning experiences. Languages are every other term which enables children develop and maintain vocabulary. Skills and prior knowledge are built upon and revisited throughout Key Stage 2 and this enables children to develop a mastery approach to Languages.
Impact – How Do We Know What Our Pupils Have Learnt And How Well They Have Learnt It?
Assessment of French at New Close is a multi- facetted approach. We need to recognise the
limits of placing any summative judgement against the children’s knowledge of French because
the validity of this data is relatively low. Equally, we need to be wary of purely looking at the
outcomes from within a lesson, and judge the performance of children, rather than what has been
committed to long-term memory.
Because key language knowledge is unlikely to be revisited, the vast majority of our efforts within
assessment should be towards formative assessment, in order that misconceptions and are
addressed at the point they are made. However, we can use our ‘Need to Know’ facts as a
barometer to assess long-term learning.
assessment should be towards formative assessment, in order that misconceptions and are
addressed at the point they are made. However, we can use our ‘Need to Know’ facts as a
barometer to assess long-term learning.