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French	Geography	History
Maths	Music	PE
PSHE	RE	Science

Intent

At Lethbridge, we believe that learning another language opens a window on other cultures and on the world beyond our own community. French is spoken by millions of people across Europe, Africa, the Americas and beyond. Learning it gives pupils new ways of thinking and communicating, and helps them develop an appreciation of cultural diversity, more positive attitudes towards others and less prejudice.

We want every pupil to enjoy learning French and to become a confident, curious language learner. Pupils learn to understand and respond to spoken and written French, and to express their own ideas and thoughts through speech and writing, with increasing accuracy and fluency.

Our French curriculum reflects our motto, Firm Foundations, Bright Futures. Pupils build firm foundations in the sounds, vocabulary, sentence patterns and grammar of French, so that they are well prepared for language learning at key stage 3 and for the bright futures that speaking another language can bring.

What pupils learn

Key stage 1. French begins in key stage 1. Pupils are introduced to numbers, animals, colours and basic commands through action songs and rhymes, and through regular speaking and listening practice. This gives them an early ear for the sounds of French and a love of learning languages.

Key stage 2. From Year 3, we teach the full content of the national curriculum for languages. Pupils learn to listen, speak, read and write in French, and to understand the grammar that makes the language work. French is taught year by year, rather than in our two-year topic cycle, so that vocabulary and grammar build in a clear sequence from Year 3 to Year 6.

Skill	Years 3 and 4	Years 5 and 6
Listening	Listen attentively to spoken French, join in with songs, rhymes and stories, and respond to simple instructions and questions.	Understand longer spoken passages, pick out key details and respond to what others say.
Speaking	Say words and short phrases with accurate pronunciation, ask and answer simple questions, and take part in short conversations.	Speak in sentences to present ideas and information, express opinions, and hold simple conversations, adapting familiar language.
Reading	Read and understand familiar words and short phrases, and link sounds to spellings.	Read and understand short texts and simple stories, using context and a dictionary to work out new words.
Writing	Copy and write familiar words and short phrases from memory.	Write sentences and short paragraphs to describe people, places and things, using familiar structures and grammar.
Grammar	Nouns and articles (masculine and feminine), simple adjectives and word order.	Adjective agreement, key verbs such as être, avoir, aller and faire, regular -er verbs, and how to form questions and negatives.

Pupils learn French through topics that help them talk about themselves and the world around them, such as greetings, age and birthdays, family and pets, colours and classroom objects, food, clothes, hobbies, the weather, daily routine, homes and holidays. Each topic is organised around a real purpose for communicating, such as describing people, giving opinions or saying where things are.

How we teach French

Our lessons are enjoyable, practical and active, with lots of participation. From Year 3, they are based on the Sentence Builders approach and Language Gym materials, which are grounded in research into how languages are learned. We chose this programme because it feeds directly into the schemes of work used to teach modern foreign languages at our local secondary schools, so pupils move on to key stage 3 already familiar with the approach and ready to build on what they know.

• Sentence builders. Each unit is built around a sentence builder: a clear model of useful sentence patterns and vocabulary. Pupils learn whole chunks of language that they can use straight away, then adapt them to say new things.
  
  
• Listening and reading before speaking and writing. Pupils hear and read lots of French they can understand before they are asked to produce it. This models accurate pronunciation and sentence patterns, so pupils speak and write with confidence.
  
  
• Recycling and retrieval. Vocabulary, sentence patterns and grammar are revisited again and again in different topics, and regular retrieval practice keeps earlier learning alive. This helps pupils remember more and build knowledge year on year.
  
  
• Grammar and language patterns. Grammar is taught explicitly and progressively across the school. Pupils explore patterns and structures so that they can create their own sentences, not just repeat learned phrases.
  
  
• Songs, rhymes and repetition. Pupils listen to and learn a wide range of French songs and rhymes. Rhyme and repetition help them hear patterns in the language and practise pronunciation and intonation.
  
  
• A love of reading. Pupils listen to and join in with a wide range of French story books on topics such as colours and travel, fostering our love of reading in another language.
  
  
• Speaking with confidence. Pupils are challenged to develop accurate pronunciation and intonation, and present orally to a range of audiences. Technology, such as pronunciation apps, supports this.
  
  
• A safe place to have a go. Lessons are delivered in a nurturing environment where pupils feel safe to try, make mistakes and take part at their own pace.
  
  
• Links across the curriculum. French connects with geography, as pupils learn about France and French-speaking countries, with music through songs, and with English, as learning French grammar deepens pupils' understanding of their own language.

Culture and the wider world

Alongside the language, pupils learn about the lives, traditions and celebrations of people in France and other French-speaking countries. They compare these with their own lives, which helps them understand and respect different cultures and see themselves as part of a wider world.

Inclusion

French is an entitlement for every pupil, including disadvantaged pupils and those with SEND.

• Sentence builders give every pupil a clear, visual model to work from, so that all pupils can succeed.
  
  
• Teachers adapt how French is taught, not what is taught, using visuals, gestures, repetition and pre-taught vocabulary.
  
  
• Pupils who speak other languages at home are encouraged to share them, and their skills as language learners are celebrated.
  
  
• Pupils take part at their own pace in a supportive environment, so that every child can build confidence.

Assessment and impact

We measure impact by what pupils can understand, say, read and write in French.

• During lessons: teachers listen, question and check understanding, and adjust teaching straight away.
  
  
• End of unit: short vocabulary tests and tasks check what pupils have learned and remembered.
  
  
• Speaking: oral presentations and conversations show how pupils' pronunciation, fluency and confidence develop.
  
  
• Subject leadership: the French lead looks at pupils' work, visits lessons, talks with pupils and uses what they find to refine the curriculum.

By the end of Year 6, pupils will be able to understand and respond to spoken and written French, hold simple conversations, and write short texts about themselves and the world around them. They will leave with firm foundations for learning languages at secondary school, where they will continue with the same approach, a sense of belonging to the wider world, and skills that will prepare them for future opportunities in modern life.