Intent

At St Wilfrid’s, our French curriculum is designed to ignite a passion for language learning and to provide our pupils with the skills and knowledge to confidently communicate in French. We aim to expose students to the French language through a broad range of engaging and culturally relevant topics, such as family, food, and time travel. Our intent is to ensure that by the time pupils leave St Wilfrid’s, they have developed a strong foundation in speaking, listening, reading, and writing in French, preparing them to thrive in an increasingly globalised world. In addition to language proficiency, we also aim to foster intercultural understanding, encouraging pupils to appreciate the diversity of French-speaking cultures and communities.

Implementation

The French curriculum at St Wilfrid’s follows the structured and engaging Twinkl PlanIt French scheme, which spans from Year 3 to Year 6. Each year consists of six carefully designed units, each focusing on different thematic topics. Lessons are sequenced to build upon prior learning, ensuring that pupils revisit and expand on key language concepts throughout their time at school.

To support language acquisition, we provide varied and interactive lessons that develop the four key language skills: speaking, listening, reading, and writing. Each lesson is supported by audio files to ensure accurate pronunciation and effective teaching, particularly for non-specialist teachers. These resources help to model the correct pronunciation and provide pupils with opportunities to practice speaking and listening.

The curriculum also integrates cultural understanding into each unit, giving pupils the chance to explore the cultures of French-speaking countries alongside the language. This approach helps to make learning more engaging and contextually meaningful.

Impact

The expected impact of our French curriculum is that pupils will develop a solid foundation in French, with the ability to communicate confidently in basic conversations, understand spoken and written French, and express themselves clearly in writing. Pupils will have acquired a broad vocabulary and a basic understanding of grammar, allowing them to use French in practical, everyday contexts.

Furthermore, pupils will develop an appreciation for the diverse cultures within the French-speaking world. This will help them become more open-minded and empathetic individuals who can engage with and respect people from different cultures. By the time they leave St Wilfrid’s, pupils will be prepared to continue their language learning journey in secondary school and beyond, with the skills and motivation to become lifelong learners of languages.