“If you talk to a man in a language he understands, that goes to his head. If you talk to him in his own language, that goes to his heart.”

Nelson Mandela

Curriculum Intent

At St Peter’s CE Primary Academy, the intention of our French curriculum is to foster a curiosity and enjoyment in learning languages, while providing pupils with the knowledge and confidence to communicate in another language.

Through engaging and carefully sequenced lessons, developed and delivered by French native speakers, pupils develop the key language skills of listening, speaking, reading and writing. Our curriculum focusses on building a secure and growing bank of vocabulary organised around meaningful topics, enabling pupils to understand and communicate simple ideas in French.

Alongside language acquisition, pupils develop an awareness of cultural diversity and life in other countries, helping them to appreciate similarities and differences between cultures. Through this, pupils gain a broader understanding of the world and develop respect for different languages and traditions.

Our aim is that pupils leave St Peter’s with a secure foundation in French and the confidence to continue language learning at Key Stage 3.

Curriculum Implementation

French is taught through regular, structured lessons across Key Stage 2, delivered by a native french speaker and fully qualified teacher using the Kapow scheme of work. Lessons are carefully sequenced so that pupils progressively build vocabulary, pronunciation and grammatical understanding over time.

Pupils develop their speaking and listening skills through songs, games, conversational activities and structured dialogue, which support pronunciation and confidence when using the language. As pupils progress, they begin to record their learning through pictures, captions and simple sentences, gradually increasing their independence in reading and writing French.

Opportunities are also created for pupils to encounter French beyond the lesson itself. For example, teachers may reinforce vocabulary through daily routines such as completing lunch orders in French, helping pupils to apply their learning in familiar contexts.

Visual prompts and vocabulary displays are used within lessons to support recall and reinforce previous learning, helping pupils build confidence and independence when using new language.

Curriculum Impact

Through the French curriculum, pupils develop the confidence to listen, speak, read and write simple French with increasing accuracy and fluency. They acquire a growing vocabulary and begin to understand how language works.

Pupils demonstrate curiosity about other cultures and develop an appreciation for the role that language plays in connecting people and communities.

Progress is monitored through lesson observations, pupil voice and assessment against the progression of knowledge and skills, ensuring pupils develop the foundations needed to continue language learning successfully in secondary school.

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