Westwood Farm School

MFL Curriculum

Modern Foreign Languages at Westwood Farm

 

French curriculum progression map 1

Grammar Progression

Westwood Farm Schools use the Mr French UK scheme of work and resources to ensure we offer a relevant, broad, vibrant and ambitious foreign languages curriculum that will inspire and excite our pupils using a wide variety of topics and themes. All pupils are expected to achieve their full potential by encouraging high expectations and excellent standards in their foreign language learning - the ultimate aim being that pupils will feel willing and able to continue studying languages beyond key stage 2. 

The intent is that the content will create a dynamic programme of study. This will ensure that the foreign language knowledge of our pupils progresses within each academic year and is extended year upon year throughout the KS2 primary phase and in line with meeting or exceeding national DfE requirements.   

The four key language learning skills; listening, speaking, reading and writing will be taught and all necessary grammar will be covered in an age-appropriate way across the KS2 primary phase. This will enable pupils to use and apply their learning in a variety of contexts, laying down solid foundations for future language learning and also helping the children improve overall attainment. In addition, the children will be taught how to look up and research language they are unsure of and they will have a bank of reference materials to help them with their spoken and written tasks going forward. This bank of reference materials will develop into a reference library to help pupils recall and build on previous knowledge throughout their school language learning journey. 

Our intent is that all pupils will develop a genuine interest and positive curiosity about foreign languages, finding them enjoyable and stimulating. Learning an additional language will also offer pupils the opportunity to explore relationships between language and identity, develop a deeper understanding of other cultures and the world around them with a better awareness of self, others and cultural differences. The intention is that they will be working towards becoming life-long language learners.  

In line with the National Curriculum for MFL, pupils at Westwood Farm Schools are taught to:

Listen attentively to spoken language and show understanding by joining in and responding. 

Explore the patterns and sounds of language through songs and rhymes and link the spelling, sound and meaning of words. 

Engage in conversations; ask and answer questions; express opinions and respond to those of others; seek clarification and help. 

Speak in sentences, using familiar vocabulary, phrases and basic language structures. 

Develop accurate pronunciation and intonation so that others understand when they are reading aloud or using familiar words and phrases. 

Present ideas and information orally to a range of audiences. 

Read carefully and show understanding of words, phrases and simple writing 

appreciate stories, songs, poems and rhymes in the language. 

Broaden their vocabulary and develop their ability to understand new words that are introduced into familiar written material, including through using a dictionary. 

Write phrases from memory, and adapt these to create new sentences, to express ideas clear. 

Describe people, places, things and actions orally and in writing. 

Understand basic grammar appropriate to the language being studied, including (where relevant): feminine, masculine and neuter forms and the conjugation of high-frequency verbs; key features and patterns of the language; how to apply these, for instance, to build sentences; and how these differ from or are similar to English. 

These are taught through a weekly 30 minute French lesson in Year 3 and an hour lesson bi-weekly in Years 4, 5 and 6, taught during PPA.  

We measure the impact of our curriculum through the following methods: 

Observing children speaking and listening in another language. 

Marking of written work. 

Interviewing the pupils about their learning (pupil voice). 

Learning walks. 

Subject tracking. 

The MFL subject leader will monitor the impact MFL teaching is having on the children’s learning, through work scrutinies, to ensure the progress of knowledge and skills is being taught.  They will also ensure the knowledge taught is retained by the children and continually revisited and that the learners are able to apply the skills they have been taught showing independence with their learning. Impact will also be measured through key questioning skills built into lessons and child-led assessment.