At Hethersett VC Primary School, we believe in a curriculum that is broad, balanced and valued across all subjects. Our French curriculum aims to foster curiosity, develop communication skills and inspire a lifelong interest in languages and different cultures.

Learning a foreign language provides an opening to other cultures and helps pupils develop confidence, resilience and an appreciation of the wider world. We want children to enjoy language learning, communicate with increasing confidence and understand the value of learning another language in an interconnected global society.

Our curriculum is designed to:

• Recognise prior learning, provide first-hand experiences and build resilience
• Develop communication skills, confidence and cultural understanding
• Promote purposeful learning, enjoyable experiences and coherent progression
• Encourage curiosity about other languages, cultures and traditions

We use the Kapow Primary French curriculum to deliver engaging, progressive and interactive lessons. The curriculum is carefully sequenced to develop pupils' speaking, listening, reading and writing skills whilst building their understanding of French language, grammar and culture.

Every child is seen as unique, valued and celebrated within our school community. Through language learning, pupils are encouraged to take risks, develop confidence and communicate their ideas in new ways.

Our Christian values of wisdom, friendship, compassion, truthfulness and responsibility encourage children to respect and value different cultures, perspectives and experiences, helping them become thoughtful and inclusive global citizens.

Our Curriculum Approach

French forms part of our carefully planned foundation curriculum, which is structured around termly themes and three overarching concepts:

• Systems – understanding how language works through sounds, vocabulary and grammar
• Connection – recognising how language helps people communicate, collaborate and understand different cultures
• Change – exploring how languages develop and how learning a language broadens our understanding of the world

These concepts are revisited throughout pupils' time at Hethersett, enabling them to build understanding over time. Learning begins with simple vocabulary and familiar phrases before developing into increasingly complex language structures and confident communication by the end of Key Stage 2.

French is taught as a discrete subject through the Kapow curriculum, ensuring pupils develop secure linguistic knowledge and communication skills. Where appropriate, teachers draw attention to meaningful links with the wider curriculum theme, helping pupils make connections across their learning whilst maintaining the integrity of the subject.

Intent

At Hethersett VC Primary School, we want children to develop a genuine enthusiasm for language learning and a growing confidence in communicating in French.

Through the Kapow Primary French curriculum, pupils will:

• Develop speaking, listening, reading and writing skills
• Build a secure foundation of French vocabulary and grammar
• Communicate simple ideas with increasing confidence and accuracy
• Understand and respond to spoken and written French
• Develop accurate pronunciation and intonation
• Gain an appreciation of French-speaking cultures and traditions
• Become confident language learners who are willing to take risks and learn from mistakes

The curriculum is designed to progressively develop children's language knowledge and communication skills whilst fostering curiosity about the wider world and different ways of life.

Implementation

French is taught through the progressive Kapow Primary curriculum, which ensures children build knowledge and skills systematically throughout Key Stage 2.

Lessons are carefully sequenced to develop:

• Speaking and pronunciation
• Listening and comprehension
• Reading skills
• Writing skills
• Vocabulary acquisition
• Grammar knowledge
• Cultural understanding

Children learn through a variety of engaging activities including:

• Songs, rhymes and games
• Speaking and listening activities
• Role play and conversations
• Reading and writing tasks
• Cultural exploration
• Retrieval and repetition activities

Vocabulary and grammatical structures are revisited regularly, allowing pupils to develop fluency and confidence over time. Children move from learning simple words and phrases to constructing sentences, expressing opinions and applying key grammatical concepts.

Throughout the curriculum, pupils learn how language operates as a system, how communication creates connections between people and cultures, and how languages evolve and influence the world around us.

Teachers use Kapow's carefully planned sequence of lessons to ensure progression, consistency and increasing challenge across Key Stage 2.

Impact

The impact of our French curriculum is seen in pupils who are confident, enthusiastic and increasingly independent language learners.

Throughout lessons, teachers use formative assessment strategies including:

• Questioning and discussion
• Listening and speaking activities
• Retrieval practice
• Reading and writing tasks
• Observation of pupils' use of vocabulary and grammar

These approaches enable teachers to assess understanding, identify misconceptions and support pupils in developing secure language knowledge and communication skills.

Kapow's assessment materials also help teachers evaluate how well pupils have retained and applied their learning over time.

By the time they leave Hethersett VC Primary School, pupils will:

• Communicate confidently using a growing range of French vocabulary and structures
• Understand and respond to spoken and written French
• Apply key grammatical features accurately
• Demonstrate curiosity and appreciation for French language and culture
• Show resilience and confidence when communicating in an unfamiliar language
• Understand how language helps build relationships and connections across the world
• Develop a strong foundation for further language learning at secondary school

Throughout their time at Hethersett, pupils enjoy a rich and engaging language curriculum that broadens their horizons, develops their communication skills and helps them appreciate the diversity of the world around them.