Modern foreign language (French)

At Rivermead, our Modern Foreign Languages curriculum aims to foster a love of language learning, build resilience, and equip pupils with essential communication skills. French is taught throughout Key Stage 2 using a progressive scheme of work that builds confidence, creativity, and cultural understanding.

Our French curriculum is designed to:

• Develop pupils’ resilience and enjoyment in language learning

• Teach strategies for listening, reading, and memory

• Enable pupils to use bi-lingual dictionaries effectively

• Build grammatical knowledge to form and manipulate sentences

• Support accurate pronunciation through songs, stories, and rhymes

• Compare French and English language patterns

• Promote cultural awareness and appreciation

• Ensure strong progress in line with the KS2 Programme of Study for Languages.

How we teach French

French is taught through weekly lessons—30 minutes for Years 3/4 and 45 minutes for Years 5/6—supported by follow-up activities to increase exposure. Lessons are carefully sequenced and include differentiated tasks to support all learners. Pupils engage in a wide range of interactive, practical activities that develop listening, speaking, reading, and writing skills.

Resources include native-speaker audio, interactive whiteboard materials, and detailed lesson plans with built-in assessment opportunities. Year 6 pupils revisit key content to consolidate learning. Staff are supported with training and resources to deliver high-quality lessons.

Pupil progress is assessed through class activities, workbook tasks, audio recordings, and self-assessment. Teachers track progress against KS2 targets using assessment grids and provide feedback to pupils and parents under the categories: working towards, expected, and greater depth.

To enrich learning, we promote intercultural understanding through language events, competitions, penfriend projects, and home learning activities. These experiences deepen engagement and ensure that pupils leave Key Stage 2 with confidence and enthusiasm for learning languages.

French