Representative of our bi-cultural community, BWA has adopted a whole school approach to the teaching of French to pupils from Reception to Year 6.
All classes have access to a high-quality foreign languages curriculum using the Language Angels scheme of work which is delivered by a specialist language teacher. Our pupils progressively acquire, use and apply a growing bank of vocabulary, language skills and grammatical knowledge organised around age-appropriate topics and themes - building blocks of language into more complex, fluent and authentic language.
Our goal is for pupils to be passionate, curious and confident about their own foreign language learning abilities when they finish the primary school phase of their education.
Reception and KS1 have a timetabled lesson of thirty minutes per week, which increases to one hour a week in KS2. Each lesson focuses on a combination of the 5 key learning skills:
- Speaking
- Listening
- Reading
- Writing
- Grammar
We aim for our pupils to develop solid foundations in these key language learning skills, preparing them for the next stage of their language learning journey. These skills develop pupils’ ability to understand what they hear and read and enable them to express themselves in speech and writing. We extend their knowledge of how language works and explore the similarities and differences between French and English. They also learn about life in France and other Francophone countries, making comparisons with British culture and customs.
Our whole school approach to language teaching and learning is in line with the recommendations of the National Curriculum and the requirements outlined in the Department for Education Languages Programme for Study for KS2.
Please find our curriculum and skills overviews from Reception to Year 6 below.