Why do we learn French?
More than 220 million people speak French on the five continents. It is also one of the most widely learned foreign languages. It is a language of diplomacy and sophistication, and an official language of multiple institutions, from the United Nations to the European Union and the International Red Cross. Languages are valued everywhere: on your CV, when you travel, when you aspire for further studies. The particularity of languages is that both rigour and creativity are combined. By choosing to study a language, you will develop a very high standard of key skills and characteristics such as organisation, team work, confidence, independence, creativity, adaptability, resilience and open-mindedness.
Head of Department
Ms C Simonnet-Balchin (maternity leave)
Our approach
Working up the courage to say just one phrase can be nerve racking but really builds confidence and resilience. We believe that all students benefit from exposure to a Modern Foreign Language. The acquisition of a new language is in itself highly valued, but importantly it also provides insight into other cultures. Language learning promotes curiosity and greater awareness in our students, making for more open-minded citizens who can better reflect on their own first language and the country they live in. Practically, in lessons we learn a range of transferable skills alongside the language itself.
Courageous
In the MFL classroom we consistently emphasise that it is OK to make mistakes and aim to increase resilience. This open environment allows students to grow in confidence and be their best self. Speaking out in front of the class is encouraged but we acknowledge that it can be intimidating and requires students to be brave. We also provide learners with opportunities to practise on mini-whiteboards; allowing for mistakes to be easily corrected. With skilled linguists in the department, we endeavour to challenge our students by using the target language effectively. It is also one of our department aims to encourage students to use the target language with each other through engaging pair and group work. Both elements of using the target language ensure that students are hearing authentic language each time they are in, and also outside the MFL classroom.
Compassionate
Alongside the structures and grammar, each topic contains references to Francophone and Hispanic culture from year 7 to 13. By learning about language and other cultures, we hope students will also increase their awareness of the world around them. In A Level lessons, for example, we encourage academic discussion and independent research on the history, literature, cinema, economics and social issues. We believe any opportunity to interpret the ever-changing world in which we live promotes adaptability and will help students to be successful in both their career and personal choices. Our curriculum demonstrates that with the correct planning and scaffolding, it is perfectly possible to tackle thought provoking questions at KS3 such as colonisation in Latin America or laïcité in France.
Community
Every short term, the whole school community will be invited to participate in our MFL competition. We want students to get stuck in and also have fun with languages outside of the classroom. Each competition crosses over into a different domain or subject (art, cooking, humanities, creative writing, etc.) to reinforce the cross-curricular nature of language study and cater for all our students’ interests and skill sets. For European Day of Languages, the whole school will get involved to celebrate the wealth of languages spoken at our school. Native speakers are supported by the department in gaining a qualification in their home language and are encouraged to share their knowledge with classmates. For example, through the languages club which provides opportunities for students to show independence and leadership.
Empowering Excellence
To improve student fluency and accuracy, we wish to focus on embedding structures and chunks of language rather than list after list of topical vocabulary. Students will practise and drill a set of new structures at length with increased attention to phonics and pronunciation so that they have the knowledge and confidence to communicate in the language they are learning. The curriculum plans for opportunities to routinely recycle and revisit these key structures within different contexts and topics. We are committed to monitoring student work to ensure excellent progress. We use the new Education Perfect platform, mastery quizzes and exit tickets as lesson to lesson data to inform our teaching. We provide effective fast feedback and students will be allocated time within lessons to reflect on the learning points that apply to them, before redrafting a section of their work. Our curriculum maps and careful planning as a department enables students right from Year 7 to make rapid progress towards their GCSE. We strive to maintain our exceptional high outcomes and are proud of our students’ success.
Year 7
| Autumn 1 | Autumn 2 |
|---|---|
| Me & My family | Me & My family |
|
Introducing yourself • greetings • numbers & months • eliciting and answering name & age • likes & dislikes Pets • gender & number • colours • adjective agreement Family • family members • character adjectives • avoir & etre • adjective agreement |
Introducing yourself • greetings • numbers & months • eliciting and answering name & age • likes & dislikes Pets • gender & number • colours • adjective agreement Family • family members • character adjectives • avoir & etre • adjective agreement |
|
Skills taught: • identifying cognates L/R • recalling of vocabulary L/R/S/W • pronouncing key vowel sounds S • expressing opinions S/W • identifying oneself to others S/W • describing someone S/W |
Skills taught: • identifying QuACNOTS L/R • reading for gist R • pronouncing diphthongs S • pronouncing nasal vowels S • including QuACNOTS S/W • planning writing W |
| Spring 1 | Spring 2 |
|---|---|
| School | Free Time |
|
My studies • school subjects • opinion verbs • range of adjectives A day at school • time • using ‘on’ to say ‘we’ • differences between French & British schools School Dinners • Types of food • Using the partitive article |
Technology • activities on a computer/mobile • present tense recap Sport • types of sports • jouer or faire • using jouer à • using faire de • describing your favourite sportsperson |
|
Skills taught: • pronouncing nasal vowels S • expressing and justifying opinions S/W • describing something S/W • contrasting S/W • checking accuracy W |
Skills taught: • translating into English R • pronouncing diphthongs S • reporting basic actions S/W • describing someone S/W |
| Summer 1 | Summer 2 |
|---|---|
| Out & About in Town | Out & About in Town |
|
Free Time • hobbies • using opinion and infinitive Where I live • places in town |
Visiting a town • activities you can do abroad in France • on peut and infinitive |
|
Skills taught: • responding to question words S • reporting basic actions S/W • expressing and justifying opinions S/W • describing places S/W • including QuACNOTS S/W |
Skills taught: • recalling of key structures L/R/S/W • including QuACNOTS S/W • planning writing W |
Year 8
| Autumn 1 | Autumn 2 |
|---|---|
| Media | Food |
|
TV • types of TV programme • opinion verbs • range of adjectives Cinema • genres of film • present tense -ER verbs Books • genres of books • QuACNOTS • present tense -IR and - RE verbs Going out • arranging to go out • time expressions • using the near future |
Francophone foods • francophone dishes • types of food • partitive article Keeping in shape • resolutions for healthy eating • using the near future tense “La Chandeleur” = Pancake day • understanding a recipe • quantities • using ‘il faut’ Out and about in France • at the market • at the restaurant |
|
Skills taught: • predicting options L • reading for gist R • identifying QuACNOTS in a text R • pronouncing high frequency questions S • expressing and justifying points view S/W • including QuACNOTS in written work S/W |
Skills taught: • researching R • practising role playing L/R/W/S • asking questions and requesting information S/W • giving advice and instructions S/W |
| Spring 1 | Spring 2 |
|---|---|
| Holidays – A trip to Paris | Holidays |
|
Tourist activities in Paris • say what you can do in paris • parisian monuments • using ‘on peut’ • giving opinions • using questions • asking for tourist information Last weekend in Paris • giving opinions in the past tense • using the passé composé |
My holiday experiences • near future tense • conditional tense • using en/au/aux/à correctly • holiday activities |
|
Skills taught: • differentiating between present and past L/R • giving and justifying opinions in the past S/W • narrating past events S/W |
Skills taught: • differentiating between 4 tenses L/R • sharing wishes and desires S/W • combining 4 tenses S/W • narrating future and ideal holidays S/W • including QuACNOTS in written work S/W |
| Summer 1 | Summer 2 |
|---|---|
| Holidays | My home |
|
My holiday experiences (cont.) • francophone countries • questions words • forming questions |
My house • rooms in the house • adjective order and agreement • BAGS adjectives • comparatives • furniture • prepositions |
|
Skills taught: • researching R • understanding longer texts R • summarising key points R • asking questions and requesting information S/W |
Skills taught: • identifying false friends and red herrings L/R • pronouncing vowels, nasel vowels & diphthongs L/S • comparing and contrasting S/W • describing places S/W |
Year 9
| Autumn 1 | Autumn 2 |
|---|---|
|
Theme 1 – Identity & Culture Topic 1 – Me, my family & friends |
Theme1 – Identity & Culture Topics 1&2 – Me, my family & friends / Leisure |
|
What makes a good friend • character adjectives • physical descriptions • present tense • avoir and être Family relationships • possessive adjectives • reflexive verbs Making arrangements to go out • places in town • near future • asking questions • times Describing a day out • free time activities • perfect tense with avoir |
Life when you were young • imperfect tense Sport • jouer or faire • prepositions • depuis + present • reasons for partaking in sport |
|
Skills taught: • predicting options L • identifying key words, cognates, false friends & red herrings R • describing someone S/W • photo description W • making plans S/W • narrating past events S/W |
Skills taught: • summarising R • narrating past habits S/W • photo description W • translating into French W • identifying and including QuACNOTS L/R/S/W |
| Spring 1 | Spring 2 |
|---|---|
|
Theme 1 – Identity & Culture Topic 2 – Leisure |
Theme 1 Identity & Culture Topic 3 – Daily life & events |
|
Technology • online behaviour • present tense recap • irregular present tense • relative pronoun ‘que’ Reading • types of book • negatives • imperfect practice TV & Cinema • types of TV & film • justified opinions • comparatives • superlatives |
Daily routine • reflexive verbs • modal verbs • asking questions • sequencing & time expressions |
|
Skills taught: • giving and justifying opinions S/W • extending sentences using complex structures R/W • planning writing W • checking accuracy W |
Skills taught: • summarising L/R understanding longer texts R • asking questions and requesting information S/W |
| Summer 1 | Summer 2 |
|---|---|
|
Theme 1 Identity & Culture Topic 3 – Daily life & events |
Theme 1 Identity & Culture Topic 3 – Daily life & events |
|
Food • French celebrations • French specialities • partitive article • present and near future tenses • negatives • pronoun ‘en’ Out and about • using polite language - tu and vous questions • shopping for clothes • ordering food at the restaurant/buying food in the market |
It’s time to celebrate • using all 3-5 tenses together to recount an event • Francophone celebrations • free time activities |
|
Skills taught: • researching R • role playing L/R/S/W • making plans S • asking questions and requesting information S/W |
Skills taught: • researching R • understanding longer texts R • narrating events in a range of tenses S/W • planning writing W • extending writing W |
Year 10
| Autumn 1 | Autumn 2 |
|---|---|
|
Theme 2 Local area, holiday & travel Topic 1 Where I live |
Theme 2 Local area, holiday & travel Topic 1 Where I live |
|
Different French regions • weather types • destination types • transport types • preposition “in” • pronoun “y” Describing a town and asking the way • places in town • advantages & disadvantages • imperative for giving directions • negatives At the tourist office • discussing what to see and do • asking questions |
Making plans • future tense • discussing plans and weather Describing community projects • perfect, present and future tenses • describing community projects |
|
Skills taught: • reading for gist R • describing places in detail W • understanding, giving and asking for directions S/W • comparing and contrasting S/W • describing photos S/W • identifying and using QuACNOTs L/R/S/W |
Skills taught: • answering comprehension questions in French L/R • analysing literary extracts R • making plans S/W • using 3 tenses together S/W • translating into French W |
| Spring 1 | Spring 2 |
|---|---|
|
Theme 2 Local area, holiday & travel Topic 2 Holidays |
Theme 2 Local area, holiday & travel Topic 2 Holidays |
|
Talking about holidays • countries • things you can do • 3 tenses recap • asking questions Hotel stays • booking and reviewing hotels • reflexives in the perfect tense • ordering in the restaurant • using en+the present participle On the road • avant de +infinitive • buying souvenirs • using demonstrative adjectives and pronouns |
Dream holidays • describing an ideal holiday • conditional tense • si structures Holiday disasters • imperfect and pluperfect tense |
|
Skills taught: • differentiating tenses L/R • role playing L/R/S/W • making plans S • asking questions and requesting information S/W • narrating events using 3 tenses S/W |
Skills taught: • answering comprehension questions in French L/R • analysing literary extracts R • expressing wishes and desires S/W • including complex structures S/W |
| Summer 1 | Summer 2 |
|---|---|
| Theme 3 School | Theme 3 School |
|
The school day • giving opinions on school subjects • talking about your timetable • introducing your school • school facilities • comparing the French and British school systems Behaviour at school • discussing school rules • school uniform • getting the best out of your time at school |
Extra-curricular • school clubs • talking about successes at school • talking about a school trip or exchange • past, present & future |
|
Skills taught: • expressing and justifying points of view S/W • describing places in detail S/W • understanding as well as giving orders and making requests L/R/S/W • understanding as well as giving advice and making suggestions L/R/S/W |
Skills taught: • summarising key points L/R • analysing literary extracts R • narrating past events S/W • identifying, differentiating and using 5 tenses L/R/S/W |
Year 11
| Autumn 1 | Autumn 2 |
|---|---|
| Theme 4 Future aspirations, study and work | Theme 5 International and global dimension |
|
World of work • job titles • advantages and disadvantages of different jobs • discussing career choices Future plans • talking about plans, hopes and wishes • simple future • understanding the subjunctive The importance of languages • languages • using adverbs Work experience • perfect tense recap • direct object pronouns in the past tense • understanding an extended account of someone’s role |
Our planet in trouble • young people’s worries • discussing problems facing our planet Protecting the environment • talking about protecting the environment • using modal verbs in the conditional to make suggestions about solutions A better world • discussing ethical shopping • using the passive |
|
Skills taught: • inferring answers L/R • expressing and justifying points of view S/W • comparing and contrasting S/W • expressing wishes and desires S/W • narrating events in a range of tenses S/W • planning and producing extended writing including QuACNOTS S/W |
Skills taught: • answering comprehension questions in French L/R • using textual clues to make informed guesses L/R • describing photos S/W • giving orders S/W • making suggestions and proposing solutions S/W • translating into French W |
| Spring 1 | Spring 2 |
|---|---|
| Theme 5 International and global dimension / Revision | Revision |
|
A better world (cont.) • talking about volunteering • discussing big events using 3 time frames |
|
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Skills taught: • identifying, differentiating and using 5 tenses L/R/S/W • role playing S • coping with unexpected questions S • describing photos S/W • planning and producing extended writing including QuACNOTS and complex structures S/W • translating into French W |
| Summer 1 | Summer 2 |
|---|---|
| Revision/Exams | Exams |
Year 12
| Autumn 1 | Autumn 2 |
|---|---|
| Theme 1 – Changes in French Society Topics 1 & 2 | Theme 1 – Changes in French Society Topic 2 & 3 |
|
Topic 1: Evolving Family Structures
|
Topic 2: Education
|
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Topic 2: Education
|
Topic 3: World of Work
|
| Spring 1 | Spring 2 |
|---|---|
| Theme 2 – Politics, Art & Culture in Francophone Countries | Theme 2 – Politics, Art & Culture in Francophone Countries |
|
Topic 1: Music
Work 1: La Haine by Mathieu Kassovitz |
Topic 2: Media
|
|
Topic 3: Festivals & Traditions
Work 1: La Haine by Mathieu Kassovitz |
| Summer 1 | Summer 2 |
|---|---|
| Theme 2 – Politics, Art & Culture in Francophone Countries | Works & IRP |
|
Topic 3: Festivals & Traditions (cont.)
Work 2: L’Etranger by Camus |
Work 1: La Haine by Mathieu Kassovitz Work 2: L’Etranger by Camus IRP |
Year 13
| Autumn 1 | Autumn 2 |
|---|---|
| Theme 3 – Immigration and Multicultural Society Topics 1 & 2 | Theme 3 – Immigration and Multicultural Society Topic 3 |
|
Topic 1: The positive impact of immigration
Topic 2: The challenges of immigration and integration
Work 2: L’Etranger by Camus IRP |
Topic 3: The Far Right
Work 2: L’Etranger by Camus IRP |
| Spring 1 | Spring 2 |
|---|---|
| Theme 4 – Occupation & Resistance Topics 1 & 2 | Theme 4 – Occupation & Resistance Topic 3 |
|
Topic 1: The Occupation
Topic 2: The Vichy Regime Marechal Petain National Revolution The Vichy policies and their consequences |
Topic 3: The Resistance
Mathieu Kassovitz IRP |