A high-quality languages education should foster pupils’ curiosity and deepen their understanding of the world. The teaching should enable pupils to express their ideas and thoughts in another language and to understand and respond to its speakers, both in speech and in writing. It should also provide opportunities for them to communicate for practical purposes and learn new ways of thinking. Language teaching should provide the foundation for learning further languages, equipping pupils to communicate with people from other countries and cultures and possibly studying and working in other countries.

Our chosen language, at Midhurst Primary School, is French, based on popularity of choice at KS3, staff knowledge and availability of quality resources. Pupils in Years 5 & 6 experience a residential week in France biannually.

Curriculum Aims

Our aims for teaching Modern Foreign Language are for the children to:

  • foster an interest in learning another language
  • become aware that language has a structure, and that this structure differs from one language to another
  • develop speaking and listening skills
  • begin to write at varying lengths, for different purposes and audiences, using the variety of grammatical structures that they have learnt
  • gain enjoyment, pride and a sense of achievement
  • explore and apply strategies to improve their learning
  • explore their own cultural identities and those of others
  • develop foundations for further study in KS3 and beyond

At Midhurst Primary, we are fortunate to offer French to Reception and Key Stage 1 by Madame Byers who has French as her first language. She also teaches Year 5 & 6 while Year 3 & 4 French is taught by Mrs Moorcroft (MFL co-ordinator).

Key stage 2: Foreign language

Opportunities are given to provide an appropriate balance of spoken and written language. Learning activities are based on practical communication to enable pupils to understand and communicate ideas, facts and feelings in speech and writing.  Lessons are planned to be fun, interactive and linked to class topics where possible. Included in these experiences, is a focus on familiar and routine matters where pupils can use their knowledge of phonology, grammatical structures and vocabulary.

Pupils 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
  • 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
  • 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 clearly
  • describe people, places, things and actions orally and in writing
  • understand basic grammar appropriate to French, including: feminine, masculine, cognates; key features and patterns of French; how to apply these, for instance, to build sentences; and how these differ from or are similar to English

Link to MPS French Curriculum
Link to MPS Progression of skills