Intent

Why do we teach this?

We want pupils to become confident speakers who are willing to take risks, practise new language and communicate with increasing accuracy and fluency. Learning a foreign language helps children develop communication skills, curiosity and cultural understanding. Through MFL, children develop listening, speaking, reading and writing skills while gaining a greater appreciation of different countries, traditions and ways of life.

Why do we teach it in the way that we do?

At Our Lady of Lourdes, we believe that every child should be encouraged to understand, respect and communicate with people from different cultures and communities. Through our Modern Foreign Languages curriculum, we aim to broaden children’s horizons and develop confident, enthusiastic language learners who appreciate the richness and diversity of the wider world. By learning another language, pupils gain a deeper understanding of their place within a global community and learn how communication can build connections, understanding and respect between people.

We have chosen to teach French and do so in a progressive, engaging and inclusive way that develops children’s confidence and competence in language learning. Lessons provide opportunities for repetition, speaking, listening and practical application, helping pupils build secure language knowledge over time.

Our MFL curriculum is rooted in our school’s five core values:

 

Implementation

How do we implement our vision in our school?

We teach the aims of the National Curriculum (2014), which provides a broad framework and outlines the knowledge and skills taught in Key Stage 2. We use the Language Angels scheme to support the delivery of our Modern Foreign Languages curriculum and children are taught French.

What does it look like in our classrooms?

Children begin learning a modern foreign language in Key Stage 2 through engaging and interactive lessons that develop listening, speaking, reading and writing skills progressively over time. Pupils explore a wide range of topics linked to everyday life, culture and communication.

Lessons provide opportunities for children to practise pronunciation, learn new vocabulary, build sentences and develop conversational skills. Songs, games, repetition and practical activities help children to build confidence and enjoyment in language learning. Pupils also learn about the culture and traditions of countries where the language is spoken, helping them develop curiosity and respect for others around the world.

Our lessons follow a clear five-part structure:

1. Review of Knowledge
We begin each lesson by revisiting prior learning through carefully chosen questions and tasks that require pupils to recall and apply previously taught knowledge. This strengthens retrieval, builds secure foundations and supports knowledge being retained in long-term memory.

2. Direct Instruction – 'I Do'
Teachers introduce new learning in small, manageable steps through clear explanations, questioning, modelling and worked examples. Appropriate scaffolds are provided to ensure all pupils can access new knowledge while being appropriately challenged.

3. Guided Practice – 'We Do'
Pupils practise new knowledge and skills alongside the teacher through carefully structured activities. Teachers continually check for understanding, provide additional models, scaffolds and checklists where needed, and address misconceptions before independent learning begins.

4. Independent Practice – 'You Do'
Pupils apply their learning independently using models, scaffolds and success criteria appropriate to their needs. This enables children to develop confidence, apply new knowledge and skills, and become increasingly independent learners.

5. Self-Review and Response to Feedback
Each lesson ends with time for pupils to review their own work using success criteria or checklists and respond to feedback. This encourages pupils to become reflective learners by identifying strengths, correcting errors, addressing misconceptions and deepening their understanding, while also providing teachers with valuable assessment information to inform future planning and teaching.

Teachers use a range of assessment for learning strategies to monitor understanding throughout lessons and provide verbal feedback ‘in the moment’ to support progress. Assessment is based on vocabulary recall, pronunciation, listening skills and children’s ability to communicate using the target language.

Impact

At Our Lady of Lourdes, we measure success not only in the skills and knowledge pupils develop, but in the kind of people they are becoming. We know our curriculum is working when our children:

• can talk confidently about what they have learned, using subject-specific vocabulary
• show clear progress in listening, speaking, reading and writing in another language
• can communicate simple ideas, questions and responses with increasing confidence and accuracy
• show competence in recalling and applying vocabulary and grammatical structures appropriately
• have acquired the knowledge and skills to build on in the next stage of their education
• approach language learning with curiosity, resilience and a desire to do their very best
• respond to different languages and cultures with empathy, respect and openness
• understand how learning another language helps them communicate with and understand people from around the world

How do we monitor and review the impact of Modern Foreign Languages at our school?

• The MFL subject leader uses the following lines of enquiry to assess the impact of the Modern Foreign Languages curriculum:
• The quality of speaking, listening, reading and writing across the school
• MFL assessment data
• Evidence of the profile of languages around our school
• Discussions with pupils and evaluations of their confidence and enjoyment in language learning
• Discussions with teachers
• Learning behaviour in MFL lessons
• Culture of curiosity and appreciation for different languages and cultures across the school
• Opportunities for enrichment activities linked to language and culture