French

Rationale

Learning French at The John Wallis Church of England Academy opens a window onto another language, culture and way of seeing the world.

Pupils build the confidence to understand and communicate in French across a range of familiar and increasingly complex contexts. They develop their skills in listening, speaking, reading and writing, while gaining a secure foundation in vocabulary, grammar and pronunciation.

French also gives pupils the opportunity to explore life beyond their own experience. Through language, they encounter aspects of French-speaking cultures, communities and traditions, helping them to become more curious, open-minded and internationally aware.

Studying a modern foreign language strengthens memory, communication and problem-solving, while encouraging pupils to take risks and persevere when meaning is not immediately clear. It also provides a strong foundation for further study, travel and future employment in an increasingly connected world.

Aims

Through French, pupils will:

• communicate with increasing confidence in spoken and written French

• understand the main points and detail in a range of spoken and written texts

• develop a broad and useful vocabulary

• use grammar accurately to build increasingly complex sentences

• improve pronunciation, intonation and fluency

• express opinions, ideas and personal experiences clearly

• ask and answer questions in a range of everyday contexts

• read authentic and adapted French texts with growing independence

• listen for meaning and respond appropriately

• translate meaning between French and English

• develop an awareness of French-speaking cultures and communities

• build resilience, curiosity and confidence as language learners

• recognise the value of languages for further study, travel and future careers.