Primary languages are about fun, communication, confidence building, developing learning strategies, learning about similarities and differences and respecting others. All pupils have a dedicated language lesson each week with a specialist French teacher.

Learning a foreign language in primary school provides a valuable educational, social and cultural experience for all pupils. Learning another language raises awareness of the multilingual and multicultural world around us. Pupils develop communication and literacy skills that lay the foundation for future learning of languages. Our aim is to develop an enthusiastic and positive attitude to other languages and language learning.

The study of a second language also supports children’s general literacy and oracy, by raising awareness of their own language. Pupils develop linguistic competence, extend their knowledge of how language works and explore similarities and differences between a foreign language and English.

We use a variety of techniques to encourage the children to have an active engagement in modern foreign languages lessons. These include games, songs (particularly action songs), role plays and mime. We use puppets to support conversation work and demonstrate the foreign language, emphasising listening and speaking skills over reading and writing.

We aim to make lessons as entertaining as possible and build children’s confidence through praise for any contribution they make in the foreign language.