At St Mary’s, learning French helps children communicate with others and develop curiosity about the languages and cultures of God’s world. We value the languages within our school community and encourage children to listen thoughtfully and appreciate different experiences.

Our curriculum builds children’s knowledge of French sounds, vocabulary and grammar, preparing them for further language learning at secondary school.

Reception: listening, conversation, sound play, stories and songs build the foundations for later language learning. Children explore different languages and cultures through the Early Years curriculum.

Years 1 and 2: Little Languages introduces French words and phrases through songs, stories, games and practical activities. Children practise listening and speaking in a supportive, enjoyable way.

Years 3 to 6: Mme Baille, our native French-speaking teacher, teaches the school’s junior French curriculum. Children develop listening, speaking, reading and writing alongside French sounds, vocabulary and grammar.

Visual resources, actions, drama and repeated practice help children understand, remember and use new language. Teachers use observation, discussion and spoken and written tasks to check understanding and plan next steps.

We aim for children to understand and communicate familiar ideas in French with increasing confidence and independence. Progress includes more secure recall, clearer pronunciation, more accurate sentence building and growing cultural understanding. Children learn to draw on what they already know when meeting unfamiliar language.