MFL

At Harnham Junior School, our intent in teaching Modern Foreign Languages is to give pupils the linguistic foundations, cultural awareness and confidence to engage with the wider world. We recognise that there are around 6,500 spoken languages globally and that English is only one of them. Learning a second language enables children to appreciate global diversity and to experience another culture first-hand.

Our MFL curriculum is designed to ensure pupils develop key language skills alongside wider cognitive benefits. Research shows that learning a second language supports attainment across the curriculum, particularly in reading, vocabulary and maths, while also improving attention span, decision‑making and cognitive flexibility. We therefore intend for MFL to contribute positively to pupils’ overall academic development, resilience and adaptability as learners.

We have chosen to focus on French because it is one of our closest European neighbours’ languages, is spoken by over 229 million people worldwide, and shares linguistic links with English and several other widely spoken languages. This allows pupils to make meaningful connections between languages and builds foundations for future language learning. Our intent is that pupils leave Harnham Junior School curious, confident and motivated language learners, equipped with transferable skills for later life.

French is taught through regular, concise and engaging lessons that prioritise speaking, listening, reading and writing. Teaching is supported by a range of high‑quality resources, most notably the ‘Language Angels’ scheme of work. This allows for flexible scaffolding so learning can be adapted to meet the needs and confidence levels of all pupils.

Lessons are carefully planned to align with National Curriculum objectives and build progressively over time. Teachers adapt resources to match lesson aims rather than following schemes rigidly, ensuring activities are purposeful and accessible.

Support is given through:

• the use of bilingual dictionaries and open‑ended tasks for more confident learners

• opportunities to explore grammar and sentence structure in greater depth

• visual prompts, picture‑based resources, cloze activities and repetition of key phrases for those who need additional support

• peer support through collaborative work and shared learning

Cultural understanding is further enhanced through enrichment opportunities, including Languages Enrichment Days. These experiences strengthen pupils’ understanding of language as a living, accessible means of communication.

The impact of the French curriculum is seen in pupils’ ability to understand, use and respond to another language with increasing confidence and accuracy. Assessment is ongoing and takes place through a range of strategies, including classroom observations, pupil voice and photographic evidence. Attainment is tracked against age‑related expectations to ensure pupils are making appropriate progress.

Each unit is planned around clear academic milestones derived from the National Curriculum. At the end of each unit, teachers identify which skills have been securely met and which require further consolidation. Any ongoing skills are intentionally revisited and embedded in future units to ensure progression and depth of understanding.

As a result, pupils increasingly demonstrate curiosity, confidence and enjoyment when learning French. They gain transferable linguistic skills, cultural awareness and a positive attitude towards learning languages, leaving them well prepared for further language study — and ready to explore a wider world, or in their words, enjoy their ‘escargots à beurre à l’ail’.