St Patrick's Catholic Primary Academy

Modern Foreign Languages - French

Learning a foreign language is a liberation from insularity and provides an opening to other cultures. A high-quality languages education should foster pupils’ curiosity and deepen their understanding of the world. The teaching should enable pupils to express their ideas and thoughts in another language and to understand and respond to its speakers, both in speech and in writing. It should also provide opportunities for them to communicate for practical purposes, learn new ways of thinking and read great literature in the original language. Language teaching should provide the foundation for learning further languages, equipping pupils to study and work in other countries.”   

-The National Curriculum in England: Key stages 1 and 2 Framework Document. September 2013  

At St Patrick’s School, we believe that the learning of a language provides a valuable educational, social and cultural experience for all of our pupils..  It helps them to develop communication skills, including the core skills of listening, speaking, reading and writing. The children’s knowledge of how language works, phonology and elements of grammar will be developed and extended.  Lessons will enable pupils to make substantial progress in one language. The transferable language learning skills gained will assist and lay foundations for further language learning. It will provide pupils with the confidence and independence to explore and be able to attempt manipulation of the structure of language. Learning another language gives children a new and broader perspective on the world, encouraging them to understand their own cultures and those of others.  

Since September 2014, the new National Curriculum has made learning a language compulsory in Key Stage 2. With Primary Languages Network’s team’s history, knowledge, and background, we were impressed with their standards, curriculum, and teaching style. With Primary Languages Network, our teachers are able to learn on-the-go, teach interactively, attend CPD events, have the opportunity to practice conversationally and use of DVDs and online resources during class. They also provide the opportunity for staff upskilling and contracting their specialist language teachers to come into school. Primary Languages Network has given our teachers and pupils confidence to speak another language and our teachers to support the children’s language-learning at home.