The principles and philosophy of the International Baccalaureate Primary Years Programme underpin the Languages curriculum at Langley Park Primary Academy. 

A key element of this programme is its emphasis on developing international mindedness. As an academy, we aim to develop knowledgeable, conscious global citizens and the Languages curriculum plays a valuable part in embedding this mindset. 

Our community is culturally diverse and language rich, and the overall intent behind our approach to Languages is to celebrate and amplify this in order that all students can be empowered by sharing their cultural knowledge and broadening their horizons. Learning from each other, students develop the attributes of open-mindedness and conscious inquiry that will benefit them as they move through their lives.

At Langley Park Primary Academy, the specific Modern Foreign Language taught is French. We use the National Curriculum for Modern Foreign Languages as our key source for the aims, focus and content of our French curriculum. The intent behind the choice of French is, again, rooted in our aim to develop global citizens. French is one of the most spoken languages in the world, and, as the language of our closest neighbour, is a language that we are both likely to hear and that we have a vested interest, if not a responsibility, to learn to understand. 

In learning French, our intent is to equip our students with the knowledge, skills and confidence to be able to engage in useful conversational language in French. The will develop as communicators and thinkers by problem solving how to get their message across successfully. A practical knowledge of the French language, and of the French culture, will widen the skill set that our students have to take beyond school and into the workplace.

The programme of study for French is in development at Langley Park to ensure that its content enables our students to reach their full potential as language learners, readying them to build on their knowledge in Key Stage 3.

French is introduced informally to children at the Early Years Foundation Stage and Key Stage 1 through termly whole school community challenges and “French Five”, a daily five minute French language input. Using French routinely in this way encourages children to develop their confidence in, and familiarity with, language learning from a young age, and begins to develop the communication skills they will need as they move towards formal learning in Key Stage 2. 

From Year 3 onwards, students have a weekly discrete session structured around the three pillars of the French curriculum: phonics, grammar and vocabulary. They learn the language through a cohesively sequenced framework for learning, which builds skills and knowledge progressively through the Key Stage. This is supported by the Language Angels digital resources. 

All children, whatever phase of school they are in, have the opportunity to experience the French language and French culture as it interleaves authentically to other areas of the curriculum. As per the National Curriculum, our emphasis in Key Stage 2 is on practical communication. While the four key language skills of speaking, listening, reading and writing are covered, the curriculum is weighted towards spoken language. Makaton, used across the school as part of our approach to communication, plays a part here and its use is encouraged in developing understanding of French. 

The impact of the Languages curriculum will be evaluated regularly by teachers as part of our teaching and learning cycle, and this evaluation will be overseen by the curriculum lead. Students will develop a Languages portfolio as they move from Year 3 through to Year 6, which will demonstrate how their knowledge has grown and ensure that this is consolidated and built on from year to year, in order that students have a secure foundation from which to extend their language learning in Key Stage 3.  

The curriculum leader will work with teachers to promote language rich environments, and to monitor and update the programme of study in response to the impact seen. A focus will be set for every term as we develop our curriculum and seek to create a culture of high quality, purposeful language learning. Regular opportunities for staff professional development, linking into the termly focus, will be sourced by the curriculum lead in response to need and the identified termly focus.