Warwick Road Primary School

MFL- French and Arabic

At Warwick Road Primary School, our French and Arabic curriculum is clear, sequential and structured, following the guidance in the KS2 Framework for Languages. Pupils in Year 2 and 3 study Arabic and Years 4, 5 and 6 study French. The idea is that French will be phased out and pupils at Warwick Road will study Arabic instead. We believe teaching Arabic will be beneficial to our pupils as they tend to travel to Middle Eastern countries. Therefore, being able to speak the native language will support pupils in communicating with locals and will also encourage them to consider job opportunities abroad. 

French units of work are taught and planned using the Rising Stars scheme of work on an annual programme, and these provide pupils with a logical, coherent and sequential curriculum, building on what has been taught before and towards clearly defined, agreed end points. Language learning begins in Year 2, where we aim to ignite pupils’ curiosity through enjoyable songs, rhymes and games. Our curriculum is mapped out carefully through the subsequent KS2 years, giving opportunities for revisiting both skills and key vocabulary on a regular basis, whilst building progression into each unit. MFL is taught in weekly sessions, with regular recaps and the use of speaking activities to enable integrated language learning and better retention of vocabulary, leading to pupils learning more, remembering more and able to do more in this subject, and so achieving good results.

Our intent is to provide all of our children with a high-quality education in Modern Foreign Languages (MFL), which will develop their love of lifelong learning about other languages and cultures. Many of our children are already bilingual and we aim for them to be multilingual as we teach them French and Arabic . Our intention is to ensure that by the end of our children’s primary education, they have acquired an understanding of both spoken and written French and Arabic and know how important languages can be in their future.

Through the teaching of French and Arabic, we aim for our pupils to:

• Be engaged and inspired to learn the language in a fun and immersive way.
• Develop not only their language skills, but also their love of learning a language.
• Achieve together and share their learning through conversation with each other.

Research has shown that children who learn a language at a young age are more likely to learn other languages, as well as travel to other countries. Learning different languages will raise aspirations for all our children.

What makes a successful linguist?

• The confidence to speak with good intonation and pronunciation.

• Fluency in reading.

• Fluency and imagination in writing.

• A strong awareness of the culture of the countries where the language is spoken.

• A passion for languages and a commitment to the subject.

• The ability to use language creatively and spontaneously.

How and what we learn at Warwick Road 

At the beginning of each session, children are supported to recall knowledge from previous sessions. With the aim of giving children the ability to speak confidently in French or Arabic, all sessions plan for oral rehearsal and conversations in pairs or small groups.  They are able to speak a number of phrases increasingly confidently and clearly as they progress through the school and can read and write some simple phrases. They are beginning to conjugate and learn the key verbs which will help them progress their learning.

Through the high quality first teaching of MFL taking place, we will see the impact of the subject in the following ways:

• Children will become aware that a language has a structure, and that the structure differs from one language to another.
• Children will develop their language and communication through development of the four key skills of speaking, listening, reading and writing.
• Children will enrich their language learning by developing an understanding of the Arabic culture.

Children are encouraged to develop their speaking and listening skills in every lesson through conversational work, songs and rhymes and stories. Grammar and sentence structure are taught specifically. MFL is monitored by the subject leader throughout all year groups using a number of strategies including book scrutinies, pupil voice and discussions with staff.

Subject LTP

Enhanced Curriculum Experiences  

At Warwick Road, we strive to immerse children in MFL by providing diverse and plentiful opportunities for pupils to develop, practise, apply and deepen their existing knowledge, skills and understanding, and to promote a love of languages! Below are just some examples of the additional experiences on offer for our children:

• Holding a languages day
• Learning about different cultures and food in DT lessons
• Appreciating different cultures represented in our school community

Arabic MTPs and Scheme of Learning

We have only introduced Arabic this year and are ensuring Y2 pupils are KS2 ready by the end of the academic year, and that Y3 pupils are ready to access the Y4 curriculum by the end of the year.  

Progression of Skills - French

Parent Support

https://www.bbc.co.uk/bitesize/topics/zjcbrj6

https://www.bbc.co.uk/languages/other/arabic/guide/

Subject Policy 

Miss Daji is our MFL leader, who you can speak to if you would like to find out more about how we teach our MFL Curriculum at Warwick Road Primary School.

Linked Subject Governor: Hajrah Majeed