Intent 

At Pearl Hyde Primary School, we offer all pupils a rich and ambitious linguistic and cultural experience to enable them to make substantial progress in French over their time in school. Our aim is to deliver high quality language lessons that foster pupils’ curiosity and deepen their understanding of the world, an increasingly important skill in our globalised society. 

Central to our intent is the belief that oracy underpins successful language learning. As a school that follows the Voice 21 Oracy framework, we explicitly teach pupils that their voice is their power and that confident communication enables them to participate, influence and change the world. French lessons provide purposeful opportunities for pupils to develop spoken language, confidence and listening skills alongside linguistic accuracy. 

We ensure that children access and use the four key skills essential in language learning speaking, listening, reading and writing providing a strong foundation for learning further languages and equipping pupils to study and work in other countries. 

We aim to ensure that all pupils: 

• Understand and respond to spoken and written language from a variety of authentic sources 

• Speak with increasing confidence, fluency and spontaneity, using discussion and questioning while improving pronunciation and intonation 

• Write at varying length, for different purposes and audiences, using a range of grammatical structures 

• Discover and develop an appreciation of a range of writing in the language studied 

The study of a second language also supports pupils’ wider literacy and oracy by raising awareness of how language works, enriching their understanding of both spoken and written communication. Primary languages at Pearl Hyde are about communication, confidence building, developing learning strategies, understanding similarities and differences between cultures and respecting others. 

Implementation 

French is taught by class teachers using the Kapow Primary French scheme of work. This ensures consistency, progression and clear sequencing of language skills across Key Stage 2, while allowing teachers to embed language learning meaningfully within the wider curriculum. 

Teachers deliver weekly lessons following Kapow’s structured progression in speaking, listening, reading and writing. Lessons are designed to prioritise spoken language and active participation, aligning with the Voice 21 approach to oracy. Pupils regularly engage in partner talk, choral repetition, role play, structured dialogues and sentence stems, enabling them to rehearse and refine spoken French in a supportive environment. 

The scheme provides strong subject knowledge guidance, modelled pronunciation and engaging digital resources to support confident delivery by all staff. Interactive games, songs and dialogues reinforce key vocabulary and grammatical structures while promoting enjoyment and confidence. 

Opportunities to revisit and consolidate prior learning are built into lessons and displayed in the learning environment. French is made relevant through cross curricular links and familiar themes. Teachers adapt lessons to meet the needs of all pupils, ensuring inclusivity through the use of visual prompts, gestures, repetition and structured talk strategies to support children with additional needs. 

Each cohort uses an MFL floorbook to record evidence of learning. These capture photographs, written work and pupil voice, showcasing progression, engagement and spoken language development over time. 

Lessons develop oral (speaking and listening) and written (reading and writing) skills, phonics, grammar, intercultural understanding and language learning strategies. A research-based listening and reading as modelling approach is used to embed durable and increasingly autonomous language, with target language used as and where appropriate. 

Impact 

Lessons are planned, evaluated and adapted according to the needs of the children. Targeted questioning and structured oracy activities enable teachers to monitor progress closely and identify next steps. 

Pupils who make good progress demonstrate increased confidence, accuracy and independence across the four key language skills. Through regular opportunities for purposeful talk, pupils become more articulate, attentive listeners and confident speakers of French. 

By the end of Year 6, pupils leave Pearl Hyde Primary School with a secure foundation in French vocabulary, phonics and grammar, alongside the confidence to communicate orally. This prepares them effectively for continued language learning in Year 7 and supports their wider development as confident, culturally aware communicators who understand that their voice matters. 

Overall, at Pearl Hyde, we believe that strong oracy is fundamental to language learning and life beyond the classroom; by empowering pupils to use their voice with confidence and purpose, we equip them with the skills to communicate, influence and thrive in an increasingly global world.