At South Pennine Academies, we want every student to have the best possible chance to achieve in school. Stronger partnerships with families, local businesses, community agencies and universities are essential as we focus on improving student outcomes.
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“To learn a language is to have one more window from which to look at the world.”
The approach taken at Willowpark is very much based on this Chinese proverb. Studying a language in primary school provides children with essential life skills. As well as giving them the opportunity to learn a second language, it helps to promote a broader intercultural understanding and contributes to their personal development.
At Willowpark, children are taught by a Specialist Language Teacher following the ‘Language Angels’ Scheme. The foreign language learning targets for each year of key stage 2 are first broken down in to the speaking, listening, reading, writing and grammar skills pupils should have developed by the end of the year. For each year there then follows a list of specific classroom topics which teachers can use as deliverable classroom realities to ensure all of the required skills are being developed to the right level and at the right pace.
French is introduced formally across KS2 using a scheme which endeavours to link to topic areas where possible alongside discretely taught units. The lessons are about fun, confidence building, developing learning strategies, learning about similarities and differences and are planned using Kagan style communicative structures.
However, we do begin French lessons in Key Stage 1 to ensure pupils are best placed to make accelerated progress in their French learning when they begin in Key stage 2.
We encourage our children to embed their learning of the french language through playing games at home. Key Stage 2 children can access the language angels app. Here is the link. Each class has a log in. Please see the class teacher so your child can have access.
Through the planned approach to french teaching, we expect our Key Stage 2 children to be taught the Year group skills for their age group. Children in Year 3 and 4 are working on building their development skills. These include reading, writing, listening and grammar. The skills are progressive and always build on prior knowledge.
As we are only the second year teaching the Language Angels Curriculum, our Year 5 and 6 children are gaining vital skills from the Year 3 and 4 programme so that they are building their understanding so they can access the Year 5 and 6 programme.
'This year we began delivering 'Physical French Phonics' by Sue Cave to enhance the children's reading , spelling and pronunciation skills. Each class is learning 26 sounds commonly found In French by using gestures and flashcard games. Language Ambassadors have been tasked to recap new sounds outside of their French lessons.
To find out more, go to:
Language skills development document
We have some amazing french writers who have been published in the magazine 'Write Away'.
Click on the link below to view our writing from Y3 and Y5 students on pages 8-12. Each child that was published received a copy of the magazine as a memento and celebration of their fantastic work!
french opportunities across the curriculum 279016 .pdf
