Modern Foreign Languages

The French Curriculum at Balksbury Federation

Here at the federation, we believe that learning a language is an essential part of a broad, balanced curriculum. Therefore, children start to learn French in the second half term of summer in Year 2 (from summer 2023), with their journey continuing through to the end of Year 6 ready for Key Stage 3.

The learning of a foreign language provides a valuable educational, social and cultural experience for our children. It helps them to develop their ability to communicate, and extends their knowledge of how language works. Learning another language gives children a new perspective on the world, encouraging them to understand their own culture and those of others. It also helps them to understand what it is to be a global citizen.

The federation uses Language Angels which is written by language specialists. This carefully designed curriculum provides opportunities for the core areas of language acquisition: speaking, listening, reading and writing. Lesson planning covers all components of the National Curriculum Programme of Study for Modern Foreign Languages.

Why French?

French is spoken by over 221 million people across five continents and is the second most widely learned language after English. It is the international language of cooking, fashion, theatre, visual arts, dance, and architecture.

Celebrating Other Languages in the Federation

The federation celebrates 30 languages spoken by families across the federation. We celebrate the languages spoken to recognise and respect different cultures and ethnicity that make up our federated community.