Curriculum
Modern Foreign Languages
Curriculum intent, implementation, and impact
Intent
“When you learn a language, you don’t just learn to speak and write a new language. You also learn to be open-minded, liberal, tolerant, kind and considerate towards all mankind.” – Mouloud Benzadi.
At HLC Primary, we strive to foster a genuine interest and positive curiosity in learning a foreign language. Learning another language supports the whole child, helping learners build their ‘cultural capital’ and develop a deeper appreciation and respect for other cultures—both in the wider world and within their own community.
Our pupils explore the relationship between language and identity, gaining greater awareness of themselves and others. French is the core language taught at Hadley Learning Community Primary, following the engaging Language Angels scheme. This scheme inspires pupils through a broad and stimulating range of topics and themes.
All pupils are equipped with the knowledge and skills they need to succeed in their language-learning journey. This prepares them not only for the transition to secondary school but also encourages them to become lifelong language learners. We embed the four key language skills—listening, speaking, reading, and writing—in every lesson, providing a strong foundation for learners to build on in various contexts.
This approach not only lays the groundwork for future language study but also strengthens understanding of grammar and supports achievement in other subjects. Above all, we want our children to enjoy the social and cultural experience of learning French and feel confident and motivated to continue studying languages beyond Key Stage 2.
Implementation
French is taught as the core language at HLC Primary using the high-quality Language Angels scheme of work and resources. This supports teachers in delivering effective lessons, regardless of their own French proficiency.
Foreign language skills are developed through regular, well-planned weekly lessons in Key Stage 2. Class teachers lead French lessons in Years 3, 5, and 6, while a specialist teacher from HLC Secondary teaches Year 4, providing a direct link to the secondary phase.
Children progressively acquire and apply a growing vocabulary, language skills, and grammatical knowledge. These are organised around age-appropriate themes and topics that gradually increase in complexity, enabling pupils to build more fluent and authentic language skills.
The Language Angels scheme categorises units by ‘Teaching Type,’ helping teachers select units that provide the right level of challenge. Where possible, topics link to other curriculum areas—such as Year 4 studying the Romans unit in French alongside their Autumn history topic.
A range of teaching methods is used to cater to different learning styles, including games, role-play, multimedia, and songs. Lessons are designed to be fun and engaging, helping to foster a positive attitude toward modern foreign languages.
Cultural enrichment is embedded through whole-school multicultural days, a “language of the half term” initiative where key greetings and vocabulary are practised, and the appointment of language ambassadors. Two ambassadors from each class represent the school’s diversity, sharing their language skills and participating in child-led activities that celebrate culture within HLC Primary.
The curriculum uses a ‘language Lego’ approach: over a six-lesson unit, pupils build blocks of language knowledge and gradually assemble more complex and sophisticated structures. Teachers continuously refer back to prior learning and assess progress informally before moving forward.
Ultimately, the French curriculum aims to develop children’s interest in languages in an enjoyable and stimulating way.
Impact
The intended impact of our Modern Foreign Languages curriculum is that pupils:
- Make good or better progress in their language learning, with assessments at the end of each unit tracking this progress.
- Develop a love of languages and an appreciation for other cultures, fostering respect for their diverse community and the wider world. This enthusiasm is reflected in pupil voice.
- Gain solid knowledge about France and its culture.
- Produce high-quality written work that shows their growing understanding of French, documented in class floor books.
- Speak with increasing confidence, improving their pronunciation of key sounds. Strong examples are recorded and accessible via QR codes in the floor books.
We measure impact through observation of speaking and listening activities, marking of written work, photos and videos of class activities, pupil voice, and learning walks.
As a result, pupils leave HLC equipped to thrive in a global, multicultural society and prepared to make positive, rewarding progress in language learning beyond primary school.
