At St Matthew’s, we believe that learning a foreign language is an exciting and enriching experience. Our French curriculum helps children develop confidence, curiosity, and a love of language learning. Through engaging lessons, games, songs, stories, and practical activities, pupils discover the joy of communicating in another language and explore aspects of French culture and daily life.

How We Teach French

French is taught regularly in Key Stage 2 by class teachers or specialist staff. Lessons are lively, interactive, and designed to help children:

• Listen attentively and understand basic spoken language

• Speak clearly and confidently in French

• Practise accurate pronunciation through songs, repetition, and modelling

• Read simple words, phrases, and short texts

• Write basic sentences and short passages

• Use practical vocabulary that relates to real-life themes such as school, family, food, hobbies, weather, and travel

We want children to feel confident “having a go” and taking part in French conversations, even when language is new.

Statutory Requirements 

French teaching at St Matthew’s follows the National Curriculum for Languages, which is statutory at Key Stage 2. This includes three key strands:

1. Listening, Speaking, Reading and Writing

Pupils must be taught to:

• Listen to spoken language and show understanding

• Engage in conversations, asking and answering questions

• Develop accurate pronunciation and intonation

• Present ideas and information orally

• Read carefully and understand simple texts

• Broaden their vocabulary

• Write phrases from memory and create short written sentences

• Describe people, places, objects, and actions in speech and writing

2. Grammar

Children learn basic French grammar, including:

• Gender of nouns

• Conjugating high-frequency verbs

• Making simple agreements (e.g., adjective endings)

• Forming simple questions and negatives

This allows pupils to build and adapt sentences independently.

3. Language Appreciation & Cultural Understanding

The curriculum also requires that pupils:

• Explore the patterns and sounds of the French language

• Discover and appreciate Francophone cultures

• Compare linguistic features with English

Understanding culture helps children see how language connects people around the world.

What Makes French Special at St Matthew’s

We enrich our curriculum by:

• Using songs, rhymes, stories, and role-play

• Incorporating games that build vocabulary and confidence

• Encouraging children to practise French in short bursts. 

• Supporting learning with visuals, gestures, and real-life contexts

• Celebrating cultural events

• Providing links to French in subjects such as geography, music, and art

Our aim is for pupils to leave Year 6 with a strong foundation in French and the enthusiasm to learn languages at secondary school and beyond.