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Horizon Academy Trust is an exempt charity regulated by the Secretary of State for Education.

company number 08411590

registered office is C/O Biggin Hill Primary School, Biggin Avenue, Bransholme, Hull, United Kingdom HU7 4RL.

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Hedon Primary School

Modern Foreign Language (French)

Meet our Modern Foreign Languages Coordinator

RE Coordinator (ID 1422)

French Curriculum Intent

At Hedon Primary School our vision for primary languages is to prepare our pupils for a future within the global society. We aim to open their eyes and minds to the wider-world, developing their multi-cultural awareness and linguistic skills, whilst broadening their horizons and understanding of language. We achieve this by taking our pupils through a sequenced journey of linguistic development and enabling them to experience cultures outside of their own.

We believe that a broad and balanced primary languages education is the entitlement of all pupils, regardless of ethnic origin, gender, class, aptitude or disability. It is our vision that all pupils during their journey will display the essential characteristics of linguistics:

  • The confidence to speak with good intonation and pronunciation
  • The ability to read and comprehend the main points of a short text
  • The ability to convey meaning through writing
  • Competence in listening
  • A strong awareness of the culture of the countries where the language is spoken
  • A passion for languages and a commitment for the subject
  • The ability to use language creatively and spontaneously
  • The ability to manipulate grammar, spelling and punctuation
  • An independence in their studies and the ability to draw upon a wide range of resources.

Language knowledge and skills are progressive and are sequenced to provide the framework and approaches that provide a successful journey for all learners at Hedon.

French Implementation

The teaching of languages at HedonPrimary School is carefully designed, planned and implemented to ensure that all pupils are challenged to fulfil their potential. Primary languages lessons are rich in resources, vocabulary, questioning and content enabling them to develop mastery of the aims of the National Curriculum.

Teachers have identified the key knowledge and skills of each topic and these are mapped across the school, ensuring that knowledge builds progressively and that children develop skills systematically. Existing knowledge is checked and reviewed at the beginning of each unit. This ensures that teaching is informed by the children’s starting points and that it takes account of pupil voice, incorporating children’s interests. Phonics is given high priority and is taught, recapped and revisited at the start of each unit.

Tasks are selected and designed to provide appropriate challenge to all learners, in line with each school’s commitment to inclusion. At the end of each topic, key knowledge is reviewed by the children and rigorously checked by the teacher and consolidated as necessary.


Cross curricular outcomes in languages are specifically planned for and these are indicated on the knowledge organiser for each unit of work.

Although there are no National Curriculum expectations for languages in KS1 and the Early Years, we have decided that children should be given a gradual introduction to languages during their first years of schooling. In EYFS children may listen to and learn songs, stories and games. Teachers will decide when and what is appropriate based on topics and themes. KS1 will continue this approach and ensure they have covered some non- negotiables identified in the curriculum journey before children enter KS2. This may be covered in a variety of ways including registration activities, topic links, celebration days, festivals and world events.

Rationale for sequencing of knowledge and skills

The languages curriculum at Hedon is sequenced so that children develop knowledge and skills across the key language learning skills; listening, speaking, grammar, reading and writing. This will enable pupils to use and apply their learning in a variety of contexts, laying down solid foundations for future language learning and also helping the children improve overall attainment in other subject areas. In addition, the children will be taught how to look up and research language they are unsure of and they will have a bank of reference materials to help them with their spoken and written tasks going forward. This bank of reference materials will develop into a reference library to help pupils recall and build on previous knowledge throughout their primary school language learning journey.

The teaching of phonics underpins the teaching of foreign languages. Just as learning to read in English, using phonics to crack the code of a new language empowers children, and increases their enjoyment.

Units taught are progressive and increase in level of challenge, stretch and linguistic and grammatical complexity as pupils move through their language journey. Units in each subsequent level require more knowledge and application of skills than the previous teaching type. Activities contain progressively more text and lessons will have more content as the children become more confident and ambitious with the foreign language they are learning.

Pupils will continuously build on their previous knowledge as they progress in their foreign language learning journey through the primary phase. Previous language will be recycled, revised, recalled and consolidated whenever possible and appropriate.

How to help at home:

Here are some suggestions for ways you can help your child.

  • Take your child to a museum

France has produced some of the most talented artists, such as Monet and Renoir. Check your local museum’s schedule to see when it is featuring a French-inspired exhibition and take your child along. The admission for entry to the Ferens Art Gallery, for example, is free.

  • Celebrate French holidays

Celebrating important French holidays, such as Bastille Day, will teach your child about French history. Celebrate by making some fun crafts or taking part in holiday traditions such as fireworks.

  • Cook a French meal

Familiarise your child with French cuisine by having him or her help you prepare some traditional French food, such as quiche or crème brûlée.

  • Listen to French music

Do you have a Spotify account or Alexa? Download some French songs to listen to while at home or in the car. Listening to French music will help to familiarise your child with French accents and pronunciations.

  • Puzzles

You can download and print dozens of free French crosswords and word searches for your child. He or she will have fun playing, while simultaneously learning French vocabulary and simple sentences. Keep some in the car for long journeys.

  • Memory games

Create some French flashcards and place them face down on a table. Your child will turn over two cards. If the pictures match, your child will turn over two more cards. The point of the game is to match all of the cards from memory.

  • Colouring books

Purchase a French colouring book from Amazon. These colouring books will spark your child’s creativity, while helping him or her learn different words from various themes.

  • Read French books

There are lots of beginner French books. Le Petit Prince is one of the most well-known French children’s books. You can find the book in almost any book shop or online.

  • Hangman

This French activity is played exactly like the original Hangman version, except you are using French words instead of English.

Bonne chance et allez-y!