Curriculum Intent

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French

‘You live a new life for every language you speak. If you only speak one language, you only live one life’

Czech proverb

Language and our ability to communicate impacts our lives every day. Language helps express our feelings and desires and enables us to query the world around us. Through languages, we forge relationships, we unlock new learning, we interact, we share, and we grow. The unique and diverse methods human beings can use to communicate through written and spoken language is a large part of what allows to harness our innate ability to form lasting bonds with one another; separating mankind from the rest of the animal kingdom. The ability to communicate in a second language opens up another culture for us to explore. We are passionate about opening up a new world of learning for the children of Newark, using expert language teaching to ignite in them curiosity and excitement about the world we live in.

It is about exploring a new culture and learning to see the world from a new perspective. At The Suthers School, we seek to providing a language learning experience that is engaging, exciting, challenging and above all, transformational. Learning a second language can be life-enriching, leading to opportunities to travel, study and even work in new countries across the world. It unlocks a whole new world of culture, from books, music and films, to art, history and religion.

Language acquisition takes place through a carefully planned process, starting with the modelling of the content for that unit, processing of pronunciation, intonation and content. This is followed by the structured production and expansion, where students learn how to manipulate the language and to adapt it to fit their own needs. Finally, careful drilling and language production lead to students producing language with fluency and spontaneity.

An approach to language advocated by language teaching expert Dr. Gianfranco Conti, this process of language acquisition lies at the heart of our approach to the teaching and learning of languages. We have designed a curriculum that will enable students to become confident, ambitious linguists, with an excellent understanding, not only of the French language, but an understanding of the culture of France and of the wider French speaking world. In Key Stage Three we teach “chunks” of languages, ensuring that students make rapid progress, building fluency and confidence, whilst avoiding cognitive overload. This provides students with a solid foundation, which supports learning at Key Stage 4 and beyond.

At The Suthers School, the study of French exceeds the demands of the National Curriculum and empowers our students by:

Providing students with a language learning experience that fosters confidence, accuracy and above all a love of languages.

A teaching approach that is built around achieving fluency and spontaneity.

The use of a French books and films to enhance the learning experience.

A relentless commitment pronunciation and intonation, ensuring that our students “Speak French like a French person”

A focus on teaching the technical elements of linguistics, such as grammar and syntax.

Providing students with an understanding of how the process of language learning takes place, thereby equipping them with the confidence to learn languages independently.

Supporting students with opportunities to share their love of language learning, for example through our student led language clubs.

Ensuring that they are equipped with the knowledge and skills to move on to their next stage of language learning, whether that be to GCSE, A-Levels or beyond.

To access the curriculum plans for each year group, please use the links at the side of this page.

If a year group link is not available you can contact our French Team at contact@suthersschool.co.uk where they will get back to you with further information.