Ofsted GOOD

MFL (Modern Foreign Languages) - French

MFL Curriculum Scheme of Work: Language Angels

MFL Subject Leader: Mrs Begg and Mrs Jopp

MFL Senior Leadership Team Link: Mrs Prinsloo

An introduction to MFL at Hill View

Intent

At Hill View, we have chosen to use and follow the Language Angels Curriculum to help us construct a coherent and consistent offer for all Key Stage Two pupils.  

Hill View uses the Language Angels scheme of work and resources to ensure we offer a relevant, broad, vibrant, and ambitious foreign languages curriculum that will inspire and excite our pupils using a wide variety of topics and themes. All pupils will be expected to achieve their full potential by encouraging high expectations and excellent standards in their foreign language learning - the ultimate aim being that pupils will feel willing and able to continue studying languages beyond Key Stage Two.

The intent is that all content will be continuously updated and reviewed annually, creating a dynamic programme of study that will be clearly outlined in both long-term and short-term planning. This will ensure that the foreign language knowledge of our pupils progresses within each academic year and is extended year upon year throughout the primary phase and, in so doing, will always be relevant and in line with meeting or exceeding national DfE requirements. 

The four key language learning skills - listening, speaking, reading, and writing - will be taught, and all necessary grammar will be covered in an age-appropriate way across the primary phase. 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 languages 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 intent is that all pupils will develop a genuine interest and positive curiosity about foreign languages, finding them enjoyable and stimulating. Learning a second language will also offer pupils the opportunity to explore relationships between language and identity, develop a deeper understanding of other cultures and the world around them with a better awareness of themselves, others, and cultural differences. The intention is that they will be working towards becoming lifelong language learners.

Implementation

All classes will have access to a very high-quality foreign languages curriculum using the Language Angels scheme of work and resources. This will progressively develop pupil skills, in foreign languages through regularly taught and well-planned weekly lessons in Key Stage Two.

Children will progressively acquire, use, and apply a growing bank of vocabulary, language skills and grammatical knowledge organised around age-appropriate topics and themes - building blocks of language into more complex, fluent, and authentic language.

All teachers will know where every child is at any point in their foreign language learning journey.

The planning of different levels of challenge (as demonstrated in the various Language Angels Teaching Type categories) and which units to teach at each stage of the academic year will be addressed dynamically and will be reviewed in detail annually as units are updated and added to the scheme. Lessons offering appropriate levels of challenge and stretch will be taught at all times to ensure pupils learn effectively, continuously building their knowledge of and enthusiasm for the language they are learning.

Language Angels are categorised by ‘Teaching Type’ to make it easier for teachers to choose units that will offer the appropriate level of challenge and stretch for the classes they are teaching.

Early Language Units are entry-level units and are most appropriate for Year 3 pupils or pupils with little or no previous foreign language learning.

Intermediate units increase the level of challenge by increasing the amount and complexity (including foreign language grammar concepts) of the foreign language presented to pupils. Intermediate units are suitable for Year 4-5 pupils or pupils with embedded basic knowledge of the foreign language.

Progressive and Creative Curriculum units are the most challenging units and are suitable for Year 6 pupils or pupils with a good understanding of the basics of the language they are learning. Grouping units into these Teaching Type categories ensures that the language taught is appropriate to the level of the class and introduced when the children are ready. Children will be taught how to listen and read longer pieces of text gradually in the foreign language, and they will have ample opportunities to speak, listen to, read, and write the language being taught with and without scaffolds, frames, and varying levels of support.

  • each unit and lesson will have clearly defined objectives and aims.
  • each lesson will incorporate interactive whiteboard materials to include ample speaking and listening tasks within a lesson.
  • lessons will incorporate challenge sections and desk-based activities that will be offered at three levels of stretch and differentiation. These may be sent home as homework if not completed in class.
  • reading and writing activities will be offered in all units. Some extended reading and writing activities are provided so that native speakers can also be catered to.
  • every unit will include a grammar concept, which will increase in complexity as pupils move from Early Language units, through Intermediate units, and into Progressive units.
  • extending writing activities are provided to ensure that pupils are recalling previously learnt language and, by reusing it, will be able to recall it and use it with greater ease and accuracy. These tasks will help to link units together and show that pupils are retaining and recalling the language taught with increased fluency and ease.

Teachers have a clear overview of what they are working towards and if they are meeting these criteria. They will use the long-term planning documents provided in the form of Language Angels unit planners to ensure the correct units are being taught to the correct classes at each stage of the scholastic year. Short-term planning is also provided in the form of unit overviews (covering the learning targets for each 6-week unit) and individual lesson plans laying out the learning aims and intentions of each individual lesson within a unit. These planning documents ensure that teachers know what to teach and how to teach it in each lesson, across whole units, and across each scholastic term.

Impact

Our MFL curriculum is high quality, well-sequenced, and is planned to demonstrate progression.

If children are keeping up with the curriculum, they are deemed to be making good or better progress.  

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.

Pupils will be aware of their own learning goals and progression as each unit offers a pupil-friendly overview so that all pupils can review their own learning at the start and at the end of each unit. They will know and will be able to articulate if they have or have not met their learning objectives and can keep their unit learning intention sheets and unit core vocabulary sheets as a record of what they have learnt from unit to unit and from year to year.

The opportunity to assess pupil learning and progression in the key language skills (speaking, listening, reading, and writing) and against the 12 DfE Languages Programme of Study for Key Stage 2 attainment targets is provided at the end of each 6-week teaching unit. This information will be recorded and monitored by the Foreign Language Subject Leaders, who can use this data to ensure teaching is targeted and appropriate for each pupil, class, and year group as well as to feedback on progress to SLT and stakeholders. Teachers will be able to record, analyse, and access this data easily using the Tracking and Progression Tool that will monitor school, class, and individual progress in the foreign language. Pupils will also be offered self-assessment grids to ensure they are also aware of their own progress, which they can keep as a record of their progress.

Children are expected to make good or better than good progress in their foreign language learning, and their individual progress is tracked and reported to pupils and parents/ carers in line with school recommendations.

If pupils are not progressing in line with expectations, this will be identified in the End of Unit Skills Assessments provided in the Language Angels Tracking & Progression Tool. This will enable teachers to put in place an early intervention programme to address any areas that require attention in any of the language learning skills.

We measure the impact of our curriculum through the following methods:  

  • tracking of knowledge in workbooks, spoken sessions, and pupil voice
  • tracking of knowledge in post-learning quizzes 
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