Modern Foreign Languages

Curriculum Intent - MFL:

Learning a foreign language provides an awareness, understanding and tolerance of other cultures.

High quality language learning fosters curiosity and deepens understanding of the world in which we live. Our aim is to broaden the horizons of our students; to encourage them to step beyond familiar boundaries and develop new ways to appreciate cultural diversity.

We enable our students to express their ideas and thoughts in either French or Spanish; to understand and respond both in face-to-face situations and in writing. We provide opportunities to communicate information for practical purposes and to learn new ways of thinking.

Innovative and engaging lessons based on a foundation of the mechanics of language, communication, comprehension, culture, and internationalism build confidence and a deep understanding of the target language. Our students develop competencies in listening, speaking, reading, and writing that are both broad and deep.

In communicating factual and personal information that goes beyond their immediate needs and interests, our students develop and justify points of view with increasing spontaneity, independence, and accuracy.

Our mission is to create optimal conditions to create learner success and to empower students to be self-efficacious.

Curriculum Overview French

	Autumn	Spring	Summer
Year 7	My world: personal information; numbers 0-100; physical descriptions of people; relationships; opinions with activities. Aspect life at school; opinions of subjects; asking and giving the time; simple future plans.	My hobbies/free time: using technology; sports and non-sports activities; giving information about the weather; parts of the body, minor injuries. Where I live: describing location; asking for and giving directions; register of language; describe an outing.	Holidays: review weather; destination, accommodation, and holiday activities (actual and ideal); numbers 0-1000; buying food and drink (café/restaurant/supermarket) The environment: natural world (animals); habitat; description; lifestyle; visit to local zoo.
Year 8	Free time at home: genre of tv programmes, films; opinions with justification; use of the internet; review weather conditions; talking about self and others. Francophone world (Paris): tourist activities with opinions; describing a past visit to Paris; asking for tourist information.	My identity: description of personality of self and others; relationships; genres of music with opinions; agreeing and disagreeing with points of view; explaining your favourite things. At home: describing dwellings (actual and ideal); talking about various aspects of a forthcoming event; discussing clothes, food, and meals	Talent and ambition: explaining what must and can be done in the context of a competition; giving instructions; comparing the qualities of others. The environment: (local issues); describing current situation; discuss solutions to local environmental issues (air/sea/land); visit to either Eden Project or Plymouth Aquarium.
Year 9	Once upon a time: discussing what you used to do/ be like; review of physical description including preferences (sport, tv, music, clothes, food); whodunnit? Crime at the castle Mystery. Healthy living: discussing key aspects of a healthy lifestyle (food, exercise); making plans to maintain fitness.	Careers and future plans: discussing ambitions for work and pleasure; the value of learning a foreign language; discussing jobs and places of work; responsibilities at work. A special holiday: discuss countries and locations; types of holidays; holiday items; describe a disastrous holiday; describe a visit to tourist attractions.	Celebrations: review of food with opinions; appropriate clothes for different occasions; study and explain a cultural festival. The environment: World issues (environmental problems); preparation for a GCSE style speaking assessment; research of the origin and transportation of products around the world.
Year 10 (New GCSE from September 2024)	Free time: Talking about free time activities, sports and hobbies and using technology; talking about media preferences and making plans to go out; giving an account of past activities All about me: describing what you and your friends/family are like; describing role models with reasons;	Lifestyle: talking about celebrations and what you usually do at the weekend. Describing and giving opinions about food; discussing physical and mental health; talking about illness and how to make changes to improve lifestyle. Travel: Describing all aspects of holidays at home and abroad- travel, booking and describing accommodation, activities, tourist information, weather.	Mock exam preparation: walking, talking exam sessions. Holidays: Ordering meals in a restaurant; describe/explain a problematic holiday; describe an ideal holiday. Review verbs in present tense, perfect tense, imperfect tense, future tenses
Year 11 (Legacy GCSE)	Life at school: describe subjects and facilities with opinions; compare a typical French school with your own; describe school rules and regulations; a typical school day and school clubs; success at school with justification.	At work: discussing preferences of jobs; future plans and ambitions; the importance of languages in the workplace; talking about part-time jobs and work experience. Mock exam preparation: walking, talking exam sessions.	The environment: Discussing extreme weather conditions; protecting the environment locally and globally; discussing ethical shopping; talking about volunteering; discussing national events.
Year 12	The changing family model: describe and discuss trends in marriage and other forms of partnership; consider and discuss the merits and problems of other partnerships; consider relationships between generations and discuss problems that arise. Cybersociety: describe and discuss the dangers of technology and how it has transformed everyday life; discuss current technology and explore future developments.	Volunteering: examine the voluntary sector in France and the range of work provided; discuss the benefits of voluntary work. Artistic culture in the Francophone world: understand the notion of heritage, its preservation locally and nationally; consider how heritage sites are marketed; understand how heritage impacts upon and is guided by society. Literature: study of a French text; the language of literature; story, themes, characters, author techniques and style, and social environment. OR Film: study of a French language film; the language of film; story, themes, characters, author techniques and style, and social environment.	Contemporary Francophone music: Consider the popularity, diversity, and genre of music; consider who listens to contemporary music and by what means; consider threats to Francophone music and how it may be preserved. French Cinema: consider aspects of French cinema; evolution and major developments of French cinema; consider the popularity of French cinema and film festivals. Literature: study of a French text; the language of literature; story, themes, characters, author techniques and style, and social environment. OR Film: study of a French language film; the language of film; story, themes, characters, author techniques and style, and social environment.
Year 13	Aspects of society: consider the benefits of living in an ethnically diverse society; consider the need for tolerance and respect of diversity; consider how to promote diversity. Life of social marginalised groups: examine different groups who are socially marginalised; discuss measures to help those whoa re marginalised; consider contrasting attitudes towards marginalised groups. Literature: study of a French text; the language of literature; story, themes, characters, author techniques and style, and social environment. OR Film: study of a French language film; the language of film; story, themes, characters, author techniques and style, and social environment. Individual research project: planning, research and preparation for the individual research project	Attitudes to criminal behaviour: examine varied attitudes towards crime; discuss prison – merits and problems; alternatives to prison as punishment. Young people and their attitude to politics: discuss arguments relating to the vote and examine the French political system and its evolution; discuss engagement levels of young people and their influence on politics; Discuss the future of politics and political engagement. Literature: study of a French text; the language of literature; story, themes, characters, author techniques and style, and social environment. OR Film: study of a French language film; the language of film; story, themes, characters, author techniques and style, and social environment. Individual research project: planning, research and preparation for the individual research project.	Demonstrations and strikes: Understand the important role of unions; talk about strikes and protests and consider different methods of protesting; discuss different attitudes towards strikes, protests and other political tensions. Immigration: discuss some of the political issues concerning immigration in francophone countries; Consider the viewpoints of political parties regarding immigration Consider immigration from the standpoint of immigrants, as well as aspects of racism. Literature: study of a French text; the language of literature; story, themes, characters, author techniques and style, and social environment. OR Film: study of a French language film; the language of film; story, themes, characters, author techniques and style, and social environment.

Autumn

Spring

Summer

Year 7

My world: personal information; numbers 0-100; physical descriptions of people; relationships; opinions with activities.

Aspect life at school; opinions of subjects; asking and giving the time; simple future plans.

My hobbies/free time: using technology; sports and non-sports activities; giving information about the weather; parts of the body, minor injuries.

Where I live: describing location; asking for and giving directions; register of language; describe an outing.

Holidays: review weather; destination, accommodation, and holiday activities (actual and ideal); numbers 0-1000; buying food and drink (café/restaurant/supermarket)

The environment: natural world (animals); habitat; description; lifestyle; visit to local zoo.

Year 8

Free time at home: genre of tv programmes, films; opinions with justification; use of the internet; review weather conditions; talking about self and others.

Francophone world (Paris): tourist activities with opinions; describing a past visit to Paris; asking for tourist information.

My identity: description of personality of self and others; relationships; genres of music with opinions; agreeing and disagreeing with points of view; explaining your favourite things.

At home: describing dwellings (actual and ideal); talking about various aspects of a forthcoming event; discussing clothes, food, and meals

Talent and ambition: explaining what must and can be done in the context of a competition; giving instructions; comparing the qualities of others.

The environment: (local issues); describing current situation; discuss solutions to local environmental issues (air/sea/land); visit to either Eden Project or Plymouth Aquarium.

Year 9

Once upon a time: discussing what you used to do/ be like; review of physical description including preferences (sport, tv, music, clothes, food); whodunnit? Crime at the castle Mystery.

Healthy living: discussing key aspects of a healthy lifestyle (food, exercise); making plans to maintain fitness.

Careers and future plans: discussing ambitions for work and pleasure; the value of learning a foreign language; discussing jobs and places of work; responsibilities at work.

A special holiday: discuss countries and locations; types of holidays; holiday items; describe a disastrous holiday; describe a visit to tourist attractions.

Celebrations: review of food with opinions; appropriate clothes for different occasions; study and explain a cultural festival.

The environment: World issues (environmental problems); preparation for a GCSE style speaking assessment; research of the origin and transportation of products around the world.

Year 10

(New GCSE from September 2024)

Free time: Talking about free time activities, sports and hobbies and using technology; talking about media preferences and making plans to go out; giving an account of past activities

All about me: describing what you and your friends/family are like; describing role models with reasons;

Lifestyle: talking about celebrations and what you usually do at the weekend. Describing and giving opinions about food; discussing physical and mental health; talking about illness and how to make changes to improve lifestyle.

Travel: Describing all aspects of holidays at home and abroad- travel, booking and describing accommodation, activities, tourist information, weather.

Mock exam preparation: walking, talking exam sessions.

Holidays: Ordering meals in a restaurant; describe/explain a problematic holiday; describe an ideal holiday.

Review verbs in present tense, perfect tense, imperfect tense, future tenses

Year 11

(Legacy GCSE)

Life at school: describe subjects and facilities with opinions; compare a typical French school with your own; describe school rules and regulations; a typical school day and school clubs; success at school with justification.

At work: discussing preferences of jobs; future plans and ambitions; the importance of languages in the workplace; talking about part-time jobs and work experience.

Mock exam preparation: walking, talking exam sessions.

The environment: Discussing extreme weather conditions; protecting the environment locally and globally; discussing ethical shopping; talking about volunteering; discussing national events.

Year 12

The changing family model: describe and discuss trends in marriage and other forms of partnership; consider and discuss the merits and problems of other partnerships; consider relationships between generations and discuss problems that arise.

Cybersociety: describe and discuss the dangers of technology and how it has transformed everyday life; discuss current technology and explore future developments.

Volunteering: examine the voluntary sector in France and the range of work provided; discuss the benefits of voluntary work.

Artistic culture in the Francophone world: understand the notion of heritage, its preservation locally and nationally; consider how heritage sites are marketed; understand how heritage impacts upon and is guided by society.