At Springdale, all children have the opportunity to learn an additional language and explore another culture in detail. By teaching French, we aim to expand the horizons of all our learners and open their minds to a world outside the U.K.

We teach French through a variety of pictures, stories, songs and rhymes as well as educational videos involving native French speakers to ensure that our children are learning the correct pronunciation from the very first word.  The topics focus on useful vocabulary that build naturally and progressively throughout Year 3 and into Year 4 and engage our learners. The emphasis on practical learning, games and songs helps the children to build their speaking and listening skills with confidence. A listen and repeat strategy ensures that children can practice their oracy over several attempts and pronounce French words accurately from the beginning.

It is our intention that all pupils leave Springdale First School at the end of Year 4 ready to access French in Year 5 with a solid knowledge of numbers, colours, body parts, time, how to greet people in French, how to introduce themselves, ask basic questions of others and to be able to navigate around their way around a town. As well as speaking and listening in French, pupils will be taught to read and write single words and simple sentences, recognising popular letter strings in French and the differences in pronunciation between certain letters in French and English.

Springdale learners will have an understanding of French geography, customs and daily life which is learnt alongside the language to bring the language to life for them and guarantee access to a multidimensional learning experience.