MFL

Curriculum statement for Modern Foreign Languages (MFL)at Chorleywood Primary School

At Chorleywood Primary School, we are committed to providing our children with a curriculum that has a clear intention and impacts positively upon their needs.  It is designed to help pupils remember long term content and integrate new knowledge by coherently sequencing learning so that knowledge is cumulatively secured over time.

Curriculum Intent

The curriculum for modern foreign languages intends to ensure that all pupils: 

1. Foster a curiosity of the world around them and a willingness to explore other countries and cultures. 

2. Understand and respond to written and spoken languages from other countries.  3. Develop fluency in other languages through varied and frequent practice with increasingly complex language over time, so that they can communicate what they want to say. 

‘A high-quality languages education should foster pupils’ curiosity and deepen their understanding of the world.’ (National Curriculum 2014 – Appendix A)

Chorleywood Curriculum Intent

At Chorleywood Primary School, we believe that learning a language provides an opening to other cultures and deepens pupils’ understanding of the world, as well as contributing to the development of their general linguistic competence. We recognise this importance as a life-long skill.  We focus on language awareness in EYFS, introducing children in KS1 to greetings and colours in a foreign language, then progressing to teaching a specific foreign language to all children in Key Stage 2 as part of the curriculum. We do this for several reasons. Firstly, we believe that children really enjoy learning to speak another language. Secondly, we also believe that the earlier a child is introduced to a foreign language, the faster the language is acquired. We also believe that it is a good idea to introduce new languages to children when they are at primary school, as they tend to be less self conscious about speaking aloud at this stage of their development. The intent is that early acquisition of foreign languages facilitates the learning of other languages later in life. 

To enhance pupils’ awareness of the multilingual and multicultural world and introduce an international dimension to pupils’ learning, giving them an insight into their own culture and those of others 

To develop linguistic competence, extend their knowledge of how language works and explore differences and similarities between the target language and English 

To provide a medium for cross-curricular links and for reinforcement of knowledge, skills and understanding developed in other subjects

To develop pupils’ communication and literacy skills that lay the foundation for future language learning.