Learning a foreign language provides a valuable educational, social and cultural experience in preparation for future life. At Great Binfield's we aim to introduce French in a fun and enjoyable way. We are lucky to have 2 fluent French speakers on our staff team so they work hard with the rest of our staff to ensure that we provide a stimulating, supportive and challenging French experience for all of our children.

At Great Binfields French is the primary foreign language we teach. We integrate language learning into everyday school life, with teachers, teaching assistants and children using and experimenting with their knowledge of different languages when the opportunity arises.  French is taught throughout our school, and using a variety of resources.  We use a variety of techniques to encourage the children to have an active engagement in the primary language: these include games, role-play and songs.  We frequently use mime to accompany new vocabulary, as this serves to demonstrate the foreign language without the need for translation. We make the lessons as entertaining as possible, as we realise that this approach serves to develop a positive attitude in the children to the learning of primary languages.

At Great Binfields School we aim to find a balance between teaching the spoken and written language.  All children will develop the skills to communicate ideas, facts and feelings in French.  Our Year R children learn simple French vocabulary and greetings during their registration and at various ‘altogether’ times. Each year group from Years 1-6 have regular sessions of French to experience another language and culture.  Our planning in Years 1-4 teaches children to explore sounds of language through songs and rhymes.  We teach them to develop accurate pronunciation, by engaging in conversation in the target language.  As children move through the school they will also learn skills to read and write in French.  Towards the end of the upper key stage in years 5 and 6 children will have developed the skills to write sentences from memory in order to express themselves.  There are strong cross-curricular links and in Year 5 and 6 when pupils study France and compare the culture with England. The children also open up a French café where their classmates are able to pretend purchase refreshments if they attempt to use their French language knowledge. We are always looking to provide opportunities for children to enhance their enjoyment of their own and other cultures.

We also run lunchtime French clubs for both KS1 and 2 children.

MFL contributes to many subjects within the primary curriculum by providing the children with opportunities to develop:

• their use of the skills of listening, speaking reading and writing
• an understanding of their social and cultural traditions
• an appreciation of the diversity and richness of their cultures
• presentation skills

During the Spring, Year 6 have been learning the vocabulary for family members and they have been using this knowledge to write some sentences to describe their families:

In year 4 the children have been looking at where they live and rooms in their houses.

During the Spring term in year 2 we have been learning the French alphabet and relating it to animal names.

In the Autumn term we have linked out French to our topic 'Farms' and have been learning some of the vocabulary for animals we find on the farm.