Modern Foreign Languages at Crooksbarn
At Crooksbarn, we aim to enrich the lives of our pupils by engaging them with the wider world. Through our French programme of study (see link to website below), not only do we teach an additional language, but we also incorporate an understanding of the many countries throughout the world that speak this language, learning about some of their customs and traditions.
Our intention is to encourage our pupils to explore the wider world, developing their awareness of the rich diversity of experiences that are available to them – not only locally, but also further afield.
French was chosen following a review of language provision by local secondary and tertiary educational establishments. It is the only language offered by all of the secondary schools that Crooksbarn generally feeds into, and it is also available at the greatest number of colleges. This makes it more relevant to the majority of our pupils. It is also the language that staff feel most confident in delivering, and this can only enhance the offering to our pupils.
In lower Key Stage 2, there is a strong emphasis placed on speaking and listening skills, enabling pupils to develop their confidence and, ideally, creating a lifelong love of languages. This is further developed in upper Key Stage 2, extending vocabulary and grammatical knowledge, and embedding this in reading and writing. By the end of the final unit, the intention is that pupils will be able to interact confidently in their new language, providing them with a strong foundation for future learning beyond Crooksbarn.