Learning a foreign language helps our children to understand that English is just one of many languages spoken in our own community and in the wider world. Our intent is to stimulate and encourage the children’s interest in languages and to foster their curiosity about other cultures.

The main language taught at St Thomas’s is French. Our aim is to embed the listening, reading, speaking and writing skills necessary to enable the children to use and apply their French learning in a variety of contexts, laying the foundation for future language learning at secondary school and for using the language if and when they visit a French-speaking country or communicate with French speakers.

Children will develop their skills in speaking, understanding, reading and writing French beginning in Year Two and continuing through Key Stage 2. Their regular lessons will be taught using interactive and visual resources to increase their confidence in speaking and understanding while giving them a basic foundation in French vocabulary and grammar. 

Children may demonstrate knowledge of some key points in French history, as well as modern French culture, buildings, landmarks, the arts and food. They may be able to talk about different traditions in France, and how they differ to British traditions. They may be able to name other French speaking countries, and demonstrate some understanding of the opportunities available when able to speak and read a modern foreign language.

In addition, children are introduced to other cultures by hearing and speaking some of the other languages spoken in our community, for example by special celebration days in school.

Children will be able to speak in French about a variety of topics with increasing confidence and accuracy. They will be able to write in sentences about these topics and to understand some spoken and written French.

Children will also know about the geography, culture and some traditions of France and the French-speaking world.