French Curriculum Intent

Learning French at The Westleigh School helps pupils develop confidence, communication skills and cultural awareness. Our curriculum is engaging and supportive, preparing pupils for life beyond school while opening doors to the French-speaking world. Pupils build grammar and vocabulary alongside listening, speaking, reading and writing. Stories, songs, films and cultural texts bring French to life.

Implementation

Key Stage 3 (Years 7–9)

All pupils learn French. Lessons focus on the pillars of language learning – reading aloud, translation and dictation – as well as grammar and vocabulary. Pupils study cultural topics such as family, holidays, food and media. Assessments take place each term to track progress and prepare for GCSE.

Key Stage 4 (Years 10–11)

Pupils follow the AQA GCSE French course. Lessons are taught as much as possible in French, encouraging pupils to communicate confidently. Learning is supported with films, songs, authentic texts and online tools like Quizlet, Socrative and Kerboodle. Pupils practise regularly in all four skills – listen speaking, reading and writing – so they are well-prepared for GCSE exams.

Impact

By the end of their language journey, pupils can communicate clearly in French and are ready for GCSE and beyond. Just as importantly, they gain wider life skills such as resilience, problem-solving, memory and adaptability.

We measure the impact of our MFL curriculum through:

  • GCSE results and progress over time
  • Engagement in lessons and enrichment (trips, clubs, competitions)
  • Pupil feedback on confidence and enjoyment
  • The number of pupils continuing with languages at KS5.

This way, we celebrate not only exam success, but also how pupils grow in confidence and curiosity about the wider world.

Learning Journey

French Curriculum Map 2025-2026

"If you talk to a man in a language he understand, that goes to his head.  if you talk to him in his language, that goes to his heart." - Nelson Mandela

Examination Board

The examination board studied in Languages.is AQA.  Please click to view the specification we study. 

Student Resources

We have a number of resources designed to support our students:

Knowledge Organisers
Year 7 Year 8 Year 9 GCSE Foundation GCSE Higher

 

External Resources

The following websites and apps are also useful in supporting learning in languages