Overview 

The French curriculum introduces students to the French language and francophone cultures, building confidence in communication and intercultural understanding. Using the Accès Studio, Studio 1 and Studio 2 courses, students develop skills in listening, speaking, reading, and writing. Lessons focus on practical communication, developing phonics, grammar awareness, and cultural knowledge. Students can expect engaging, interactive lessons that build progressively towards independent language use. 

Curriculum Intent 

The department aims to: 

• Develop confident communicators who can understand and express themselves in French. 

• Build strong foundations in phonics, vocabulary, and grammar. 

• Foster curiosity and appreciation of French-speaking cultures 

• Encourage resilience, independence, and risk-taking in language learning. 

• Equip students with transferable literacy and communication skills. 

Key knowledge includes: 

• Core vocabulary across topics such as family, school, hobbies, and lifestyle. 

• Grammatical structures (e.g. present tense, near future, opinions) 

• Phonics and pronunciation patterns 

Key skills include: 

• Listening for gist and detail 

• Speaking with increasing fluency and accuracy 

• Reading authentic and adapted texts 

• Writing using a range of structures. 

Curriculum Implementation 

Teaching Approach 

• Use of the Studio coursebooks to provide structured progression 

• Emphasis on phonics and pronunciation from the start 

• Modelling and scaffolding of language before independent practice 

• Regular retrieval practice and spaced repetition of vocabulary 

• Interactive activities, pair work, and speaking opportunities. 

Sequencing of Learning 

• Begins with phonics and basic classroom language in Year 7 (Accès Studio) 

• Builds to simple sentence construction and opinions in Year 8 (Studio 1) 

• Progresses to more complex structures (e.g. multiple tenses) in Year 9 (Studio 2) 

• Topics are revisited and extended to deepen understanding. 

Assessment 

• Regular formative assessment (quizzes, vocabulary tests, speaking tasks) 

• End-of-unit assessments covering all four skills. 

• Summative assessments aligned with GCSE-style tasks (where appropriate) 

• Feedback focused on improving accuracy and extending responses. 

Curriculum Impact 

Success is measured through: 

• Student progress in all four language skills 

• Increasing accuracy and complexity in spoken and written work 

• Confidence in using French spontaneously in the classroom. 

• Assessment outcomes and progress data 

• Student voice, indicating enjoyment and confidence in language learning. 

Examples of impact: 

• Students producing extended written paragraphs with opinions and reasons. 

• Use of multiple tenses by Year 9 

• Clear pronunciation and improved listening comprehension 

Curriculum Structure 

Key Stage 3 

Year	Topics / Units	Key Knowledge & Skills
7	Accès Studio: greetings, classroom language, family, animals, colours, hobbies	Basic phonics and pronunciation   Introducing oneself and others   Using simple present tense verbs   Giving opinions (j’aime / je n’aime pas)
8	Studio 1: describing self and others, school, free time, town	Expanding present tense usage   Describing activities and experiences   Developing longer spoken and written responses
9	Studio 2: travel, leisure, tourism	Using multiple time frames (past, present, future)   Giving justified opinions and extended answers   Understanding more complex texts   Increased independence in speaking and writing

Textbook(s): 

• Accès Studio, Studio 1, Studio 2 

Useful Websites: 

• Languages Online 

https://www.languagesonline.org.uk/Hotpotatoes/frenchindex.html#google_vignette 

• Quizlet  

https://quizlet.com/search?query=french&type=sets 

• Oak Academy 

https://www.thenational.academy/teachers/programmes/french-secondary-aqa/units?keystages=ks3

Enrichment 

Clubs, trips