French

Intent

At Bearbrook, we believe language learning is part of an exciting adventure—one that opens young minds to endless possibilities. Our French scheme of work, based on the Kapow programme, aims to instil a lifelong love of language learning and a deep awareness of other cultures. Just as we stand beside our pupils on their journey through school, our French curriculum offers a guiding hand, nurturing curiosity and confidence in both spoken and written French.

Rooted in our school values—respect, empowerment, nurture, trust, and integrity—French lessons encourage children to develop the skills to communicate for real-life purposes, while also gaining a solid foundation for learning additional languages in the future. Our approach supports pupils in deepening their understanding of the English language and empowers them to pursue opportunities to study and work abroad.

As pupils take their next steps in language learning, the scheme is designed to help them hold on tight to key concepts and vocabulary, while also giving them the confidence to let go and explore independently. It fully supports the National Curriculum end of Key Stage 2 attainment targets for languages and prepares learners for the next phase of their linguistic journey.

Implementation 

At Bearbrook, we believe every child’s learning journey is an exciting adventure. Our French curriculum, built around the Kapow scheme of work, is designed to open young minds to new languages, cultures, and opportunities. Rooted in our school values of respect, empowerment, nurture, trust, and integrity, we aim to foster a genuine love of language learning in all our pupils.

We recognise the importance of developing confident communicators. Our lessons are engaging and interactive, helping children use both spoken and written French for practical purposes. As they explore a new language, pupils also deepen their understanding of English and build skills that will support the learning of further languages in the future.

Each session is carefully structured to support progression and recall. Pupils take part in fun, memorable activities, with a written element at the end of each lesson which is added to their individual French folders. These serve as valuable resources to help revisit and reinforce previous vocabulary and knowledge.

Through our French curriculum, we aim not only to meet the National Curriculum end of Key Stage 2 attainment targets, but also to prepare our pupils for a future full of possibilities. Language learning at Bearbrook is more than vocabulary—it's about encouraging curiosity, building resilience, and opening doors to new cultures and global experiences.

At Bearbrook, we journey together. Sometimes our pupils hold on tight as they build confidence; sometimes they’re ready to let go and explore. But our guiding hand is always there—supporting each learner to embrace new challenges and grow into empowered, respectful global citizens.

Assessment

At Bearbrook, French is assessed informally throughout the year, with a focus on ensuring pupils are progressing in a fun, engaging, and meaningful way. While the four key language skills—listening, speaking, reading, writing and grammar—are embedded across all lessons, assessment is based on the specific objectives within each unit of the Kapow scheme of work.

At the end of the year, staff complete a simple, objective-based assessment sheet for each child. Rather than being assessed separately in each skill area, pupils are evaluated on their overall understanding and application of the unit objectives. Each objective is marked as either Secure or Greater Depth, allowing teachers to build a clear picture of each child’s progress and confidence in using the language.

An enjoyable part of our end-of-year assessment is revisiting the songs and spoken activities pupils have learned throughout the year. These not only help consolidate vocabulary and pronunciation but also give a sense of how well pupils have retained and enjoyed their learning.

This approach supports both formative and summative assessment, enabling teachers to adapt their teaching and ensure that all pupils are developing the foundations they need for future language learning. Our assessment process is designed to reflect our school values—encouraging confidence, engagement, and a love of languages in every learner.