French

French Curriculum

EYFS (Nursery and Reception)

During the Early Years Foundation Stage (EYFS), children will:

Become comfortable with spoken French and start imitating words and sounds.
Listen to authentic French children's songs.
Begin singing along to familiar French songs when guided by the teacher.
Learn actions to help them remember songs and connect words with their meanings.
Gradually acquire their initial collection of basic French words related to greetings, numbers, colors, animals, days of the week, parts of the body, clothing, weather, and food.

KS1 (Year 1 and Year 2)

In Key Stage 1, children will:

Understand and respond to spoken French within their daily routines.
Gradually be introduced to French sounds and letters, including those that differ from English (e.g., French /ch/ sounding like English /sh/). They will practice mimicking these sounds and copying their written forms.
Explore the language through songs and stories to solidify their basic vocabulary, covering greetings, numbers, colors, animals, days and months, body parts, clothing, weather, and food.
Develop a basic understanding of some French cultural celebrations such as Christmas and Mardi Gras.
Recognize the colours of the French flag.

KS2 (Years 3 and 4)

In Key Stage 2, children will:

Understand and respond to spoken French in class routines and well-practiced conversations.
Be able to introduce themselves in French (including name and age).
Gain confidence using the language in familiar contexts, such as greetings, providing dates, and singing "Happy Birthday."
Express their likes and dislikes.
Match spoken words with their written forms.
Recognize French letters and understand that some French words have silent letters at the end.
Differentiate between /e/, /é/, and /è/ sounds.
Expand their vocabulary, particularly in topics like food and numbers, and use it meaningfully (e.g., shopping for groceries, ordering snacks, asking about prices).
Familiarize themselves with the first person (je) and second person (tu/vous) pronouns.
Understand word order for color adjectives (e.g., "une pomme rouge" instead of "rouge pomme").
Grasp the concept of gender for all French nouns.

KS2 (Years 5 and 6)

In Key Stage 2, children will:

Understand and respond to spoken French in familiar situations.
Be able to introduce and describe themselves.
Ask basic questions and respond when questioned by others.
Express likes and dislikes using various expressions.
Acquire new vocabulary related to school life (stationery, subjects, school uniform, classroom furniture), leisure activities, and home life.
Consolidate and expand vocabulary in familiar areas (weather, family, animals, clothing, food, shopping).
Ensure adjectives agree with nouns (e.g., "un stylo vert," "une trousse verte").
Define vocabulary words using only French.
Read short paragraphs in French and grasp the main idea.
Speak clearly in French, making themselves understood to a French speaker.
Compare how French and British children dress for school.
Gain awareness of major celebrations in the French calendar.

KS3 (Years 7 and 8)

In Key Stage 3, children will:

Understand and respond to spoken French in familiar situations.
Introduce and describe themselves.
Ask questions and respond appropriately.
Engage in roleplays, request information, and respond accordingly.
Incorporate authentic idiomatic phrases into their spoken French (e.g., "Zut alors!").
Express likes and dislikes, providing reasons and examples to support their opinions.
Identify French diphthongs in common words, aiding pronunciation of new words.
Grasp the main idea of basic conversations.
Define vocabulary words using only French.
Discuss past, present, and future events.
Read texts in French and comprehend the gist.
Read aloud in French, following pronunciation rules for clear understanding.
Develop new vocabulary related to health, holidays, directions, technology, and the environment, while reinforcing and expanding familiar topics (weather, family, animals, clothing, food, shopping, telling time, school life, stationery, subjects, leisure activities, sports, and home life).
Write a self-portrait.
Describe their morning routine.
Write an account of a past event (e.g., details about a holiday using the perfect tense).
Compare aspects of school life in Britain and France (e.g., school day length and subject choices).
Understand that French is spoken in Canada, 5 European countries, 26 African countries, and several small island nations.
Compare cultural celebrations and sporting events across different countries.