Our Affiliate Schools 

West Coventry Academy

KS3 Provision:

In KS3, students study French or Spanish and have 4 hours a fortnight of lessons.  In years 7 and 8 students follow the ATLP bespoke languages curriculum.  Venturing on a fictional exchange to either France or Spain, students are immersed in a carefully planned language learning journey which focuses on the vocabulary and structures required to: 

• Prepare for an exchange to Boulogne / Granada – including introductions, descriptions of yourself and your family and talking about free-time
• Arrive in France/ Spain and engage with your host family including transactional language useful in everyday life
• Visit Paris / Granada and explore its attractions
• Relocate to a new city – Toulouse / Barcelona
• Go to school in France / Spain
• Enjoy French / Spanish celebrations and cultural experiences

Our curriculum is carefully sequenced using Conti’s MARS EARS approach to make sure that over a sequence of lessons, task build from modelling to receptive practice, followed by structured production.  Over time the sentence builder scaffold is gradually reduced allowing students to build towards independence. 

In year 9, the focus shifts to more explicit teaching of grammar.  Exploring the themes of free time, technology and cinema, the planned curriculum supports learners to develop confidence using the past, the present and the future tense fluently, understanding both the formation of the individual tenses as well as how to use them alongside one another.

KS4 Provision: 

Students pick their options at the end of year 9.  Students who choose to continue with French or Spanish have five hours of lessons a fortnight, following the AQA specification.  The team at West Coventry Academy plan to use the AQA specification from September 2024 to teach the reformed GCSE.

KS5 Provision:

West Coventry Academy currently don’t have any French or Spanish classes in KS5, although this has been taught in the past.  The team hope to do so again in September 2024.  Students have 8 hours a fortnight of lessons and follow the AQA spec.

Highlights of our provision

The Languages department at West Coventry Academy also includes HHCL, which is seen as a “beacon of excellence” across the city of Coventry. Through a well-planned academic and pastoral approach the needs of our increasing EAL community are embraced (around 23% of our whole school cohort is EAL with about 50 different languages spoken in school).  The team includes a highly experienced EAL coordinator and an EA. We have a dedicated EAL classroom.  Our vision is to foster an understanding and inclusive school community, which recognises and values all languages as an asset and where diverse cultures are acknowledged, accepted and respected.”  Claire Fazilleau.  Head of Languages

The Coleshill School

KS3 Provision:

In Years 7, 8 and 9, students study French or Spanish at the Coleshill School. They have 4 hours of MFL a fortnight and follow the bespoke ATLP curriculum. Students are taught with the support of sentence builders and follow a MARS EARS cycle.

The ATLP bespoke curriculum builds on the principles of the 2016 MFL pedagogy review.  It was collaboratively planned by representatives from the ATLP secondary schools in 2019.  A clear narrative runs through the scheme of learning whereby students embark on a fictional exchange trip to France or Spain learning a carefully sequenced diet of the core structures and vocabulary needed to thrive in a TL country. 

Alongside regular retrieval of core structures and vocabulary, the scheme of learning includes explicit teaching of phonics and exploration of tenses, use of adjectives and ways to develop and justify opinions. 

KS4 Provision: 

Students can opt to continue the language that they have studied at KS3 through to KS4. KS4 students have 5 hours of MFL a fortnight and currently study the Edexcel specification.  From September 2024, students will switch to AQA as the new specification comes into play.

KS5 Provision: Students can choose to continue their language studies to KS5 with French and Spanish running in sixth form, dependent on numbers. Groups are usually made up of a handful of students allowing huge scope for collaboration and opportunities to speak in the TL. Students have 10 hours a fortnight of their MFL studies and follow the AQA specification. 

Highlights of our provision

“I am most proud of our curriculum provision.  Being able to offer students at The Coleshill School the opportunity to learn either French or Spanish provides a broad offer with opportunities to develop cultural capital.”  Catherine Daniels.  The Coleshill School.

John Willmott School

KS3 Provision:

Students in Year 7, 8 and 9 at John Willmott School learn French benefitting from 4 hours of French a fortnight. In years 7 and 8, students follow the ATLP French curriculum.  This bespoke curriculum, which builds on the principles of the 2016 MFL pedagogy review, was collaboratively planned by representatives from the ATLP secondary schools in 2019.  A clear narrative runs through the scheme of learning whereby students embark on a fictional exchange trip to Boulogne-sur-Mer learning a carefully sequenced diet of the core structures and vocabulary needed to thrive in a TL country. 

Alongside regular retrieval of core structures and vocabulary, the scheme of learning includes explicit teaching of phonics and exploration of tenses, use of adjectives and ways to develop and justify opinions. 

Teachers at John Willmott use a sentence builder approach to introduce the core structures and vocabulary and to provide a clear scaffold to support all learners to access the curriculum.  Purposeful practice activities are incorporated into all lessons, focusing on the ‘trickier’ areas of language learning, supporting students to know more and remember more over time.

In year 9, the focus shifts to more explicit teaching of grammar.  Exploring the themes of  free time, technology and visiting a music festival, the planned curriculum supports learners to develop confidence using the past, the present and the future tense fluently, understanding both the formation of the individual tenses as well as how to use them alongside one another.

KS4 Provision: 

Students pick their options at the end of year 9.  Students who choose to continue with French have five hours of French a fortnight, currently following the Edexcel specification.  The team at John Willmott plan to use the AQA specification from September 2024 to teach the reformed GCSE.

Highlights of our provision

“I am most proud of our collaboration with other secondary MAT MFL departments to create a strong KS3 curriculum.”  Alison Henstock.  Head of Languages John Willmott School.

Nether Stowe School

Students in Year 7 , 8 and 9 at Nether Stowe School learn French benefitting from 4 hours of French a fortnight. In years 7 and 8, students follow the ATLP French curriculum.  This bespoke curriculum, which builds on the principles of the 2016 MFL pedagogy review was collaboratively planned by representatives from the ATLP secondary schools in 2019.  A clear narrative runs through the scheme of learning whereby students embark on a fictional exchange trip to Boulogne-Sur-Mer.  Over the course of year 7 and 8, students are immersed in a carefully planned language learning journey which focuses on the vocabulary and structures required to:

• Prepare for an exchange to France – including introductions, descriptions of yourself and your family and talking about free-time
• Arrive in France and engage with your host family including transactional language useful in everyday life
• Visit Paris and explore its attractions
• Relocate to a new town in France
• Go to school in France
• Enjoy French celebrations and cultural experiences

Alongside regular retrieval of core structures and vocabulary, the scheme of learning includes explicit teaching of phonics and exploration of tenses, use of adjectives and ways to develop and justify opinions. 

In year 9, the focus shifts to more explicit teaching of grammar.  Exploring the themes of free time, technology and holidays, the planned curriculum supports learners to develop confidence using the past, the present and the future tense fluently, understanding both the formation of the individual tenses as well as how to use them alongside one another.

KS4 Provision: 

Students pick their options at the end of year 9.  Students who choose to continue with French have four hours of French a fortnight, following the AQA specification.  The team at Nether Stowe plan to use the AQA specification from September 2024 to teach the reformed GCSE.

KS5 Provision:

French is also offered at KS5.

Highlights of our provision

“I am most proud of our phonics provision which is embedded into our curriculum in KS3.  Students develop confidence with common French pronunciation rules as well as French phonemes and their corresponding graphemes.  This enables our learners to engage with unseen texts and to communicate orally with confidence and pride.”  Harriet Jones.  Head of French at Nether Stowe School. 

Blessed William Howard

More information coming soon

Fairfax Academy

KS3 Provision

All pupils study either French or German at KS3 and have 2 hours of language teaching per week.  Pupils begin by learning the key phonics rules in their language before moving on to learn to talk about topics such as their hobbies, holidays and where they live.  They also learn about cultural aspects of French/German speaking countries such as traditions and popular culture.  There are also opportunities to visit France and Germany in KS3.

KS4 Provision

At KS4 students are encouraged to study French or German and have 3 hours of language teaching per week.  Pupils build on their learning at KS3 and learn to talk in more detail about a variety of topics including the environment and shopping.  The AQA specification is followed.  There are also opportunities for pupils to visit Paris or Berlin in year 10.

Highlights of our provision

“Our pupils receive a comprehensive language offering, both in and out of the classroom.  This is boosted by opportunities to visit France/Germany in KS3 and KS4.  Pupils also can participate in a variety of language based extra-curricular activities, such as our annual Spelling Bee and 5 Days of Christmas, in order to earn their Language Colours.   In year 10 pupils can also apply to become our Language Ambassadors, where the proudly help to promote MFL in school.”  Alison Jamieson.  Head of French at Fairfax School. 

Stockland Green

KS3 Provision

Students in Year 7, 8 and 9 at Stockland Green School learn French benefitting from 4 hours of French a fortnight. In years 7 and 8, students follow the ATLP French curriculum.  This bespoke curriculum, which builds on the principles of the 2016 MFL pedagogy review was collaboratively planned by representatives from the ATLP secondary schools in 2019.  A clear narrative runs through the scheme of learning whereby students embark on a fictional exchange trip to Boulogne-Sur-Mer.  Over the course of year 7 and 8, students are immersed in a carefully planned language learning journey which focuses on the vocabulary and structures required to:

• Prepare for an exchange to France – including introductions, descriptions of yourself and your family and talking about free-time
• Arrive in France and engage with your host family including transactional language useful in everyday life
• Visit Paris and explore its attractions
• Relocate to a new town in France
• Go to school in France
• Enjoy French celebrations and cultural experiences

Alongside regular retrieval of core structures and vocabulary, the scheme of learning includes explicit teaching of phonics and exploration of tenses, use of adjectives and ways to develop and justify opinions. 

In year 9, the focus shifts to more explicit teaching of grammar.  Exploring the themes of free time, technology and holidays, the planned curriculum supports learners to develop confidence using the past, the present and the future tense fluently, understanding both the formation of the individual tenses as well as how to use them alongside one another.

KS4 Provision: 

Students pick their options at the end of year 9.  Students who choose to continue with French have 5 hours of French a fortnight, following the Edexcel specification.  The team at Stockland Green plan to use the AQA specification from September 2024 to teach the reformed GCSE.

Highlights of our provision

“We believe that it is incredibly important that students become Confident Communicators, Creative Collaborators and Curious Citizens.  To this end, we have embedded phonics teaching in our curriculum and revisit sound-spelling links every lesson.  We have also carefully crafted a programme at KS3 and KS4 which builds cultural capital and allows students to engage with the lives of peers and role models throughout the French-speaking world.”  Hayley Bourne.  Lead Practitioner Stockland Green School. 

Little Sutton Primary School

In our two-form entry school, all children study a language from as early as Reception. Specialist teachers deliver the lessons during PPA time. In line with the recognition of the importance of language learning, although non-statutory, children in Reception and Key stage 1 are taught Spanish weekly for one term each year. Through familiar songs and stories such as ‘Dear Zoo’ and ‘Heads Shoulders Knees and Toes’, the children are introduced to basic phrases and nouns and adjectives.

 In Key Stage 2 the children receive one hour of French per week building upon and making links with the skills they practise in KS1, working towards making substantial progress in one language in readiness for their transition to secondary school. The curriculum follows the topics in the QCDA (Qualifications and Curriculum Development Agency) scheme of work, ensuring progression and continuity across four years. Children’s speaking, listening and reading is supported by both explicit and incidental phonics teaching (Sue Cave: Physical French Phonics) Writing is taught alongside reading and speaking, beginning with simple rehearsed words and sentences in y3 and progressing through the use of writing frames and scaffolds to support and facilitate more adventurous and independent writing of paragraphs in y5 and Y6. Children are taught grammar as identified in the Programme of study and encouraged to identify similarities and differences between French, English and other languages of which they have knowledge.

Aspirations for our Language Learners

At Little Sutton, our aim is for every child, regardless of background, need or ability, to receive a high quality languages education. Providing age-appropriate Primary Language learning opportunities throughout the school instills a love of languages in our children and encourages a curiosity about communication, both in their first language and languages they study or encounter incidentally; a readiness to engage with other cultures and experiences and a willingness to understand and to tolerate difference. Language learning equips our children with the necessary skills and attitudes to thrive in an increasingly global employment market.

My Top Tip!

Never underestimate the ability of primary school children to grasp and retain complex concepts; if they can use and understand subordinating conjunctions and fronted adverbials in English, then they can do it in French!

Moor Hall Primary School

Moor Hall Primary School is a thriving school, with nearly 400 pupils, in Sutton Coldfield, Birmingham. We pride ourselves on providing a caring, nurturing and supportive environment, where children feel happy, safe and ready to learn.

French is taught as part of our broad and balanced curriculum, with all children from Year 2 to Year 6 receiving specialist teaching each week. The specialist teacher, Mrs Jenny Barton, qualified as a Modern Foreign Languages teacher in 2003, and has subsequently taught German in KS3, KS4 and KS5, and French from KS1 right through to Adult Learners. It is this range of experience and wealth of knowledge that enables Jenny to motivate and inspire the children at Moor Hall Primary School.

Jenny has written a scheme of work to reflect the school’s values and the development of the Moor Hall Child, with a focus on our pupils achieving and being responsible, healthy and confident. The scheme of work follows a thematic approach with opportunities embedded each term to re-use and re-cycle vocabulary and structures. With a focus on phonics, vocabulary and grammar, the Moor Hall Child is empowered to achieve in the modalities of Listening, Speaking, Reading and Writing. There is also a firm emphasis on Cultural Understanding and all languages spoken within our school community are valued and celebrated.

The intent of MFL teaching at Moor Hall Primary School is clear – to enable children to succeed in learning an additional language, and to develop a love of language learning, which will allow our children to flourish as linguists.

We do this by:

• Introducing young children to another language in a way that is enjoyable and fun.
• Developing linguistic competence, extending children’s knowledge and making them aware that languages have structures, and structures can be both the same and different, when comparing languages.
• Developing pupils’ communication and literacy skills, to lay the foundation for future language learning.
• Celebrating children’s own cultural heritages and additional languages.
• Helping children to develop their awareness of cultural differences in France and other francophone countries.
• Underpinning the curriculum with the values of the Moor Hall Child.

Mme Barton’s Top Tips: Be kind, be consistent and be positive. Approach every lesson with the expectation that the children ARE capable of grasping today’s structure or pronouncing the new vocabulary. We are facilitators of learning and can break down any barriers to progress. All other elements of teaching French to primary age children will follow, if these key aspects are in place. Being confident in our very specialised field also helps immensely!

Highlights of our provision: Jenny is extremely proud of everything the children have achieved this year so far. Particular highlights have been European Day of Languages, where a total of 42 different languages were spoken and celebrated in class, within our theme of “we all smile in the same language.” World Book Day was celebrated by children reciting parts of The Gruffalo in French, which was very enjoyable. A recent experience for year 4 saw them taking part in a classroom role play of ordering an ice-cream in French and paying for it in Euros. The quality of the language used was fabulous, and all children were able to see that they could easily make themselves understood in a French speaking country. It helped in no small part that we had a toy ice-cream cart and till to use in our work!

Teaching French at Moor Hall Primary School is a real privilege – kind and enthusiastic children; supportive and committed SLT – Jenny is living the dream of every MFL teacher!

The Arthur Terry Learning Partnership

Hodge Hill Primary School

Hodge Hill Primary School is a bustling, vibrant multi-ethnic school hosting 700 pupils in Hodge Hill, Birmingham. We are an Ofsted-rated good school that successfully underwent a deep dive in MFL in 2023.

In Key Stage 2, children are being taught French weekly for 40 minutes. Lessons are prerecorded by a native speaker and language specialist who has experience in both primary and secondary settings. This  flexibility enables children and staff to learn together at their own pace. The video includes a recap of previous learning in order to build on progression, a phonics session to maximise accurate pronunciation and opportunities to practice key vocabulary across the four strands (reading, speaking, writing and listening). Independent practice is differentiated to suit the needs of the children. The lessons also include activities linked to cultural awareness, games, songs and clips, linking with other topics across the curriculum. Every year a French theatre company delivers a French play, which is a great opportunity for our children to listen to additional native speakers and hear conversations within real-life situations.

At Hodge Hill Primary School, languages are an integral part of the school life. We celebrate the European Day of Languages through art: children produce sketches related to the French revolution or paint masterpieces in the style of famous artists such as Matisse or Seurat. Through our Language of the Month initiative, our pupils are given the opportunity to share their family heritage, culture and tradition. The register is taken in a different language every month and children learn some key fundamentals.

Highlight of our provision

We are incredibly fortunate that most of our children are already plurilingual learners; their approach to linguistics is systematic as their brain is trained to cope with the demand of language acquisition from a very young age. Our children are talented learners: not only do they have a natural curiosity for new adventures, but they also show a genuine enjoyment at understanding language structure and phonics.

My top tip

If the children have been exposed to values such as open mindedness and tolerance in their everyday learning environment, and if they understand the benefits of being multilingual speakers in our modern world, they will become successful, skilled adults.