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.