Modern Foreign Languages (MFL)

Intent: 

At Pathfinder, we teach French across Key Stage 2 using the Language Angels programme. This engaging and interactive scheme of work helps our pupils develop a love for languages while building strong communication skills for the future. The schemes of work ensures we offer a relevant, broad, vibrant and ambitious foreign languages curriculum that will inspire and excite our pupils using a wide variety of topics and themes. All pupils will be expected to achieve their full potential by encouraging high expectations and excellent standards in their foreign language learning - the ultimate aim being that pupils will feel willing and able to continue studying languages beyond key stage 2.

What is Language Angels?
Language Angels is a high-quality programme that supports the teaching of French through fun, well-structured lessons. It provides everything pupils need to develop confidence in speaking, listening, reading, and writing French in an enjoyable and accessible way. This will ensure that the foreign language knowledge of our pupils progresses within each academic year and is extended year upon year throughout the primary phase and, in so doing, will always be relevant and in line with meeting or exceeding national DfE requirements. 

The four key language learning skills; listening, speaking, reading and writing will be taught and all necessary grammar will be covered in an age-appropriate way across the primary phase. This will enable pupils to use and apply their learning in a variety of contexts, laying down solid foundations for future language learning and also helping the children improve overall attainment in other subject areas.

Learning a second language will also offer pupils the opportunity to explore relationships between language and identity, develop a deeper understanding of other cultures and the world around them with a better awareness of self, others and cultural differences. The intention is that they will be working towards becoming life-long language learners.

 

Implementation:

All classes will have access to a very high-quality foreign languages curriculum using the Language Angels scheme of work and resources. This will progressively develop pupil skills in foreign languages through regularly taught and well-planned weekly lessons in Key Stage Two which will be taught by class teachers.

 

Why We Use Language Angels?

Engaging Lessons: Lessons include songs, stories, games, and interactive resources that make learning French fun and memorable.

Clear Progression: The programme is carefully sequenced, allowing pupils to build on their knowledge and skills year by year across Key Stage 2.

Cultural Understanding: Children learn not only the language but also about French culture, traditions, and everyday life, helping them appreciate the wider world.

Confidence and Communication: Pupils are encouraged to use French in speaking and writing, helping them grow in confidence and develop valuable communication skills.

Curriculum-Aligned: Language Angels fully supports the National Curriculum for Languages, ensuring consistent, high-quality language teaching across the school.

Children will progressively acquire, use and apply a growing bank of vocabulary, language skills and grammatical knowledge organised around age-appropriate topics and themes - building blocks of language into more complex, fluent and authentic language. At Pathfinder we follow the Language Angels progression model to ensure pupils develop their French skills step by step as they move through Key Stage 2.

 

The programme is carefully structured into three progressive stages — Early Language, Intermediate, and Progressive — allowing children to build confidence and fluency over time.

1. Early Language (typically Year 3)

• Focuses on basic vocabulary and simple spoken French.
• Pupils learn to understand and respond to simple words and phrases, such as greetings, numbers, colours, food and animals.
• Activities include songs, games, and repetition to build listening and speaking confidence.
• Writing is introduced at word and short-phrase level.

2. Intermediate (typically Year 4)

• Builds on the basics with longer phrases and short sentences.
• Pupils begin to read and write simple sentences in French and recognise patterns in language.
• Grammar is introduced gently — for example, gender of nouns and using simple verbs.
• Listening and speaking activities develop pronunciation and understanding.

3. Progressive (typically Years 5 and 6)

• Pupils use their knowledge to communicate more independently.
• They learn to form and write longer sentences and short paragraphs.
• More detailed grammar is explored, such as verb conjugation and sentence structure.
• Pupils begin to express opinions, describe events, and hold short conversations in French.
• Lessons also explore French culture and traditions in more depth, developing cultural awareness.

Throughout all stages, lessons are interactive, sequenced, and revisited regularly to help pupils retain vocabulary and build confidence in using French in both spoken and written form.

Impact:

Through our French lessons with Language Angels, children at Pathfinder develop curiosity, creativity, and a passion for learning languages—preparing them to be confident, culturally aware global citizens.

By the end of Key Stage 2, pupils have developed a solid foundation in French and are well-prepared for further language learning in Key Stage 3. As well as each subsequent lesson within a unit being progressive, the teaching type organisation of Language Angels units also directs, drives and guarantees progressive learning and challenge. Units increase in level of challenge, stretch and linguistic and grammatical complexity as pupils move from Early Learning units through Intermediate units and into the most challenging Progressive units. Units in each subsequent level of the teaching type categories require more knowledge and application of skills than the previous teaching type. Activities contain progressively more text (both in English and the foreign language being studied) and lessons will have more content as the children become more confident and ambitious with the foreign language they are learning.

 

Pupils will continuously build on their previous knowledge as they progress in their foreign language learning journey through the primary phase. Previous language will be recycled, revised, recalled and consolidated whenever possible and appropriate.

 

The opportunity to assess pupil learning and progression in the key language skills (speaking, listening, reading and writing) and against the 12 DfE Languages Programme of Study for Key Stage 2 attainment targets is provided at the end of each 6-week teaching unit. Lessons and subject delivery will be monitored by the Foreign Language Subject Leader(s).