MFL
Our aim at Mere Green is to instil a lasting interest in language learning and an
understanding and acceptance of other countries and cultures. We ensure that pupils
will have a solid understanding of French when they leave Year 6, and are able to
continue their language learning journey at Secondary School with confidence. At Mere
Green, we view a solid understanding as an understanding of key grammatical
structures; being able to learn and apply basic phonics and to have a bank of vocabulary
structures that they can use to be able to speak with confidence about themselves. With
the exception of a few children who require a tailored, bespoke curriculum, all children
with SEND are exposed to a foreign language and have the opportunity to engage in
content that is relevant and stimulating to them. Working where we can to the mastery
approach of one learning objective for all and using iPads as a tool for accessibility,
children’s learning is skilfully tailored and scaffolded to ensure all children make good
progress, from their own starting points, at a rate that is excellent for them.
Our curriculum at Mere Green focuses on 3 core strands of learning – phonics, grammar and vocabulary. Children are exposed to a different topic each term; the topics have been
carefully chosen to ensure that knowledge is sequentially built upon, progressively
getting more challenging and ambitious. These topics are also selected because they are
naturally engaging and accessible for our children, developing on their cultural
understanding.
As our intent is to ensure our Mere Green child leaves school as a confident
communicator, who is able to ask and answer questions that are pertinent to them, we
have devised a ‘Mastery Conversation’ which allows children to ask and answer
questions from the topic they are learning, therefore applying the phonics, grammar
and vocabulary they have been taught. This mastery conversation is naturally
progressive and embedded through continual assessment and rigorous spaced
retrieval.
Within our teaching model, we ensure that high quality, ambitious content is
consistently delivered; our specialist trained French practitioner guides and inspires our
Mere Green children right from the start of their French learning journey until they leave
us in Year 6.
