Bonjour! Comment ça va?

At Southbury Primary School, we are proud of the many languages already spoken in our community and we build on this by providing pupils with the opportunity to learn another language. In KS2, the teaching of a modern foreign language is compulsory under the 2014 curriculum. KS2 pupils learn French and have a weekly lesson. 

French at Southbury

At Southbury, we firmly believe that learning a foreign language is important for children's development for many reasons:

• ​Firstly, it's fun! We aim to promote enjoyment of language learning, encouraging active use through story-telling, songs, dialogues, games and drama in our lessons throughout a range of topics.

• ​It builds self-confidence. Children get a great sense of achievement from learning to say things in another language, especially in front of an audience.

• ​​Learning a foreign language increases critical thinking skills, creativity and encourages children to make links between languages. It also helps to improve children’s understanding of English. Comparing grammatical concepts between a foreign language and English reinforces the rules of the English language.

• It also promotes cultural understanding. Not only does learning a foreign language deepen the children's understanding of other cultures and the wider world, but it also contributes to their understanding of their own cultures and identities. 

Phrase of the Week

Each week, the whole school participates in practising a specific phrase in French. This gives the children the opportunity to communicate for practical purposes and use their French language skills and knowledge outside the classroom as part of daily life. Parents and carers are welcome to join in too; the 'Phrase of the Week' schedule is available to download.