Modern Foreign Languages 

"To learn a language is to have one more window from which to look at the world.” (Chinese proverb)

Studying a language in primary school provides children with essential skills. As well as giving them the opportunity to learn a second language, an increasingly important skill in our globalised society, it also helps to promote and develop a broader intercultural understanding. The study of a second language also supports children’s general literacy and oracy, by raising awareness of their own language and thereby enriching their understanding of both. Furthermore, primary languages are about fun, communication, confidence building, developing learning strategies, learning about similarities and differences and respecting others. 

At Mitton Manor, French is taught across all of Key Stage 2 using the Language Angels Scheme to support our teaching of MFL. Mitton Manor intends to ensure 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.

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. In addition, the children will be taught how to look up and research language they are unsure of and they will have a bank of reference materials to help them with their spoken and written tasks going forward. This bank of reference materials will develop into a reference library to help pupils recall and build on previous knowledge throughout their primary school language learning journey.

MFL Highlights

At Mitton Manor, we provide a range of extra-curricular activities to support the teaching and learning of French, including our popular French Club. This offers pupils a fun and engaging way to learn languages, with a particular focus on pronunciation.

Over the past two years, a real highlight of school life has been our annual Languages Day, which aims to raise awareness of different languages and cultures around the world.

In 2024, we celebrated with a French Day, during which the children wore the colours of the French flag and took part in a variety of creative activities. These included producing artwork using pointillism, a painting technique developed by the French artist Georges Seurat. Each child also visited the ‘French Café’ and enjoyed a croissant, brioche, or madeleine cake while listening to traditional French music. Throughout the day, the children practised a French song and proudly performed it during the afternoon assembly, impressing everyone with their confidence and pronunciation.

In 2025, our Languages Day focused on Poland. The children wore red and white to represent the Polish flag, and some even dressed in traditional Polish clothing. They learnt and performed a traditional dance called the Krakowiak, took part in the singing game Tańczymy Labada, and enjoyed creating Wycinanki art—an intricate Polish paper-cutting craft inspired by nature.

We are incredibly proud of our pupils’ enthusiasm and cultural curiosity and are already looking forward to our next Languages Day celebration.

MFL Important Curriculum Documents

How to Help at Home?

Cook a French meal

Introduce your child to French cuisine by having him or her help you whip up a traditional French meal.

Listen to French music

Download some French songs to listen to while at home or on the road. Listening to French music will help familiarize your child with French accents and pronunciations.

French Films

Watch a child-friendly French movie with your child.

Puzzles

You can download and print dozens of free French crosswords and word searches for your child. He or she will have fun playing, while simultaneously learning French vocabulary and simple sentences. Keep a stack in the car for long road trips.

Memory game

Create some French flashcards and place them face down on a table. Your child will flip over two cards. If the pictures match, your child will flip over two more cards. The point of the game is to match all of the cards from memory.

Colouring books

Purchase a French colouring book for your child. These colouring books will spark your child’s creativity, while helping him or her learn various vocabulary words and themes.

Read French books

There are lots of super beginner French books.

Hangman

This French activity is played exactly like the original Hangman version, except you are using French vocabulary words and phrases instead of English.

Links to useful websites for practising at home:

http://www.euroclubschools.co.uk/

https://www.bbc.co.uk/bitesize/subjects/z39d7ty

http://www.frenchspanishonline.com/beginnersfrench/freefrench.html