French
“Knowledge of languages is the doorway to wisdom ".
Roger Bacon
Languages Vision
The Languages department at the Malling School believe that the purpose of education is to open doors, broaden pupils’ horizons and deepen their understanding of the world. Learning languages is central to this mission as it empowers young people to connect with others, appreciate different cultures, and become confident, informed global citizens.
In French, our curriculum nurtures curiosity about the wider world and gives students the tools and courage to initiate and take part in not only transactional conversations but also dialogue that allows them to express their thoughts and opinion. By learning another language, pupils develop not only the ability to speak, read, write and understand authentic communication, but also resilience, empathy, and a deeper awareness of how language itself works. These skills strengthen learning across all subjects and support our school vision of fostering caring, determined and reflective learners.
Our curriculum prioritises:
- High-frequency vocabulary that enables real communication.
- Core grammar structures that unlock independent expression.
- Phonics and pronunciation to build confidence and accuracy in speaking and listening.
- Cultural knowledge that widens perspectives and encourages respect and curiosity.
- Retrieval and mastery of key language so pupils can use it flexibly and fluently.
We build this knowledge progressively from KS3 to KS4, giving students repeated opportunities to practise and apply what they learn in meaningful, motivating ways. We ensure the skills of listening, reading, writing and speaking are consistently covered in our schemes of work. Pupils encounter rich, authentic texts and spoken language so they can see how French is used in real life and understand the value of what they are learning.
Ultimately, our languages curriculum aims to inspire students to communicate with confidence, embrace other cultures and believe that the world is accessible to them. We want every learner to leave our school knowing that learning languages expands their future choices, enriches their personal identity, and strengthens their ability to play an active, positive role in a diverse and interconnected world.
YEAR GROUPS
Year 7 - KS3
| TERM |
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Term One |
| TOPIC |
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Bonjour! |
| WHY? |
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| Learning to pronounce key French sounds. Saying your name and learning numbers and talking about brothers, sisters and age using the verb avoir and the indefinite articles. |
| RESOURCES |
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Curriculum Booklet Knowledge Organiser Pearson Active Learn |
| TERM |
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Term Two |
| TOPIC |
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La rentrée |
| WHY? |
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| Students will describe a classroom using the indefinite and definite articles, and talk about likes and dislikes using the verb aimer + the definite article. They will also describe themselves and others using adjective agreement. |
| RESOURCES |
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Curriculum Booklet Knowledge Organiser Pearson Active Learn |
| TERM |
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Term Three |
| TOPIC |
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Qu’est-ce que tu fais ? |
| WHY? |
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| Students will say what they do understanding infinitives and regular –er verbs, and using possessive adjectives and qualifiers with adjectives. |
| RESOURCES |
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Curriculum Booklet Knowledge Organiser Pearson Active Learn |
| TERM |
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Term Four |
| TOPIC |
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En classe |
| WHY? |
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| Students will talk about colours, tell the time, and say what they think of your school subjects and why, talking about likes and dislikes. |
| RESOURCES |
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Curriculum Booklet Knowledge Organiser Pearson Active Learn |
| TERM |
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Term Five |
| TOPIC |
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| Qu’est-ce que tu portes? |
| WHY? |
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| Students will talk about what they wear to school using adjectives after nouns and talk about their school day using new –er verbs and also sequencers. |
| RESOURCES |
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Curriculum Booklet Knowledge Organiser Pearson Active Learn |
| TERM |
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Term Six |
| TOPIC |
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| C’est comment un collège français? |
| WHY? |
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| Students will learn about a typical French school saying what there is / isn’t, and disagree and practise reading for gist and for detail. |
| RESOURCES |
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Curriculum Booklet Knowledge Organiser Pearson Active Learn |
Year 8 - KS3
| TERM |
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Term One |
| TOPIC |
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Mon temps libre |
| WHY? |
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| Talking about weather and seasons, about which sports they play using jouer à + the definite. Also asking questions in French. |
| RESOURCES |
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Curriculum Booklet Knowledge Organiser Pearson Active Learn |
| TERM |
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Term Two |
| TOPIC |
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Tu aimes faire ça? |
| WHY? |
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| Talking about what they like doing using aimer + the infinitive. Forming and answering questions and talking about animals using higher numbers. |
| RESOURCES |
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Curriculum Booklet Knowledge Organiser Pearson Active Learn |
| TERM |
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Term Three |
| TOPIC |
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Ma vie de famille |
| WHY? |
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| Students will describe their family using the possessive adjectives ‘my’ and ‘your, and describe where they live. |
| RESOURCES |
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Curriculum Booklet Knowledge Organiser Pearson Active Learn |
| TERM |
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Term Four |
| TOPIC |
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Qu’est-ce que tu manges au petit déjeuner? |
| WHY? |
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| Talking about breakfast using the partitive article while learning about “Bastille Day”. Also paying attention to pronouns (nous and ils/elles) in reading texts. |
| RESOURCES |
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Curriculum Booklet Knowledge Organiser Pearson Active Learn |
| TERM |
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Term Five |
| TOPIC |
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En ville |
| WHY? |
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| Talking about places in a town or village saying where they go at the weekend using the verb aller à + the definite article. |
| RESOURCES |
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Curriculum Booklet Knowledge Organiser Pearson Active Learn |
| TERM |
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Term Six |
| TOPIC |
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Tu veux aller au café? |
| WHY? |
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| Inviting someone out using the verb vouloir (to want). Ordering drinks and snacks in a café using the tu and vous forms of the verb. Also saying what they are going to do using the near future tense (aller + infinitive) |
| RESOURCES |
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Curriculum Booklet Knowledge Organiser Pearson Active Learn |
Year 9 - KS3
| TERM |
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Term One |
| TOPIC |
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Qui suis-je? |
| WHY? |
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| Students will revise the topic of family and describe people using ‘mon, ma, mes’ and adjectival agreement. Also they will be revising places in town, activities and times. |
| RESOURCES |
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Curriculum Booklet Knowledge Organiser Pearson Active Learn |
| TERM |
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Term Two |
| TOPIC |
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A comme amitié |
| WHY? |
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| Talking about friends and what makes a good friend using regular -er verbs in the present tense. C’est de famille ! Talking about family relationships using reflexive verbs in the present tense. |
| RESOURCES |
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Curriculum Booklet Knowledge Organiser Pearson Active Learn |
| TERM |
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Term Three |
| TOPIC |
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Le temps des loisirs |
| WHY? |
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| Making arrangements to go out using the near future tense, and describing a day out using the perfect tense and discussing role models. Le temps des loisirs: Revising leisure activities. |
| RESOURCES |
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Curriculum Booklet Knowledge Organiser Pearson Active Learn |
| TERM |
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Term Four |
| TOPIC |
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Lecture et musique! |
| WHY? |
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| Discussing reading habits and music using negatives. Talking about television programmes using the comparative, and also about a night out with friends practising the perfect tense. |
| RESOURCES |
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Curriculum Booklet Knowledge Organiser Pearson Active Learn |
| TERM |
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Term Five |
| TOPIC |
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Free Time Activities |
| WHY? |
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| Talking about a night out with friends and organising an outing. |
| RESOURCES |
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Curriculum Booklet Knowledge Organiser Pearson Active Learn |
| TERM |
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Term Six |
| TOPIC |
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Vous faites quelle taille ? |
| WHY? |
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| Shopping for clothes. Describing festivals and traditions asking questions using the present and near future tenses. End of Year Movie Project to promote colloquial language and cultural awareness. |
| RESOURCES |
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Curriculum Booklet Knowledge Organiser Pearson Active Learn |
Year 10 - KS4 - EXAM BOARD AQA
| TOPIC |
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Jours ordinaires, jours de fête |
| WHY? |
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| Students will talk about food and meals, discussing clothes and what to wear and describing their daily life using ‘devoir’ and ‘pouvoir’. Also shopping for clothes and describing festivals and traditions. |
| RESOURCES |
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Curriculum Booklet Knowledge Organiser Pearson Active Learn |
| TOPIC |
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Qu’est-ce qu’on va manger ? |
| WHY? |
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| Talking about shopping for a special meal using the present and near future tenses and describing family celebrations using past, present and future tenses. |
| RESOURCES |
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Curriculum Booklet Knowledge Organiser Pearson Active Learn |
| TOPIC |
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De la ville à la campagne |
| WHY? |
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| Talking about where they live and what they can do there. Also finding out tourist information and asking questions. Discussing plans and the weather using ‘si’ clauses, talking about their town, village or neighbourhood using negatives. |
| RESOURCES |
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Curriculum Booklet Knowledge Organiser Pearson Active Learn |
| TOPIC |
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Le grand large: |
| WHY? |
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| Students will learn to talk about what they normally do on holiday, dealing with a hotel stay using the ‘nous’ form of the verb. Talking about travelling and what they did on holiday using the present and perfect tenses. |
| RESOURCES |
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Curriculum Booklet Knowledge Organiser Pearson Active Learn |
| TOPIC |
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Bon appétit! |
| WHY? |
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Ordering in a restaurant using expressions with avoir. Talking about holiday disasters using three time frames. Revisions: Qui suis-je? Revising family and describing people, talking about friends and about family relationships using reflexive verbs. |
| RESOURCES |
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Curriculum Booklet Knowledge Organiser Pearson Active Learn |
| TOPIC |
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Revisions |
| WHY? |
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On va voir un spectacle? Making arrangements to go out using the near future tense. Revisions: Talking about sports, technologies and organisinga night out with friends using the French Perfect Tense. End of Year Movie Project to promote colloquial language and cultural awareness. |
| RESOURCES |
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Curriculum Booklet Knowledge Organiser Pearson Active Learn |
Year 11 - KS4 - EXAM BOARD AQA
| TOPIC |
|---|
| Au college |
| WHY? |
|---|
| Giving opinions on school subjects and facilities, talking about their school and schools in France and discussing rules and regulations using ‘il faut’. |
| RESOURCES |
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|
Curriculum Booklet Knowledge Organiser Pearson Active Learn Recommended Revision Guide: Collins AQA GCSE 9-1 French with Audio ISBN: 9780008166304 |
| TOPIC |
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|
Au collège |
| WHY? |
|---|
| Discussing healthy and unhealthy about jobs and plans for the future, talking about small jobs and how to earn money. |
| RESOURCES |
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Curriculum Booklet Knowledge Organiser Pearson Active Learn Recommended Revision Guide: Collins AQA GCSE 9-1 French with Audio ISBN: 9780008166304 |
| TOPIC |
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Bon travail! |
| WHY? |
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| Talking about jobs and future carrers, discussing work preferences, using the conditional, also plans, hopes using the future tense "will" or "shall". Talking about work experience using the past tenses. |
| RESOURCES |
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Curriculum Booklet Knowledge Organiser Pearson Active Learn Recommended Revision Guide: Collins AQA GCSE 9-1 French with Audio ISBN: 9780008166304 |
| TOPIC |
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Un œil sur le monde |
| WHY? |
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| Discussing the weather and natural disasters, talking about protecting the environment. Also discussing ethical shopping, volunteering and big events. |
| RESOURCES |
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Curriculum Booklet Knowledge Organiser Pearson Active Learn Recommended Revision Guide: Collins AQA GCSE 9-1 French with Audio ISBN: 9780008166304 |
| TOPIC |
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Revisions and Exam Practice for all 3 GCSE Themes. |
| WHY? |
|---|
| Revision |
| RESOURCES |
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Curriculum Booklet Knowledge Organiser Pearson Active Learn Recommended Revision Guide: Collins AQA GCSE 9-1 French with Audio ISBN: 9780008166304 |