Curriculum Intent

The intent of the Modern Foreign Languages department at St. John’s Catholic Comprehensive School is to foster a deep appreciation and understanding of other cultures, to develop linguistic competence, and to instil a lifelong passion for languages.

Our curriculum is designed to provide all students with rich language learning experiences that broaden their horizons and equip them with the skills to communicate effectively in a globalised world. At the outset of Year 7, students choose to study either French or Spanish, which they continue throughout Key Stage 3. This early choice allows students to build confidence and fluency over time while developing a meaningful understanding of the language and its culture.

Our aims and ambitions for Modern Foreign Languages are:

• to promote cultural diversity and foster a sense of global citizenship by exploring the rich cultural heritage of the target languages
• to develop students’ linguistic competence and proficiency in listening, speaking, reading, and writing skills, ensuring they can communicate confidently both orally and in written form
• to cultivate a passion for languages and an enthusiasm for language learning that continues beyond the school setting
• to provide a curriculum that ensures progression of skills, challenging students of all abilities to achieve their full potential

At KS3, students studying French or Spanish begin to recognise and infer meaning from short listening tasks and reading extracts. They gradually extend their spoken responses and develop the skills to write short paragraphs in the target language on a range of familiar themes. Students learn to use the present tense confidently to express opinions, likes, and dislikes, while steadily broadening their vocabulary and grammatical understanding.

The wide variety of topics studied at KS3 are revisited at a more advanced level in KS4, where students are exposed to increasingly complex grammatical structures and language patterns. They develop a deeper understanding of themes related to the wider world and make stronger links to the cultural aspects of French-speaking and Spanish-speaking countries. Students further apply their knowledge of vocabulary, tenses, and sentence structures to produce increasingly sophisticated written and spoken responses.

The language learning journey at KS5 incorporates a methodical approach to literary works and film analysis, alongside the study of global issues and aspects of French and Spanish society. This develops and enhances students’ critical thinking skills, equipping them to enter further education and the world of work with self-assurance, articulation, and the ability to express informed and cultured comparisons between national and international affairs.