“You live a new life for every language you speak. If you only know one language, you only live once.” 

Czech proverb

The Cape Cornwall School Curriculum ensures that all our students have the opportunity for academic and personal development across a broad range of subjects and experiences. It combines equality of opportunity to our core learning with opportunities for students to make individual choices regarding their learning experiences.  Acquisition of knowledge and transferable skills are the cornerstones of our student’s progress and we place a high value on building their understanding of community, place and social justice. Lessons and other learning experiences are sequenced to build on students’ prior knowledge, and to ensure that students deepen their understanding of each subject, and the interconnection between subjects and their global context.

Our Curriculum is the foundation to achieving our Core Principles:

• Students leave Cape Cornwall School with high value achievements and the life skills and resilience that provide a platform for future success and happiness.
• We are inspired to work together to research, design and implement highly effective and sustainable solutions to develop and maintain our thriving school community.
• Continuous improvement is achieved through a whole school culture of, and commitment to, creativity, engagement and professionalism.

What is Unique to the study of Languages?

The study of another language provides opportunities for students to develop a great understanding of the structure and beauty of language.  It also provides insights into different cultures.  These experiences enhance our understanding, not only of others, but also of ourselves; our own language and culture.

The French curriculum at Cape ensures that our students get the opportunity to develop and practise their knowledge of French, covering all the requirements of the National Curriculum. They follow an engaging curriculum plan that incorporates the different skills required for learning a Modern Foreign Language.  In addition to the language knowledge students gain, our curriculum offers insights into a different culture and will broaden students’ understanding of the world in which they live. We also offer a French trip in Year 10, so that students can experience first hand France’s language and culture.

The curriculum incorporates phonics, grammar and vocabulary and students will be assessed across the 4 skills to improve their knowledge and communication in Listening, Reading, Writing and Speaking. This structure ensures that knowledge is secure and provides a platform for further learning.

Students will study different topic areas such as My Family, Holidays and School, as well as authentic materials to enhance their cultural awareness of the French speaking world.  

Through the curriculum, students will develop lifelong knowledge and skills which will help with the wider world of work and lead to future higher and further education opportunities and careers.  This will be enhanced by visits for students studying GCSE French from university level students. This enables our students to learn first-hand about future opportunities.

In French, our Repeat Concepts are:

• Phonics
• Building grammar knowledge
• Learning vocabulary
• Translation skills
• The four skills: Listening, speaking, reading and writing