Modern Foreign Languages
At Ravenscourt Park Preparatory School, we are committed to nurturing confident, curious, and enthusiastic young linguists who approach language learning and world cultures with a positive and playful attitude. Our Modern Foreign Languages (MFL) curriculum is broad, vibrant, and ambitious, designed to inspire and engage our pupils through diverse topics, themes, and learning strategies.
Students begin their language journey in Reception with an introduction to French through engaging and interactive activities. As they progress through Key Stage 1 and Key Stage 2, we continue to develop their language skills by introducing both French and Spanish, further expanding their linguistic abilities and cultural understanding with a focus on communication and play. Through MFL, our pupils develop a global sense of identity and community, learning about languages, cultures, and traditions from around the world while reflecting on their own. This process fosters a deeper understanding of the world and a greater awareness of themselves and others.
Our goal is to make languages enjoyable, practical, and accessible to all our students, preparing them for a smooth transition into Key Stage 3 as confident and proficient language learners. Above all, we aim to equip them with the skills and mindset needed to excel in their continued language studies and thrive as global citizens.
MFL is taught in a whole class setting by a language specialist who delivers carefully planned lessons designed to motivate, engage, and challenge all students from the outset. Our dynamic lessons incorporate a variety of resources and strategies to ensure that learning is both effective and enjoyable for every pupil. We emphasize phonics, vocabulary, and grammar while developing the four essential language skills: speaking, listening, writing, and reading.
Teachers follow a stimulating and ambitious scheme of learning across two weekly sessions of thirty minutes each, using a wide range of teaching strategies and technologies. A multi-sensory and kinaesthetic approach is employed to reinforce the memorization of vocabulary and grammatical structures, ensuring a comprehensive and engaging learning experience. Activities include songs, games, drama, native books, short films, and online interactive platforms such as Linguascope and Language Angels.
To assess and monitor our pupils’ progress, we use small quizzes, mini tests, and continuous assessment of interaction, participation, and notebook work throughout the academic year.
At Ravenscourt Park Preparatory School, we pride ourselves on providing a rich array of enrichment and extracurricular opportunities in Modern Foreign Languages (MFL) that extend beyond the classroom. We organise engaging external language workshops both on and off-site, offering students immersive experiences in language and culture. Our after-school French and Spanish clubs feature storytelling sessions, fashion shows, and café events where pupils host and interact with parents in the target language. We take our students on trips to cultural centres such as The French Institute and the British Film Institute for workshops and film screenings, bringing the language and its cultural context to life.
Open Mornings
We regularly host open mornings where parents and children can come and experience Ravenscourt Park School.