How much French is needed for Yr 7?

[ManxRhyme]

DD is moving from state primary to private secondary. Most of the children there would have done French throughout prep, but her state school only did a year of very basic French.

How can we help her prepare for this so she doesn't feel too left behind in lessons? It's a big change for her as she will likely be the only one from her school attending so I'd like her to have as easy a start as possible.

We were in this position and, in all honesty, not sure the gap will really be particularly significant (that's what we found anyway).

My child started German in Year 7 after never studying it before when the Prep kids had done some and he is now on for a likely 8/9 at GCSE so it hasn't held him back.

What he did do was some GERMAN duolingo OVER the summer before he started secondary, although this was something he did off his own back rather than something I thought was necessary.

Sorry about random capitals.

None, ime whatever they may have learnt by that point is pretty basic , inconsistent and needs revision anyway

Phew thanks! Duolingo is a good call so we may dabble with that a bit.

I teach French in a prep school and even though the level is quite high, I know lots of my pupils forget so much of it and would need the revision in year 7.

Also don’t forget pupils from so many schools join private schools in year 7, lots from state schools, some did Spanish, etc., so all private schools start from scratch in September. We work closely with a very high achieving and selective private secondary school, and they start with the basics in September, as they know lots of their intake didn’t do much French or any French at all.

Honestly don’t worry at all - she can do some Duolingo if she enjoys it, but I wouldn’t make her do any at all if not. She will be absolutely fine!

None our kids did German or Spanish at Primary never learnt any French. My son has been put in French at secondary school and hasn’t suffered from not having studied it before.

Thank you everyone. That is so reassuring. I know the feeder prep school to that secondary does quite a high level of French so didn't want her to feel left behind but you are right, the catchment is big and she likely won't be the only child in that situation.

Don't sweat it. DS made the exact same move and it wasn't a problem at all. We didn't do any extra prep before he started. A friend teaches MFL at the same school (selective independent) and says that any differences iron themselves out incredibly quickly. I wouldn't worry about doing any catch up work - trust the school.

To put your mind at rest, DD was the only child at her private boarding school that hadn’t been to a prep and done French. From day 1 she loved it. From y8 she took Italian as well and by the end of y8 both her language teachers told us “she is a linguist!” So, if a DC likes languages and it clicks, prior knowledge isn’t necessary. I actually felt guilty because had I any inkling she might have been good at languages, I would have tried to get her into a French club before she went. However she already did lots outside school so we overlooked languages.

She did her languages at university and is now a barrister.

DS1 did Spanish at primary then French in Y7 and was fine. I would raise it with the school.

My DS has studied French since Reception at Prep school. Now in Y7 at the linked senior school - some new “externals” doing French for the first time - they are starting with the basics - son is about doing un-deux again!

My daughter uses the memrise app and she’s learning loads! Far more than she learned on duolingo. She’s just gone into year seven

Yes but the beginners might end up being better and many will catch up very quickly.