French events, activities and resources

French is one of the most common languages being taught and learned in schools in the North East.

Provided below are links to a wide range of in-person and online events and activities in the Festival programme, where French is the main feature or can be your focus of participation. There are also language competitions and celebrations involving French.

At the end of the page, you can find support for French language learning and teaching that are available from the Institute français, including French Culture Days resources for primary and secondary.

French language events and activities in the Festival Programme

La Petite Crêperie North East Schools’ Competition (KS2-3) 6th Jan-6th March

For NE schools (KS2-3): Join in this competition to design a unique crêpe and describe it in French. Resource pack provided. Two schools will win an in-person workshop with La Petite Crêperie.

Language Student Immersion at Durham University (KS5) Flexible dates 12th January to 6th March

For North East KS5 language learners: Half-day programmes for 2 pupils per visit, who will meet language students and do task-based activities in languages they study or take at degree level.

Language and culture sessions (Careers with Languages option) Flexible dates Feb-March

For NE KS2-KS5 pupils (7-18): 30-45 min online or 2-hour in-person sessions (with an option for a Careers with Languages session) at Newcastle University Language Resource Centre

Durham Children’s University primary webinar – Tales of Food with French 1-1.45pm on 2nd March

NE primary schools (Y4-6): Children will explore literature and culture, think about food in stories, consider how the quest for food can be a journey of self-discovery and reflect on what food might mean in the world.

Lingua Cub’s French Fun! 4 online sessions: 9.30-10am Wednesdays 4th, 11th, 18th and 25th March

For UK schools (ages 3-7): Join four fun-filled online French sessions with Lingua Cub’s playful activities, songs and games. Activity pack provided. Set of recordings available (end March)

Y12 French, German, Spanish interactive language activities 2-4pm on 18th March in Newcastle

For NE schools Year 12 French, German, Spanish: Join in oral practice, listening comprehension tasks, introductory interpreting taster tasks and meet University language students sharing experiences of their year abroad. 

Durham Children’s University primary webinar – Tales of Food with French 1-1.45pm on 2nd March

NE primary schools (Y4-6): Children will explore literature and culture, think about food in stories, consider how the quest for food can be a journey of self-discovery and reflect on what food might mean in the world.

Bilingual poetry (French/English) with Michaël Vidon KS3-5 9.30-10.15am 12th March online

For UK schools KS4-5 French learners: Join Michaël for a stimulating, interactive bilingual poetry session in French and English. Teaching resources provided and recording available.

Durham Children’s University secondary webinar 1-1.45pm on 16th March

For NE secondary schools (Y7-11): Exploring how perceptions of the body have changed since the 19th century, representations in French literature and art and topics such as war and work, sickness and health and men and women.

Ursa Lingua’s French Feast KS2 live lesson 9.30-10.15am 17th March online (UK – unlimited)

For UK schools KS2: Join Ursa Lingua the language bear for a fun-filled online French lesson. Children will explore French through games, challenges and feast-themed activities. With activity pack. Recording available.

Y12 French, German, Spanish interactive language activities 2-4pm on 18th March in Newcastle

For NE schools Year 12 French, German, Spanish: Join in oral practice, listening comprehension tasks, introductory interpreting taster tasks and meet University language students sharing experiences of their year abroad. 

Languages and careers in football (KS3-5) 9.30-12, 1-3.30pm on 31st March at Northumbria University

NE schools (KS3-5): Inspiring workshops to encourage pupils to progress with languages. Football themed motivational talk, practical and fun classroom language and footballing activities

Ursa Lingua’s Castle Quest Escape Room Adventure Available 6 Jan-31 Mar

For KS2 7-11 years, UK schools: Help polar bear, Ursa Lingua, escape the castle using the power of languages and the magic of teamwork! An exciting language adventure with interactive resources.

Puppet shows – have fun learning French! (3 shows, 3-11 years) Available 6 Jan-31 March

For NE early years, primary (ages 3-11): 3 interactive puppet shows tailored to different ages. Children learn French words while enjoying a story told with puppets by Nathalie Paris. With teacher guide and additional resources.

6 Primary French lessons: World Cup 2026 (Y5-6, Y7) Available 6 Jan-31 March

For NE and UK primary schools (Y5-6) and KS2-3 transition: Enthuse pupils to explore French with 6 creative lessons themed around the World Cup. Includes pre-recorded videos, powerpoint and lesson plans.

Multilingual digital stories -5 films made by children Available 6 Jan-31 March

For UK primary, secondary, community schools & groups:  Share short multilingual digital stories created by children and young people aged 7–14 in a range of languages, with English subtitles. Teacher guide provided.

Sing, sign and play the Festival Song: Love is the Only River 6th January to 31st March

North East schools and groups (ages 7-18) are invited to sign, sign, play, perform and film different language versions of the song: ‘Love is the only river’. Compilation video of performances will be shared.

Together we fly! World Friendship origami project 6th January to 31st March

North East schools, community schools, schools internationally (ages 5-18). Children and young people will create colourful origami butterflies with messages of friendship and be part of our public art exhibition.

Mother Tongue Other Tongue poetic writing project 6th January to 31st March 2025

North East schools (ages 7-18). Children and young people share poems and drawings in their home language or write an original piece of poetry in a language they are learning. Compilation in a digital anthology.

Language Calligrams Celebration and workshop activity 6th January to 31st March

NE schools (7-9 and 9-11 year olds): Create calligrams in any language (other than English) based on words children already know. School certificates for all and ebook with selected entries.

World Recipe Book: exploring food and cultural heritage 6th Jan to 31st March

NE schools, youth and community groups: Share recipes in languages (other than English) and why these are important to different cultures. Digital recipe book will include selected entries.

Languages and careers in football webinar with Pierce Kiembi, Futbol Lingo 10.30-11.15am on 6th March

NE & UK schools (KS2-5): Join Futbol Lingo’s motivational webinar, using football to inspire a generation of future linguists and open perspectives

Modern Languages in the Working World webinar with Sanako UK 9.30-10.15am on 2nd March

NE & UK schools Y8-Y9: Join David Binns for an inspirational careers talk for students, stressing the importance of a second language skill in any chosen career and encouraging GCSE take-up.

Languages at Work webinar: Careers and language challenge 9.30-10.30am on 5th March

NE and UK schools (KS3 Y8-Y9): Motivational session with professional linguists. Sharing career insights and running live language challenges in French, German and Spanish.

Creative multilingualism (KS4) 12.30-3pm on 19th March at Newcastle University

For NE schools Year 10-11 pupils: An interactive workshop for pupils using languages they speak (to whatever level) to gain confidence in expressing multilingualism creatively, with translation, creative writing and language-learning.

Where can languages take me? Careers webinar  9.00-9.45am on 26th March

NE & UK schools Year 8-9: Inspire pupils to choose languages at GCSE with professionals sharing their language learning journeys, skills and how they use languages in their work.

Multilingual Poetry Slam (KS3-5) 9.30am-3pm on 27th March at Newcastle Civic Centre

NE and Tees Valley schools (KS3-5): Join Michaël Vidon and a team of Spoken Word Artists to experience a day of multilingual poetry.  Pupils will create and perform group poems in multiple languages.

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Language Treasures at GNM 10am-2pm 4th March; self-guided activities all March

For NE schools (KS2-3): Book hands-on workshops exploring galleries through a linguistic lens and connecting across cultures or use teacher-led resourced activities throughout March.