Sherford Vale School: Modern Foreign Languages

Purpose of Study

Learning a foreign language is a liberation from insularity and provides an essential opening to other cultures. A high-quality languages education should foster pupils’ curiosity and deepen their understanding of the world. The teaching should enable pupils to express their ideas and thoughts in another language and to understand and respond to its speakers, both in speech and in writing. It should also provide opportunities for them to communicate for practical purposes, learn new ways of thinking and read great literature in the original language.

The learning of a foreign language can provide a valuable educational, social and cultural experience for pupils – providing them with:

• Opportunities to communicate for practical purposes in the wider world.
• A foundation for further learning of languages beyond KS2, equipping pupils to study and work in other countries.
• An essential opening to other cultures and a widening of experiences and aspiration.
• A new perspective on the world, encouraging them to understand their own cultures and those of others.

The learning of modern foreign languages is central to the fulfilment of the WEST trust’s international principle. WEST academies promote the learning of modern foreign languages throughout pupils’ education at each key stage.

Key Stage 1

At KS1, when the teaching of foreign languages is non-statutory, any opportunities for positive learning experiences of additional languages, through song, rhymes, greetings or answering the register are encouraged, particularly when these may enable learners from a variety of backgrounds to share their cultural and/or linguistic heritage with their peers in the classroom. Early exposure to other languages is likely to stimulate curiosity and interest in the wider world.

Key Stage 2

The statutory phase of language learning comprises the seven years of KS2 and KS3. WEST academies are committed to fulfil the aims and deliver the learning outcomes of the National Curriculum Languages programmes of study for both key stages.  In brief, these are to ensure that all pupils at KS2:

• develop their interest in the language(s) and culture(s) of other countries.
• develop their practical communication skills by understanding and responding to both spoken and written language.
• make substantial progress in one language (although they may have additional opportunities to learn more than one language).
• understand basic grammar appropriate to the language studied.
• have a solid foundation for further language study at KS3, where possible in the same language that will be studied at KS3.
   

At Sherford Vale School, children in KS2 learn Spanish.

Intent

We teach our children Spanish to generate a fascination for words and how language works, a wider curiosity about the peoples and cultures of Spanish-speaking countries and the foundational knowledge to support confident communication in Spanish.

Essential Knowledge

We teach three core strands of essential knowledge: 

1. Phonics – the key components of the sound-writing relationship
2. Vocabulary – a set of the most frequently used words
3. Grammar – the essential building blocks required to create simple sentences independently (including gender of nouns, singular and plural forms, adjectives (place and agreement), and the conjugation of key verbs)

Our Spanish curriculum is designed to enable our children to:

• Develop linguistic and communicative competence
• Extend their knowledge of how language works
• Explore similarities and differences between [name of language], any heritage languages our children have, and English

The teaching of a foreign language to every child in KS2 is a statutory requirement, as set out in the National Curriculum Programmes of Study (2014).

In line with the NC PoS, our children learn to:

• Listen and show understanding by joining in and responding
• Link the sound, spelling and meaning of words
• Read aloud with accurate pronunciation
• Read and show understanding of phrases and simple texts
• Speak in sentences
• Describe people, places, things in speech and writing
• Ask and answer questions
• Express opinions
• Write phrases from memory
• Adapt phrases to create new sentences
• Use a dictionary

Our children also learn key cultural and country-specific knowledge. For example, by the end of KS2, our children:

• can name and locate on a map countries where Spanish is spoken
• know the key geographical features of Spanish including continent, surrounding seas and oceans, main mountains and rivers, capital city
• know the name and some detail about at least one festival or tradition from Spanish
• know at least one typical food from Spain

 

Implementation

Our KS2 children have a weekly Spanish lesson of 50 minutes.  In addition they re-visit and deepen their learning for 10 minutes every lesson with structured language tasks that practise retrieval, improve retention and embed learning in long-term memory. Further opportunities to recycle key vocabulary (e.g. numbers) and develop children’s confidence are often built into classroom routines including greetings, providing instructions, stating lunch preferences, registration, rewards and praise on a more regular basis, even just for a few minutes in the school day e.g. when children are lining up.

A detailed scheme of work with audio-enabled resources for every lesson is provided in order to minimise unnecessary teacher workload. Teachers may, if they wish, adapt the resources to support active engagement and meet different learning styles for different cohorts of children.

Assessment

Children are continuously assessed on the knowledge they are taught in lessons, whenever they are called upon to understand and/or produce language, without reference to resources.  Formative assessment is completed every lesson in the form of grammar vocabulary grids to revisit previously taught vocabulary covering all modalities.

Equal Opportunities and SEN

All children irrespective of ability or special educational need, should be taught a foreign language. Every child has the statutory right to a broad and balanced curriculum.

A child with SEN should be actively encouraged to participate fully in MFL lessons with the necessary support and appropriate differentiation.

Teaching modern foreign languages is a vital way to directly address pupil perceptions and potential stereotypes. It allows us to actively promote positive attitudes and values towards cultural and or religious diversity and to directly tackle any form of cultural and negative stereotyping.

PREVENT Duty (April 2019)

Section 58. All publicly-funded schools in England are required by law to teach a broad and balanced curriculum which promotes the spiritual, moral, cultural, mental and physical development of pupils and prepares them for the opportunities, responsibilities and experiences of life. They must also promote community cohesion.

 

Impact

An effective MFL curriculum positively impacts students by boosting cognitive skills like problem-solving and memory, fostering cultural understanding and global citizenship, and improving language and literacy skills in both foreign and native languages. Impacts include developing skills in listening, speaking, reading, and writing, building confidence, and preparing students for future academic and career opportunities. 

Cognitive & Academic Benefits

MFL learning strengthens memory, critical thinking, and problem-solving abilities. It develops listening skills, expands phonemic awareness, and provides a deeper understanding of their native language's grammar and structure. Students develop proficiency in speaking, listening, reading, and writing in a foreign language, including understanding phonology, grammar, and vocabulary. MFL education exposes students to different cultures, traditions, and ways of life, fostering respect for diversity and breaking down social barriers. It encourages empathy and cross-cultural understanding by helping learners understand similarities and differences with their own cultures.  Languages provide key knowledge and cultural capital, opening doors to further study and future careers in a global economy where language skills are valuable. A strong MFL foundation ensures students are well-prepared to continue and develop their language skills effectively at Key Stage 3 and beyond.