At Berkswich CE Primary School, coherently planned sequences of lessons, ensure progressive coverage of the skills required by the national curriculum. Our curriculum reflects our firm belief that all children should have access to the rich and purposeful experiences gained through learning an additional language. A high-quality Spanish curriculum sparks curiosity and encourages an eagerness in children to be bold in their use of language; we are ambitious in our expectations for all learners, including SEND and other vulnerable groups. We intend to help children grow into curious, confident and reflective language learners who tackle learning with eager resilience. We aim to provide our children with a foundation that will equip them for further language studies, leaving Berkswich inspired to continue to develop their love of languages, transferring their persistent and effective strategies to whichever languages they tackle in the future.

In today’s increasingly interconnected and interdependent world, a proficiency in another language is a skill that provides the opportunity to engage with the world in a more immediate and meaningful way. It deepens the children’s understanding of, and respect for, different cultures in our local, national and global communities, and better prepares children to study or work within roles or settings which require expertise in another language. In response to research by the Education Endowment Foundation July 2020), examining the impact of language learning on wider outcomes, we support the learning of a second language since there is positive evidence suggesting bilinguals have superior intercultural competence, might be more employable and might be more motivated learners.

Fundamental to our Spanish curriculum, is that it enables children to express their ideas and thoughts in another language and to understand and respond to its speakers both in speech and in writing. Repeated opportunities throughout our logically sequenced curriculum ensure that children learn to communicate for practical purposes, encouraging them to learn new ways of thinking, use their initiative and demonstrate independence – skills which are transferrable to other areas of the curriculum and provide a strong foundation for any language learning in the future.

Although Modern Foreign Languages (MFL) is only a compulsory subject for children in Key Stage Two, we believe that our curriculum should run throughout school in order for each child to develop a passionate, resilient and confident approach during their time at Berkswich CE. By giving even the youngest child in our school access to MFL, we increase opportunities to develop fluency over time and reward the children with the satisfaction and pleasure that the long-term mastery of skills can afford.

A linear curriculum has been chosen to allow an opportunity for children to gradually build on their skills. Our approach enables children to express their ideas and thoughts in Spanish, providing opportunities for children to interact and communicate with others for practical purposes both in speech and in writing. We aim to expose children to authentic Spanish and offer regular opportunities to listen to native speakers.

The intent in KS1 is that children learn to relish language learning opportunities, approaching these with a willingness to be corrected and an eagerness to bravely tackle new speaking and listening – the focus of learning in Year One and Two. In lower Key Stage Two, the intent is that children acquire basic skills and understanding in Spanish with a strong emphasis placed on developing their speaking and listening ability as well as introducing Spanish in written form. This knowledge will be further developed in Upper Key Stage Two, alongside refining reading and writing skills, gradually progressing to more complex language concepts and greater learner autonomy.