🗺️Intent

At Willaston Primary Academy, our intent for the teaching of French and Spanish is to foster a lifelong love of languages and an understanding of the rich cultural diversity that exists in our world.

We aim to:

· Develop communication skills by enabling pupils to communicate effectively and confidently in French and Spanish, with a focus on speaking and listening skills.

· Promote cultural awareness by immersing students in the cultures associated with the languages, appreciating for different traditions, customs, and ways of life. European Day of Languages and extra-curricular clubs for both languages are essential in this process.

· Prepare for future learning by equipping pupils with the linguistic skills necessary for future education. By the time our pupils leave Willaston, we have given them a taste of two languages, which they will then go on to study further at high school.

🗺️Implementation

Our implementation strategy for teaching French and Spanish is structured, dynamic, and engaging, ensuring that all pupils receive a high-quality language education.

· Our modern languages curriculum is aligned with the National Curriculum, ensuring progression and consistency from Reception through to Year 6. Lessons are designed to be inclusive, reflecting the diverse needs of all learners. We use a variety of resources to enhance our lessons, including Lightbulbs Languages and Oaks Academy.

· Our focus is on helping the children to feel confident speaking the languages, rather than written work. We focus on oral activities such as conversations, games, role plays and songs. Lessons incorporate collaborative activities that encourage communication and peer learning. Children’s work is recorded in a ‘Big Book’ and on Seesaw.

· Cultural themes are woven into our language lessons, where we celebrate events such as European Day of Languages and discover how Christmas, Easter and other festivals are celebrated in France and Spain. We incorporate authentic resources, such as photos, music, stories, and film clips, to create a more immersive learning experience.

· Assessments are completed at the beginning of each term to identify any gaps in the children’s knowledge so these areas can be addressed in the upcoming lessons. Assessments at the end of each topic enable us to measure attainment and identify areas for improvement.

🗺️Impact

The impact of our French and Spanish programme at Willaston Primary Academy is measured through various means, showcasing the benefits of our language education.

· Pupil engagement is key to the success of our Languages Curriculum. We aim for all children to demonstrate increased confidence and enthusiasm for learning languages, as evidenced by their active participation and positive feedback during lessons. We regularly conduct ‘Pupil Voice’ and make changes accordingly.

· At Willaston, our commitment to providing an outstanding modern languages education ensures that every child leaves us with a strong foundation in French and Spanish, culturally informed and ready to engage with an ever-evolving world.

· Through language learning, pupils enhance their overall cognitive skills, demonstrating improvements in memory, focus, and problem-solving abilities across various subjects.