Intent
We aim to develop the confidence and competence of each child in a foreign language, enabling them to be able to communicate both in spoken and written language. Our goal is for the children to be passionate, curious and confident about their own language learning abilities when they finish primary school and to prepare them for the next phase of their learning journey.
We intend to provide a curriculum for our pupils, which is rich in skills and knowledge, encourages curiosity and promotes diversity and tolerance of other cultures. We will help our pupils to develop and demonstrate substantial progress in the 5 key language skills necessary for learning a foreign language: speaking, listening, reading, writing and grammar.
We aim to ensure that pupils of all abilities develop solid foundations in these key language learning skills and that they are able to apply their language knowledge in real life situations.
Our intention is that through learning a second language we can deepen our pupil’s understanding of other cultures and the world around them.
“It has never been more important for young people to learn a foreign language than now. An outward looking global nation needs a new generation of young people comfortable with the language and culture of our overseas trading partners.” Rt Hon Nick Gibb MP, Minister for School Standards
Implementation
At Westfield School we use Language Angels to teach a carefully sequenced, progressive and knowledge-rich foreign language curriculum from Year 2 to Year 6.
We have chosen Spanish as it is one of the most studied languages in the world.
It is a statutory requirement for all primary schools to teach a foreign language from Year 3 to Year 6, however we find it beneficial to start laying the foundations for language learning in Year 2: learning how to say “Hello”, saying their name and asking someone how they are.
Classes Y2-Y6 have access to a high-quality foreign language curriculum using the Language Angels scheme of work and resources. This progressively develops pupil’s skills in foreign languages through regularly taught and well-planned weekly or fortnightly lessons which are taught by either a language specialist teacher or class teacher.
Children will progressively acquire, use and apply a growing bank of vocabulary, language skills and grammatical knowledge organised around age-appropriate topics and themes.
How the Language Units Work:
The dynamic programme of study of Language Angels ensures that the foreign language knowledge of our pupils is progressive within each academic year and is extended year upon year throughout the primary phase and is in line with DofE requirements.
Language Angels units are specially sequenced from Early Learning Units ( taught in Y2-Y3) to Intermediate Units (taught in Y4-Y5) into the more challenging Progressive Units (Y6) to develop children’s subject knowledge, skills and understanding of concepts.
As well as each subsequent lesson within a unit being progressive, the units increase in level of challenge as pupils move from Early Learning Units through to Progressive units by the end of the Primary phase.
How is learning monitored:
The pupils are aware of their own learning goals and progression for each unit. Progression is monitored throughout the unit in a pupil friendly manner.
Pupil learning and progression is monitored at regular intervals in Autumn, Spring and Summer Term using Low Stakes tests to enable monitoring of learning and progression.
Impact
As well as each subsequent lesson within a unit being progressive, the teaching type organisation of Language Angels units also directs, drives and guarantees progressive learning and challenge.
Teachers have a clear overview of what they are working towards and if they are meeting these criteria. Teachers use the long-term planning documents provided in the form of Language Angels unit planners to ensure the correct units are being taught to the correct classes at each stage of the scholastic year. Short-term planning is also provided in the form of unit overviews (covering the learning targets for each 6-week unit) and individual lesson plans laying out the learning aims and intentions of each individual lesson within a unit. These planning documents ensure that teachers know what to teach and how to teach it in each lesson, across whole units and across each scholastic term.
Children are expected to make good or better than good progress in their foreign language learning.
Pupils will continuously build on their previous knowledge as they progress in their foreign language learning journey through the primary phase.
Previous language will be recycled, revised, recalled and consolidated whenever possible and appropriate.