“Learning another language is not only learning different words for the same thing, but learning another way to think about things.”

Flora Lewis

Intent

St. John the Baptist Catholic Primary School uses the Language Angels scheme of work and resources to ensure we offer a relevant and broad foreign language curriculum that will inspire and excite our pupils using a wide variety of topics and themes. All pupils are expected to achieve their full potential by encouraging high expectations and excellent standards in their foreign language learning.

The intent is that all pupils will develop a genuine interest and positive curiosity about foreign languages, finding them enjoyable and stimulating. Learning a second language will also offer pupils the opportunity to develop a deeper understanding of other cultures and the world around them with a better awareness of self, others and cultural differences. The intention is that they will be working towards becoming life-long language learners.

The four key language learning skills; listening, speaking, reading and writing will be taught and all necessary grammar will be covered in an age-appropriate way across KS2. This will enable pupils to use and apply their learning in a variety of contexts, laying down solid foundations for future language learning.

Implementation

All KS2 classes have access to a high-quality foreign language curriculum using the Language Angels scheme of work and resources. This will progressively develop pupil skills in foreign languages through regularly taught and well-planned lessons taught by class teachers.

Children will progressively acquire, use and apply a growing bank of vocabulary, language skills and grammatical knowledge organised around age-appropriate topics and themes.

Language Angels units are organised so that they offer the appropriate level of challenge and stretch for the children.

Early Language units are entry level units and are most appropriate for Year 3 pupils or pupils with little or no previous foreign language learning. Intermediate units (for Year 4-5 pupils) increase the level of challenge by increasing the amount and complexity of the foreign language presented to pupils. Progressive and Creative Curriculum units are the most challenging units and are suitable for Year 6 pupils or pupils with a good understanding of the basics of the language they are learning.

Units, where possible and appropriate, will be linked to class topics and cross curricular themes. Children will build on previous knowledge gradually as their foreign language lessons continue to revisit and consolidate previously learnt language. Pupil learning and progression will be assessed at regular intervals in line with school policy.

Impact

As well as each subsequent lesson within a unit being progressive, the teaching type organisation of Language Angels units also provides progressive learning and challenge. Units increase in level of challenge and linguistic and grammatical complexity as pupils move from Early Learning units through Intermediate units and into the Progressive units.

Pupils will continuously build on their previous knowledge as they progress in their foreign language learning journey through KS2. Previous language will be revisited and consolidated whenever possible and appropriate.

Teachers will use the planning documents provided to ensure that they 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.

How we assess:

The opportunity to assess pupil learning and progression in the key language skills is provided at the end of each 6-week teaching unit. This information will be recorded and will be monitored by the Foreign Language Subject Leader who can use this data to ensure teaching is targeted and appropriate for each pupil and year group as well as to feedback on progress to SLT. Teachers record, analyse and access this data using the Tracking and Progression Tool that monitors school, class and individual progress in the foreign language.