MFL at Watchfield

Modern Foreign Languages are an important part of the curriculum at Watchfield Primary School. All children in key stage 2 study Spanish, but we also celebrate the different languages spoken in our school community and enjoy learning greetings and other words from those of us who come from all around the world. We believe studying a language at a young age is important, as primary age pupils are very receptive to language learning. They find it easier to mimic pronunciation and enjoy playing with language without the inhibitions of older students. Our Spanish teaching provides the foundation for learning further languages later in life.

‘To learn a language is to have one more window from which to look at the world. – Chinese proverb.’

At Watchfield Primary School, we believe that our high-quality languages provision enables children to:

• Communicate in a different language through songs and games.
• Develop their confidence and self-esteem – through opportunities to speak and perform in front of their peers.
• Improve their understanding of English. Through studying a foreign language, grammatical concepts and rules in English become clearer, as children use what they learn in one language to reinforce what they’ve learned in another.
• Enrich and enhance their mental development - studies have repeatedly shown that foreign language learning increases critical thinking skills, creativity, and flexibility of mind in young children.
• Develop positive attitudes to foreign languages – by showing children that language learning can be fun, pupils will approach secondary school language lessons with greater enthusiasm and anticipation.
• Broaden their horizons - language learning is more than just learning to speak and write in a different language. Learning about festivals and traditions from countries where the language is spoken helps children appreciate other cultures so that they can take a place in our global society.

We follow the Twinkl PlanIt Spanish scheme which fosters pupils’ curiosity and deepens their understanding of the world. Our curriculum enables pupils to express their ideas and thoughts in Spanish, as well as understand and respond to Spanish speakers, both in speech and in writing.