Learning a foreign language is compulsory for KS2 under the 2014 New National Curriculum. At Grange Primary School, we teach French and Spanish in KS2, recognizing the value of learning another language, especially as global citizens. “Learning a foreign language is a liberation from narrow-mindedness and provides an opening to other cultures. A high-quality language education should foster pupils’ curiosity and deepen their understanding of the world.” The experience of learning and using a foreign language makes a unique contribution to the whole curriculum by taking children out of the familiar environment saturated by English and allowing them to discover the lifestyle and culture of another land through its language. This provides a satisfying, enjoyable, and intellectually challenging experience. Details of the Programme of Study for Modern Foreign Languages can be found here: PRIMARY_national_curriculum_Modern_Foreign_Languages
Key Stage 2 National Curriculum Language Programme of Study
Pupils should be taught to:
Listen attentively to spoken language and show understanding by joining in and responding
Explore the patterns and sounds of language through songs and rhymes and link the spelling, sound and meaning of words
Engage in conversations; ask and answer questions; express opinions and respond to those of others; seek clarification and help
Speak in sentences, using familiar vocabulary, phrases and basic language structures
Develop accurate pronunciation and intonation so that others understand when they are reading aloud or using familiar words and phrases
Present ideas and information orally to a range of audiences
Read carefully and show understanding of words, phrases and simple writing
Appreciate stories, songs, poems and rhymes in the language
Broaden vocabulary and develop the ability to understand new words introduced into familiar written material, including using a dictionary; write phrases from memory and adapt them to create new sentences
Describe people, places, things and actions orally and in writing
Understand basic grammar appropriate to the language being studied, including (where relevant) feminine, masculine and neuter forms and the conjugation of high-frequency verbs; key features and patterns of the language; how to apply these to build sentences; and how these differ from or are similar to English
At Grange Primary School, we offer a broad and balanced curriculum to ensure children can communicate for practical purposes (KS2 Programme of Study), use higher-order thinking skills, and be confident in using the language. Children are exposed to spoken and written language and are taught using interactive games and accurate MFL resources such as songs, books, and stories. We aim to lay the firm foundations needed for further foreign language learning at Key Stage 3.
