Eastcote Primary Academy is a vibrant, multicultural, diverse community built on mutual respect and strong shared values. We strongly believe that providing our students with the opportunity to learn a new Modern Foreign Language is an invaluable educational, social and cultural experience for young learners that will establish a solid foundation towards becoming open-minded and confident individuals in the future. Using the National Curriculum for Modern Foreign Languages, as well as the International Baccalaureate philosophy as a framework, our aim is to nurture pupils’ enthusiasm, curiosity and open mindedness and to give all children, regardless of ability or background, the opportunity to reflect on their own language and culture, learn about others and become responsible, caring, global citizens themselves. Embedded in our philosophy is the belief that internationalism and Modern Foreign Languages opens students to an understanding of the world and their place in it and helps them develop a genuine interest and positive curiosity about foreign languages, finding them enjoyable and stimulating.
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 the primary phase. This will enable pupils to use and apply their learning in a variety of contexts, laying down solid foundations for future language learning and helping the children improve overall attainment in other subject areas.
Our aims are:
- To foster positive attitudes and an early interest for languages and cultures of the world.
- To develop students’ communicative skills, their confidence and competence in the language.
- To explore language and cultural aspects in the context of the Primary Years Programme for cross curricular opportunities.
- To foster children’s curiosity, enthusiasm and develop their IB learner profile qualities in the context of language learning.
Spanish is introduced informally at Key Stage One and then developed further in Key Stage Two, where students are provided with an opportunity to learn Spanish on a weekly basis. Both Key stages are taught by a native Spanish speaker, who delivers a high-quality foreign languages curriculum using the Language Angels scheme of work. Language Angels is categorised by ‘Teaching Type’ to make it easier for the MFL teacher to choose units that will offer the appropriate level of challenge and stretch for each class.The scheme of work is also adapted to fit within the International Baccalaureate program as units, where possible and appropriate, will be linked to class topics. Linguistic, historical, geographic, artistic and cultural aspects are embedded wherever appropriate and relevant within the Primary Years Program taught throughout the school, therefore giving students a truly interdisciplinary experience. Emphasis is primarily placed upon the development of oracy and communicative skills; however, the teaching of languages covers the four key skills of Listening, Speaking, Reading and Writing as described in the National Curriculum for Languages. Our teaching offers a variety of opportunities for fun and engaging activities, encouraging individual, pair or group work, songs, games, quizzes, competitions, challenges, home tasks.
There are numerous opportunities for teachers to evaluate children’s progress, based on the level descriptors of the National Curriculum. Children have a Modern Foreign Languages book with a record of their work and are given opportunities to reflect on their learning. All students have opportunities to access the Modern Foreign Languages Curriculum, regardless of background and ability. Students are able to reflect, investigate, question and take ownership of their learning experience, thus developing oracy and agency in learning. Students of all abilities develop an interest and curiosity about other cultures and acquire a strong linguistic and cultural knowledge that will form a solid foundation to a successful transition to Key Stage 3 and beyond. The Modern Foreign Languages and cultural provision at Eastcote Primary Academy is vibrant, positive, thriving and based on a culture of celebrating individuals, communities, differences and commonalities, with the ultimate aim to promote respect, understanding and growth within our school, first and foremost, but also in our local and global communities.