Languages

Subject Overview

Intent

At Sidlesham Primary School, our Modern Foreign Languages (MFL) curriculum is designed to develop pupils' curiosity, confidence and understanding of how language works. We aim to equip all children with the foundational skills in listening, speaking, reading and writing in another language, while also fostering an appreciation of different cultures. Our approach encourages communication, creativity, and resilience—skills that extend far beyond the language classroom. Through the study of Latin, Italian and Spanish, pupils build transferable language knowledge that supports their literacy, grammatical awareness and global understanding. We believe all children, regardless of when they encounter each language, should access meaningful, enjoyable and age-appropriate language learning experiences that prepare them for further study in secondary school.

Implementation

Languages are taught through a three-year rolling programme, ensuring all children in Years 4–6 experience Latin, Italian and Spanish before they leave Key Stage 2. Each cycle focuses on one language per year, with all pupils in Years 4–6 learning that language together—Cycle A: Italian, Cycle B: Latin, Cycle C: Spanish. This structure means that a child may begin a language for the first time in Year 6, so planning is carefully tailored to ensure progression is accessible and responsive to different starting points. Teaching is highly interactive and includes songs, rhymes, role-play, reading comprehension and structured writing. Key language skills—including grammar, pronunciation and vocabulary—are developed gradually, with a strong emphasis on phonics, sentence construction and communication. Progression is mapped clearly from Year 4 to Year 6 across all skill areas.

Impact

By the end of Key Stage 2, pupils at Sidlesham demonstrate increasing independence and confidence in using a foreign language. They are able to understand and respond to spoken and written language, engage in conversations, present ideas, and write short passages with accuracy and creativity. Even when encountering a new language for the first time in Year 6, children are able to draw on transferable knowledge and strategies built across earlier years. The exposure to multiple languages enhances their awareness of grammar and broadens their understanding of different cultures and ways of communicating. Progress is monitored through teacher assessment of speaking, listening, reading and writing, as well as observation of classroom engagement and peer collaboration. Most importantly, children leave us with a positive attitude to language learning and a readiness to build on their skills in secondary school and beyond.

Languages Knowledge Organisers