Subject Intent

At Brackley C of E Junior School, our Modern Foreign Languages curriculum enables every child to flourish as confident, curious and respectful global citizens. Guided by our vision of “Life in all its fullness”, we aim to inspire a lifelong love of language learning and equip pupils with the knowledge, skills and enthusiasm to communicate with others, appreciate different cultures, and broaden their understanding of the world.

We use Language Angels as the foundation of our planning. This scheme fully aligns with the National Curriculum, ensuring rigorous progress and sustained development in language learning. It is ambitious in scope yet accessible to all pupils, offering a clear, well-sequenced progression of knowledge and skills. Through our Spanish lessons, pupils revisit key vocabulary and structures in increasingly complex contexts, enabling them to build secure understanding and confidence as they move through the school.

Our curriculum is inclusive and designed so that every learner can succeed. We recognise that some pupils may need additional support or challenge, and we are committed to ensuring that no child is held back by barriers such as background, gender, additional needs, ethnicity or disability. Lessons are varied, engaging and interactive, drawing on stories, songs, games and authentic materials to spark curiosity and foster enjoyment of language learning.

Through Modern Foreign Languages at Brackley C of E Junior School, we aim to: develop pupils’ ability to understand and express themselves with increasing confidence in another language; foster curiosity about the wider world and an appreciation of cultural diversity and identity; build resilience, adaptability and collaboration through practical communication and shared learning experiences; encourage respect, empathy and global awareness by connecting with cultures and communities beyond our own and inspire ambition and prepare children for future study, travel and participation in a multilingual, interconnected world.

Our MFL curriculum nurtures curiosity, confidence and cultural appreciation, helping pupils to develop the communication skills and global perspective they need to live “life in all its fullness.”

 

Subject Implementation

Our MFL curriculum is delivered through the Language Angels scheme, which provides a carefully sequenced and progressive structure for the teaching of Spanish. Each unit builds on previous learning, ensuring children develop their listening, speaking, reading and writing skills in a balanced and meaningful way.

Our lessons are sequenced to follow a clear progression from word-level understanding to sentence construction and extended writing, ensuring knowledge is revisited and deepened over time. Each lesson taught is multisensory and engaging, using songs, rhymes, games, role play and digital resources to reinforce language structures and pronunciation. This includes targeting national trends such as the attainment gap between boys and girls, where our varied teaching strategies promote greater balance and sustained progress for both.

Various units introduce cultural contexts, traditions and celebrations from Spanish-speaking countries, helping children develop empathy, respect and appreciation for other cultures. This also allows children to compare with our British traditions and British values, embedding both within the context of their classroom learning.

Lessons are designed to meet the needs of all learners through differentiated activities, visual supports and opportunities for collaborative learning. Additional scaffolding or challenge is provided where needed to ensure all pupils can access and succeed in their language learning, through word banks, pictures or diagrams and call and response techniques.

Ongoing formative assessment is built into each lesson, with opportunities for teachers to evaluate pupils’ understanding through speaking, listening and written tasks. Summative assessments at the end of each unit allow teachers to track progress and inform future planning whilst giving children the opportunity to demonstrate their learning and understanding.

MFL learning is enriched through connections with other subjects, such as Geography, Art, Music, History and RE, enabling pupils to make meaningful links between language, culture and faith.

Through this structured and engaging approach, we ensure that all pupils experience success and develop the confidence to communicate purposefully in another language.

Subject Impact

By the time pupils leave Brackley C of E Junior School, they will:

Have a strong foundation in the key skills of listening, speaking, reading and writing in another language;

Be able to recall and apply a broad range of vocabulary and grammatical structures with increasing accuracy and fluency;

Demonstrate curiosity and enthusiasm for language learning, showing resilience when faced with new challenges;

Appreciate and respect the diversity of cultures, traditions and languages in the wider world;

Recognise how language learning enhances communication, deepens understanding of their own language, and opens opportunities for future study and travel.

We measure the impact of our MFL curriculum through:

Pupil outcomes: Evidence in workbooks, speaking tasks and assessment data;

Teacher assessment: Ongoing monitoring of progress against Language Angels objectives;

Pupil voice: Children’s reflections on their enjoyment, confidence and understanding of language and culture;

Monitoring and evaluation: Lesson observations, learning walks and discussions with staff ensure consistency and quality across the school.

Ultimately, our MFL curriculum enables children to become confident communicators, culturally aware individuals and reflective learners—prepared to embrace the richness of a diverse and connected world, and to live “life in all its fullness.”