At Orchard Grove our MFL curriculum develops a genuine interest and curiosity in foreign languages and enables children to recognise the benefit of learning a foreign language. We want to ensure all children develop language skills and knowledge that will open up a wide range of possibilities in further education, jobs and life experiences. Our ultimate aim is that all children will feel willing and able to continue studying languages beyond KS2.  

Our MFL curriculum will enable children to celebrate and welcome differences in our world and understand different languages, countries and cultures. This will enable children to show respect to other cultures and play a valuable part in our global society. 

At Orchard Grove we will learn Latin and Spanish. Latin being a classical language and Spanish being one of the most commonly spoken languages in the world. These will enable our children to understand the influence of Latin on the English language and engage in conversations in Spanish as they travel around.

For generations a classical education was considered a privilege for the few, not the many, but now its revival in primary and secondary state schools is well underway.

There is increasing evidence that the study of classical subjects helps to:

• raise pupils’ aspirations and achievement. Widening access to classical subjects can help to break the link between educational opportunity and disadvantage, giving pupils the confidence to progress to higher education.

• support language skills for pupils of all abilities, encouraging a structured approach to grammar and a strong foundation for literacy and learning modern foreign languages.

• encourage cultural insight and awareness, offering pupils new perspectives on contemporary issues.

Teaching Spanish in Key Stage 2 (KS2) is highly effective because children's brains are exceptionally receptive to language acquisition. It builds cognitive and communication skills, boosts self-esteem through early success, and provides a seamless transition into secondary school language studies.

The core reasons we teach Spanish in KS2 include:

• Cognitive Development: Learning a second language improves memory, problem-solving skills, and multitasking abilities.

• Accessibility: Spanish is highly phonetic and relatively easy for English speakers to pick up due to many shared roots.

• Cultural Awareness: It fosters a global outlook by introducing students to the rich cultures and traditions of the Spanish-speaking world.

• Future Advantage: As one of the world's most spoken languages, early fluency greatly enhances future travel and career opportunities.

We teach the curriculum in such a way that makes the learning meaningful for children and allows them to make links across the curriculum as well as applying their knowledge and skills to real life situations. 

We are fortunate to work within the Blackdown Education Partnership where we are able to collaborate with subject specialist MFL teachers. 

We also have enrichment opportunities which allow for parents, carers and community members to teach language and share cultural experiences at different times of the year, e.g. The Blackdown Education Partnership International Language and Culture Day, and specific events linked to different country celebrations and festivals.