Languages
Curriculum INTENT
Our aim is to foster students’ curiosity of languages and promote diversity and tolerance of other cultures, in order to deepen their understanding of the wider world and to instil a sense of freedom to travel.
Students will have the opportunity to develop a competency that focuses on a depth of learning rather than breadth, in the four key skills of listening, speaking, reading and writing. Learning will centre around the three pillars of language teaching: grammar, vocabulary and phonics. Students will be able to understand and communicate personal and factual information that goes beyond their immediate needs and interests, developing and justifying points of view in speech and writing, with increased confidence, spontaneity, independence and accuracy.
Curriculum End Points
By the end of KS4, a Y11 student will have:
- Developed language skills for life by studying all four skills of listening, reading, speaking and writing in significant depth
- Developed sound grammatical knowledge which they can apply and manipulate with increasing confidence and competence
- Developed a deep understanding of Speech Sound Correspondences (SSC)
- Developed and use a wide-ranging and deepening breadth of vocabulary
- Developed an ability to give and justify opinions
- Developed an awareness of where their language study could take them both at A-Level and beyond
- Developed a cultural awareness of the French/Spanish-speaking world and an openness and appreciation for all languages and cultures
KS3 Curriculum Maps
French:
ks3 curriculum overview languages july2023 french.pdf
Spanish:
ks3 curriculum overview languages july2023 spanish.pdf
Curriculum in Year 7
All students in Y7 study Spanish.
Our wish is for students to learn a language through a range of interesting and motivating contexts with each unit having a clear intent. Examples of topics covered in Y7 include: My World; Descriptions and In the City. The KS3 curriculum in languages has been carefully considered and devised based on the requirements of the National Curriculum and so that grammar and vocabulary are sequenced according to prior learning. Students are given the ability to master and retrieve key concepts at every stage of their journey. New language is introduced and old language recycled in chunks via the use of sentence builders. Elements of Hispanic culture are explored and discussed throughout the year. There is an emphasis on understanding and celebrating differences within cultures and Spanish speaking countries.
How we assess:
| Autumn Term | Spring Term | Summer Term | |
| Overview |
Students will be assessed at the end of Term 1 in three skills areas: Listening, Reading and Writing.
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Speaking will be assessed towards the end of Term 2.
|
Students will be assessed at the end of Half Term 5 (May) in three skills areas: Listening, Reading and Writing.
|
| Content |
Introductions Basic likes and dislikes Countries Where you live now and where you will live in the future Present and Future Tenses un / una ser / estar |
As per Autumn term plus: Family Adjectival agreement
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As per Spring Term plus: Describing appearances and personality |
How can parents help?
- Encourage your child to learn vocabulary little and often and ensure they are completing their learning homework
- Encourage your child to watch age appropriate television programmes in Spanish
- Encourage your child to use mobile phone apps / websites to practise vocabulary, for example, Language Nut and Linguascope. All students will be issued with log in details for these websites
Curriculum in Year 8
All students in Y8 study Spanish and some students (Z Band) will also start to learn French.
Our wish is for students to learn a language through a range of interesting and motivating contexts with each unit having a clear intent. Examples of topics covered in Y8 include: My Mind My Body (Sport); School; Cinema (Spanish) and a focus on the verb 'avoir' to describe people and animals (French). The KS3 curriculum in languages has been carefully considered and devised based on the requirements of the National Curriculum and so that grammar and vocabulary are sequenced according to prior learning. Students are given the ability to master and retrieve key concepts at every stage of their journey. New language is introduced and old language recycled in chunks via the use of sentence builders. Elements of Hispanic and Francophone culture are explored and discussed throughout the year. There is an emphasis on understanding and celebrating differences within cultures and Spanish and French speaking countries.
How we assess:
| Autumn Term | Spring Term | Summer Term | |
| Overview |
Speaking (Spanish) will be assessed towards the end of Half Term 1 (October)
There will be no formal assessment in French until February. |
Students will be assessed towards the end of Half Term 3 (February) in three skills areas: Listening, Reading and Writing.
|
Speaking will be assessed in both languages during the final term. Students will also sit and End of Year exam covering the skills areas of Listening, Reading and Writing.
|
| Content |
Spanish: As per Summer Term Y7 plus: Describing Cities Sports Comparisons Present Tense Future Tense |
Spanish: As per Autumn Term plus: School Past Tense Sequencers Cinema Music
French: Using the verb être to describe people, places and things |
Spanish: As per Spring Term plus: Cinema Music Using the verb 'ir' with definitie articles
French: As per Spring Term plus using the verb 'avoir' to describe people, family and animals and using the verbs 'jouer' and 'faire' to describe interests. |
How can parents help?
- Encourage your child to learn vocabulary little and often and ensure they are completing their learning homework
- Encourage your child to watch age appropriate television programmes in Spanish / French
- Encourage your child to use mobile phone apps / websites to practise vocabulary, for example, Language Nut and Linguascope. All students will be issued with log in details for both of these websites
Curriculum in Year 9
All students in Y9 study Spanish and some students also continue to learn French.
Our wish is for students to learn a language through a range of interesting and motivating contexts with each unit having a clear intent. Examples of topics covered in Y9 include: Our Planet; My Neighbourhood and Ideal Summer (Spanish) and Clothes and Fashion (French). The KS3 curriculum in languages has been carefully considered and devised based on the requirements of the National Curriculum and so that grammar and vocabulary are sequenced according to prior learning. Students are given the ability to master and retrieve key concepts at every stage of their journey. New language is introduced and old language recycled in chunks via the use of sentence builders. Elements of Hispanic and Francophone culture are explored and discussed throughout the year. There is an emphasis on understanding and celebrating differences within cultures and Spanish and French speaking countries.
How we assess:
| Autumn Term | Spring Term | Summer Term | |
| Overview |
Listening / Reading / Writing Students will be assessed on content covered in Year 7, 8 and throughout this term.
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Speaking will be assessed in both languages during this term. |
Students will sit an End of Year exam covering the skill areas of Listening, Reading and Writing.
|
| Content |
Spanish: As per Y8 Summer Term plus: Food and Drink Present Tense Para + infinitve Se debe
French: Personal Information TV
Using the verb être to describe people, family and things |
Spanish: As per Autumn Term plus: Describing a party Describing neighbourhoods Past Tense Lo bueno es que Lo malo es que
French: As per Summer Term Y8 plus: Clothes - Discovering French Fashion
|
Spanish: As per Spring Term plus: Protecting the environment Se debería Si clauses
French: As per Spring Term plus: My interests - Sports and Hobbies |
How can parents help?
- Encourage your child to learn vocabulary little and often and ensure they are completing their learning homework
- Encourage your child to watch age appropriate television programmes in Spanish / French
- Encourage your child to use mobile phone apps / websites to practise vocabulary, for example, Language Nut and Linguascope. All students will be issued with log in details for both of these websites
Curriculum in Year 10
Name of course and board: GCSE French / GCSE Spanish (Edexcel)
Method of external assessment: 100% exam
Students will sit four exams at the end of the two-year course. The examination board is Edexcel. Candidates will be entered for writing, speaking, reading and listening examinations. Each is worth 25%.
There are two exam tiers, Foundation (grades 1-5) and Higher (grades 4- 9).
Students’ progress in all four skills is monitored and supported throughout the course.
Students further develop their skills in understanding written and spoken French or Spanish and in actively using the language to speak and write. They are expected to have and discuss their opinion on a wide range of current topics in French or Spanish.
They continue to develop a wide range of language learning techniques, which will aid them in learning across the curriculum and with any language they may choose or need to study in the future.
We broadly follow the Studio (French) Viva (Spanish) series and over the course of the two years we cover the following topic areas:
Theme 1: Identity & Culture
Theme 2 Local Area, Holiday and Travel
Theme 3: School
Theme 4: Future Aspirations, Study and Work
Theme 5: International and Global Dimension
How we assess:
| Autumn Term | Spring Term | Summer Term | |
| Overview |
Listening / Reading Writing
Speaking will be assessed informally in class. |
Listening / Reading / Writing
Speaking will be assessed informally in class. |
Full mock exam (including speaking) |
| Content |
Themes 2 and 3 (Spanish) Grammar Focus and Theme 2 (French) |
Themes 1 (Spanish) Themes 2 and 3 (French) |
Themes 1,2 and 3. |
How can parents help?
- Encourage your child to learn vocabulary little and often and ensure they are completing their learning homework
- Encourage your child to watch age appropriate television programmes in Spanish / French
- Encourage your child to use mobile phone apps / websites to practise vocabulary, for example, Language Nut. All students will be issued with log in details for this website
Curriculum in Year 11
Name of course and board: GCSE French (9-1) / GCSE Spanish (9-1) (Edexcel)
Method of external assessment: 100% exam
Students will sit four exams at the end of the two-year course. The examination board is Edexcel. Candidates will be entered for writing, speaking, reading and listening examinations. Each is worth 25%.
There are two exam tiers, Foundation (grades 1-5) and Higher (grades 4- 9).
Students’ progress in all four skills is monitored and supported throughout the course.
Students further develop their skills in understanding written and spoken French or Spanish and in actively using the language to speak and write. They are expected to have and discuss their opinion on a wide range of current topics in French or Spanish.
They continue to develop a wide range of language learning techniques, which will aid them in learning across the curriculum and with any language they may choose or need to study in the future.
We broadly follow the Studio (French) Viva (Spanish) series and over the course of the two years we cover the following topic areas:
Theme 1: Identity & Culture
Theme 2 Local Area, Holiday and Travel
Theme 3: School
Theme 4: Future Aspirations, Study and Work
Theme 5: International and Global Dimension
How we assess:
| Autumn Term | Spring Term | Summer Term | |
| Overview |
Students will be assessed in three skills areas: Listening, Reading and Writing.
Speaking will be assessed informally in class.
|
Full Mock exam (including speaking) | Official GCSE exam |
| Content |
Spanish Themes 4 and 5
French Themes 4 and 5
|
All themes |
How can parents help?
- Encourage your child to learn vocabulary little and often and ensure they are completing their learning homework
- Encourage your child to watch age appropriate television programmes in Spanish / French
- Encourage your child to use mobile phone apps / websites to practise vocabulary, for example, Language Nut. All students will be issued with log in details for this website
“If you talk to a man in a language he understands, that goes to his head. If you talk to him in his language, that goes to his heart.”
“Without language, one cannot talk to people and understand them; one cannot share their hopes and aspirations, grasp their history, appreciate their poetry or savour their songs.”
Nelson Mandela