Spanish

At Daresbury Primary School, we want every child to SHINE as a language learner. Our Spanish curriculum encourages children to be curious, confident and enthusiastic communicators, developing the knowledge and skills they need to understand and use another language.

We want children to enjoy learning Spanish and develop the confidence to listen, speak, read and write in another language. Through learning Spanish, children also develop an appreciation of other languages and cultures, helping them to understand the wider world and recognise the value of communicating with others.

From Year 3 to Year 6, we use the Primary Languages Network Spanish curriculum, which provides a carefully sequenced and progressive approach to language learning. Children progressively build their vocabulary, grammatical knowledge, phonics and communication skills, revisiting and applying previous learning as they move through school.

In EYFS, Year 1 and Year 2, children begin their language-learning journey through songs and rhymes. This provides an enjoyable introduction to Spanish, allowing children to hear and imitate the sounds of another language, become familiar with simple words and phrases and develop positive attitudes towards language learning before beginning the formal curriculum in Year 3.

Spanish Knowledge and Skills

In accordance with the National Curriculum, children develop their knowledge and skills through listening, speaking, reading and writing.

Throughout their time at Daresbury, children are given regular opportunities to:

• listen carefully to spoken Spanish and demonstrate their understanding;

• develop accurate pronunciation and intonation;

• recognise and use an increasing range of Spanish vocabulary;

• take part in conversations and communicate ideas using familiar language;

• ask and answer questions in Spanish;

• read and understand words, phrases and increasingly complex texts;

• write words, phrases and sentences for different purposes;

• develop their understanding of Spanish grammar and sentence structures;

• use their knowledge of phonics to support pronunciation, reading and spelling;

• apply previously learned vocabulary and structures in new contexts.

As children progress through school, they are encouraged to use Spanish with increasing confidence, accuracy and independence, making connections between new vocabulary and structures and the language they have learned previously.

We recognise that learning another language involves practice, repetition, perseverance and confidence. Children are encouraged to have a go, learn from mistakes and enjoy communicating in another language.

Speaking, Listening and Communication

Communication is at the heart of our Spanish curriculum. Children have regular opportunities to hear and use spoken Spanish, developing their confidence in responding to questions, expressing ideas and communicating with others.

Songs, games, conversations, repetition and practical activities help children to practise new vocabulary and sentence structures in engaging and meaningful ways. Children learn to listen carefully to pronunciation and intonation and become increasingly confident in reproducing the sounds and patterns of Spanish for themselves.

As their knowledge develops, children are encouraged to draw upon previously learned language to create their own sentences, ask questions and communicate with increasing independence.

Spanish and SHINE

Spanish makes an important contribution to our Daresbury SHINE framework: Safe, Healthy, Independent, Nurturing and Exploring.

Safe – Children develop the confidence to communicate in a supportive environment where they feel comfortable having a go, making mistakes and learning from them.

Healthy – Learning another language provides opportunities for enjoyment, participation and achievement, helping children develop confidence and positive attitudes towards learning.

Independent – Children learn to recall and apply vocabulary and grammatical structures, use strategies to work out unfamiliar language and communicate with increasing independence.

Nurturing – Children develop respect and appreciation for other languages, cultures and ways of life, recognising and valuing similarities and differences between people and communities.

Exploring – Children are encouraged to be curious about language, investigate patterns and meanings and discover more about Spanish-speaking cultures and communities.

Spanish Beyond the Classroom

We want children to understand that learning a language is about more than learning words and phrases. Languages enable us to communicate with other people, understand different cultures and connect with the wider world.

Throughout their Spanish learning, children have opportunities to explore aspects of Spanish-speaking cultures and communities, developing their understanding that Spanish is spoken by people in many different parts of the world.

Our early introduction to Spanish through songs and rhymes in EYFS and Key Stage 1 helps to establish an enjoyment of languages from the beginning of children's time at Daresbury. As they move into Key Stage 2, the Primary Languages Network curriculum builds upon this enthusiasm through increasingly structured language learning.

Children are encouraged to make connections between Spanish, English and other languages they may know, noticing similarities and differences in sounds, vocabulary, grammar and sentence structures. This develops their understanding of how languages work and provides a strong foundation for future language learning.

Our aim is for children to leave Daresbury as confident, curious and enthusiastic language learners who have developed a secure foundation in Spanish. We want them to be willing to communicate in another language, appreciate different languages and cultures and have the confidence and enthusiasm to continue their language-learning journey beyond primary school.